With crumbled feta and lemon vinaigrette, this roasted broccolini zucchini pasta salad is a fresh spring to summer vegetarian side or main dish.
We are sailing through April, so I think it’s safe to say that pasta salad season has begun. Not that we needed anything specific to make it official.
And I have to say that I am pretty excited.
There’s just something about cold noodles paired with greens or veggies that’s really good.
I’m convinced my love of leftovers is why I am such a fan of pasta salad. Give me any pasta shape chilly from the fridge, and I will devour everything straight from the container.
Why even bother to spoon it into a bowl?
But seriously, a salad version requires more strategy than simply serving a dish cold that’s meant to be hot.
Probably the most important thing with pasta salad, including this roasted broccolini zucchini pasta salad, is getting the right balance of flavor and seasonings.
Cold food needs more salt, pepper and acidity than hot food because it has less intensity.
I like using two or more vegetables in pasta salad along with strong ingredients that have some pop.
Lemon juice and feta cheese are great options. Citrus and saltier cheeses give the oomph that’s needed.
This is what you need for the pasta salad:
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Then toss the broccolini and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes or so. The broccolini will turn slightly darker and the tips of the florets will turn crisp. The zucchini will soften and only be just ever so brown on some of the edges.
While the broccolini and zucchini are in the oven, I simmer the pasta on the stove. Once it is al dente, I dump it into a strainer and rinse it with cold water. This stops the noodles from cooking. Also, then they won’t stick together.
I make the vinaigrette in a bowl large enough to hold the pasta and the vegetables. All you have to do is whisk together the juice of a lemon, white wine vinegar olive oil, salt and pepper.
Next, I fold the broccolini, zucchini and pasta into the lemon vinaigrette with sliced scallions, chopped parsley and crumbled feta.
Finally, I taste the pasta salad and add more salt and pepper as needed to get the right level of seasoning.
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So easy and delicious!
I loved it a lot and was so easy to make thank u