It’s time to picnic, and we have the perfect pasta salad. Delicious roasted vegetables are lightly dressed with a fruity olive oil and lemon juice, then topped with fragrant basil leaves. We also added crunchy toasted pine nuts for a great texture boost. Food safe at all temperatures – warm, room temperature, or cold – you can choose how you want to serve it. For a Gluten-Free version, try substituting with Gluten-Free Delallo Orzo Pasta.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup pine nuts
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
20 asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Kosher salt
4 green onions, white and green parts cut into ½” pieces
½ yellow bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces
½ red bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces
1 medium eggplant, skin removed, cut into 1” cubes
1 cup of Orzo Pasta, regular or gluten free
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
¼ cup basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Fresh ground pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pine nuts on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the nuts turn golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Place the tomatoes and asparagus in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine well. Pour onto a sheet tray and bake for 10 minutes shaking the pan in between. Remove from the oven and add the vegetables to another large bowl. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.
In the first bowl, add the onions and peppers. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine well. Pour onto the sheet tray and bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the vegetables over at the halfway point. Remove from the oven and add the vegetables to the large bowl with the asparagus and tomatoes. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.
In the first bowl, add the cubed eggplant. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine well. Pour onto the sheet tray and bake for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the eggplant over at the halfway point. Remove from the oven and add the eggplant and any remaining olive oil to the large bowl with the other vegetables.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and cook the pasta following the package directions. Strain the water off and add the pasta to the vegetables. Toss gently to combine. Add the lemon juice, zest, toasted pine nuts and 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Gently mix again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil leaves.
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