Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese Pasta Salad

20. Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese Pasta Salad
Our reader Annie loves how versatile this recipe is for year-round cooking – just sub in any vegetables and herbs you have on hand!

This go-to pasta salad is hearty and delicious served cold (but great warm, too!). If your kitchen is getting a bit too stuffy for your liking, head outdoors and take this recipe with you: You can also make the whole thing outside on your grill!

Photo: Yvonne Duivenvoorden

By Signe Langford

Serves: 8
Hands-on time: 45 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups uncooked Kamut elbow macaroni or rotini pasta
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into wedges
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into wedges
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into wedges
• 1 red onion, thickly sliced into semi-circles
• 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
• 1 eggplant, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1 cup whole cherry tomatoes, halved
• 5 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled

VINAIGRETTE

• 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf or Italian parsley
• 1/2 packed cup whole fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup verjus

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to remove sticky starches; drain well and set aside.
2. Mist a baking sheet with cooking spray and add peppers and onion in a single layer. Roast in oven until just browned but not soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer peppers and onion to a large bowl. Repeat with zucchini and eggplant in a single layer, then tomatoes; once roasted, add to bowl with peppers and onion.
3. Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette: In a blender or food processor, blend all vinaigrette ingredients into a smooth liquid.
4. Add pasta and vinaigrette to bowl with vegetables and toss well to coat evenly. Top with cheese and serve.

Nutrients per 1-cup serving: Calories: 191, Total Fat: 5 g, Sat. Fat: 3 g, Carbs: 29 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 9 g, Sodium: 163 mg, Cholesterol: 8 mg

Nutritional Bonus:
Not only is goat cheese rich and delicious, it’s actually easier to digest than cows’ milk cheeses.

READER RECIPE TESTER  Annie Laurie Cadmus
Batavia, Illinois
“This is such an easy recipe to put together: You roast the vegetables, cook the pasta, mix together the vinaigrette and toss! This is a great year-round recipe, because you can easily substitute out the vegetables and herbs to match whatever’s in your produce drawer!”

TIP:
Pile this salad, minus the pasta, onto a toasted whole-grain bun for an incredible roasted veggie sandwich. Look for verjus – the juice of unripe grapes – at gourmet grocers or vineyards
.