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This 20-minute Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad is healthy, colorful, and so delicious! And it serves a crowd! Loved by vegetarians and carnivores, this is a great recipe for parties and potlucks!
Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Summer is here and it has me craving all of the veggies and all of the pasta salad recipes! So I decided to combine my cravings and create this epic veggie lovers pasta salad recipe! It’s loaded with fresh veggies and covered in flavorful pesto! This recipe is so flavorful and always a hit at parties!
Rainbow Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Orange bell pepper
- Yellow and Green Zucchini
- Broccoli
- Basil
- Parsley
- Red Onion
- And Pesto
You can use store bought pesto, but I suggest making your own! My Super Healthy Spinach Basil Pesto is so delicious and totally vegan!
Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad Recipe
- Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and place over high heat. Bring water to a rolling boil, add pasta, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until al dente.
- Drain pasta and run under cold water until cool.
- While you’re waiting for the pasta, wash and chop your veggies!
- Once the pasta has cooled, transfer it to a large bowl. Add in the vegetables and half of the pesto.
- Stir until everything is well mixed, and add more pesto as needed.
- Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to eat.
Can pasta salad be made ahead of time?
It sure can be! As long as you don’t overcook the noodles, this pasta salad is very make ahead friendly. And because it doesn’t contain dairy or meat, it can be kept at room temperature for quite a while without spoiling.
How long will pasta salad last?
This will keep, out of the fridge, for about 3 hours. Just be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight, and toss it once in a while to keep it looking fresh.
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days. We love making a batch at the beginning of the week so we can enjoy a bowl everyday for lunch! For a heartier meal, add in drained chickpeas!
So if you’re having a busy day and need dinner fast, give this recipe a try! And of course it’s also perfect for parties, picnics, and potlucks! During the busy Summer weeks, I find myself making it over and over again! So enjoy!
More Pasta Salad Recipes:
20-Minute Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz box of farfalle pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt (for the pasta water)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 small yellow zucchini, cut in half vertically then thinly sliced
- 1 small green zucchini, cut in half vertically then thinly sliced
- 1 broccoli crown, cut into tiny bite-sized pieces
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 orange pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups pesto
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt, stir, then add in the pasta. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 10-11 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a colander and run the pasta under cold water for a few minutes.
- While you’re waiting for the pasta, prepare the vegetables and the dressing!
- Cut the veggies as indicated in the ingredient list.
- Once the pasta has cooled, transfer it to a large serving bowl. Add in the chopped vegetables and half of the pesto. Stir until everything is well mixed, and add more pesto as needed.
- Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to eat. Will keep, stored in the fridge, for 4 days.
Did you change this recipe at some point? I have a printout from the same url from 2016 that has an oil and vinegar dressing. I’ve been so confused looking for it again! Is it posted anywhere else?
Dear Ashley, I made this salad and it was a super hit. My wife and daughter absolutely loved it and so did I. I was so scared of the salad would turn out ok, my wife tasted it and said it tastes like fine Italian dressing. Thank you. You made our day. My daughter works late and can’t heat up food at her work place. This dinner was a welcome change from the ham sandwich. Thanks!! – Ani
Hi Ani!!! I’m so happy to hear it 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
hi! i am little confused – your pasta looks like it has pesto type dressing but there is no blending of the basil and parsley. I don’t see in the recipe where you even add those in – unless that is the fresh vegetables – but then how does the dressing have the pesto texture/look?
thanks!
We are going camping and I am preparing a few meals ahead. Could this be made a few days ahead (4)? Would it be better to have all ingredients sepreated and mixed in at the last minute?
Hi Jassy. I would think the noodles in pesto would be fine for a few days, and then mix the fresh veggies in right before serving. I haven’t tried this myself, but logically I think it would yield the best results 🙂 Have a great camping trip!
Ashley these photos are stunning, some of your best I have ever seen! the way you composed this pasta salad is beautiful and undoubtedly delicious, this baby is getting pinned! x
Christine! You just made my morning 🙂 Thank you, sweetness. I have been trying hard to work on my photography, so your compliment is much appreciated!
This sounds delicious, and so perfect for summer! Definitely going to keep this in mind for zucchini harvest time.
This salad is gorgeous!!!
Thank you so much, Amanda 🙂
I totally could face plant some of this right now. That pesto? I die.
it’s the prettiest pasta salad EVER!