Description
Fresh Chimichurri Pasta Salad is a bright vegan pasta salad with grilled vegetables, short pasta, and a parsley garlic chimichurri dressing. It has smoky eggplant, zucchini, asparagus, red bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes tossed with tangy herbs, making it a fresh make ahead side for cookouts, lunch, or easy dinners.
Ingredients
For the Chimichurri
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Fresno pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup EVOO
For the Pasta Salad
- 1 box pasta of choice
- 1 red bell pepper, quartered
- 1/2 bunch asparagus
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 small eggplant, sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, quartered
- 3 Tbsp EVOO
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the chimichurri: Finely chop the parsley, garlic, and Fresno pepper, then add them to a bowl. Stir in the salt, oregano, red wine vinegar, and EVOO until the dressing looks loose and glossy.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta according to the package directions until tender. Drain well and let it cool slightly.
- Prepare the vegetables: Add the red bell pepper, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and red onion to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with 3 Tbsp EVOO.
- Grill the vegetables: Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill until very hot. Grill the vegetables until just cooked through with lightly charred edges, turning as needed.
- Chop the vegetables: Remove the grilled vegetables from the heat and chop them into about 1 inch pieces. Leave the cherry tomatoes whole or lightly smash them so their juices mix into the salad.
- Toss and chill: Combine the cooked pasta, grilled vegetables, and chimichurri in a large bowl. Serve right away or refrigerate for a few hours so the pasta can soak up the dressing.
Notes
- Use rotini, farfalle, penne, or shells so the chimichurri clings well.
- For less heat, remove the seeds from the Fresno pepper before chopping.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Do not freeze this salad because the grilled vegetables can turn watery after thawing.
- Stir before serving and add a small splash of EVOO or red wine vinegar if the pasta has absorbed too much dressing.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 390 kcal
Keywords: chimichurri pasta salad