Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 2 medium zucchini, diced (about 1 pound)
- 2 medium yellow squash, diced (about 1 pound)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pasta
- 8 ounces bow tie pasta
Vinaigrette
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Salad Additions
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare vegetables: In a large bowl, combine the diced zucchini, yellow squash, halved tomatoes, and diced red bell pepper with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, stirring well to coat evenly.
- Roast the vegetables: Spread the vegetables in a single layer across two sheet pans, arranging the tomatoes cut side up. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the zucchini, squash, and peppers are lightly browned at the edges and tomatoes appear wrinkled.
- Cook pasta: While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Simmer the bow tie pasta until al dente as per package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
- Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, whole grain mustard, honey, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup olive oil until emulsified.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta, roasted vegetables, baby spinach, chopped red onions, crumbled feta, toasted walnuts, and chopped parsley.
- Toss with vinaigrette: Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Add more dressing as desired to achieve your preferred flavor balance.
Notes
- For best flavor, roast vegetables on two sheet pans to avoid overcrowding, which helps them caramelize evenly.
- Rinsing pasta after cooking prevents it from sticking and cools it down for the salad.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or pine nuts if preferred.
- Adjust the amount of honey in the vinaigrette to taste for more or less sweetness.
- This salad can be served warm, room temperature, or chilled depending on preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
