My mom makes a mean pasta salad. Her mayo-less version is a mostly traditional Italian pasta salad which marinates in an Italian salad dressing for a few hours before enjoying.
This version is based on hers, but I decided to make it all the more summery but adding grill-friendly vegetables.
This is mostly a make ahead recipe. Right before serving (or while grilling up the main dish), you just add the veggies to the grill, then toss into the pasta.
I made this for friends with my recipe for Grilled T-Bone Steak with Gremolata.
Ingredients:
- 2 boxes tri-colored pasta
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
- 1 (8 oz package) sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 cups olive oil
To make, cook the pasta according to directions to “al dente.”
Prep your vegetables: chop your onion, bell peppers, zucchini, squash and garlic. Add all to a large bowl along with the sliced mushrooms.
Make your marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour half of the mixture over the vegetables, and keep the other half in the large bowl. Toss the vegetables, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the large bowl, tossing to combine with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When ready to grill, preheat your grill to medium high heat. If you have a vegetable basket, add the vegetables to the basket using a slotted spoon and pour the leftover marinade over the pasta. If you do not have a vegetable basket, thread the vegetables on to pre-soaked wooden skewers.
Grill until charred and softened, about 3-5 minutes, turning to grill evenly. Remove from heat and add to the large bowl of marinating pasta. Toss to combine and serve.
This recipe just screams summer.
It’s a perfect side for grilled food!
You can make a ton of this for a large crowd, and it only gets better as it marinates, so if there happens to be any leftovers, lunch the next day is going to be fantastic!
Feel free to adjust this to your tastes. Any grill-friendly veggies will do. This honestly works as a great “fridge cleaner” as well!
Ingredients
- 2 boxes tri-colored pasta
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
- 1 (8 oz package) sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 cups olive oil
Instructions
- To make, cook the pasta according to directions to “al dente.”
- Prep your vegetables: chop your onion, bell peppers, zucchini, squash and garlic. Add all to a large bowl along with the sliced mushrooms.
- Make your marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pour half of the mixture over the vegetables, and keep the other half in the large bowl. Toss the vegetables, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- When the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the large bowl, tossing to combine with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- When ready to grill, preheat your grill to medium high heat. If you have a vegetable basket, add the vegetables to the basket using a slotted spoon and pour the leftover marinade over the pasta. If you do not have a vegetable basket, thread the vegetables on to pre-soaked wooden skewers.
- Grill until charred and softened, about 3-5 minutes, turning to grill evenly. Remove from heat and add to the large bowl of marinating pasta. Toss to combine and serve.
What do you think?