About
Deck your bowl with something jolly! This Christmas Pasta Salad provides a splash of all the festive colors, plus some good eats alongside your marvelous main course. Packed full of bouncy pasta, lots of crispy, crunchy veggies, and a tangy pesto sauce, everyone will be lining up for a scoop of this holiday heaven. Have a holly, jolly Christmas with a never-ending bowl full of Christmas Pasta Salad!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups zucchini, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups yellow squash, chopped
- 1 cup red onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small eggplant, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces whole-wheat penne
- 1 cup pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- fresh basil, to taste, julienned
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 -Add the zucchini, the yellow squash, the red onion, the green peppers, the red peppers, and the eggplant to a baking sheet and evenly space them out.
Step 3 -Drizzle the veggie mixture with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and the pepper. Toss to coat.
Step 4 -Roast the veggie mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 45-50 minutes.
Step 5 -While the veggies are roasting, in a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the penne to al dente, according to the package instructions.
Step 6 -Drain the water, then rinse the penne. Allow it to cool, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7 -Transfer the baking sheet from the oven and place the roasted veggies in a large bowl.
Step 8 -Add the cooked penne to the roasted vegetables and gently mix them together.
Step 9 -Add the pesto to the penne mixture and gently stir to coat.
Step 10 -Season the pasta salad with the salt and the pepper.
Step 11 -Top the pasta salad with the tomatoes and the basil.
Step 12 -Gently toss the pasta salad and serve.
