Zucchini Pasta Salad
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This zucchini pasta salad is packed with roasted zucchini and tossed with soft goat cheese and zesty lemon garlic dressing. It’s fresh, flavour loaded and amazingly delicious.
A terrific vegetarian summer meal ready in 30 minutes.
Every summer gatherings need a great pasta salad, and this is the one that I’ve been making in the last few months. It’s so yummy, juicy, and perfect to fall in love with.
And making this recipe is a breeze, seriously.
First things first: I toss the zucchini slices with the olive oil and seasoning and when they’re well coated, I spread them in a single layer onto a baking sheet and I roast them in the oven at a high heat until caramelised.
Meanwhile, I cook the pasta and I make the dressing: a tangy mix of olive oil, lemon, garlic, honey, vinegar and seasonings.
Finally, I combine the pasta with the sweet zucchini, creamy goat cheese, pine nuts for crunch, lots of fresh basil and the fabulous dressing.
And it’s done: fresh, big and it looks as amazing as it tastes!
This gorgeous zucchini pasta salad is absolutely great for a potluck, packed lunch, picnic, or BBQ meal. A fantastic summer meal that keeps very well in the fridge.
I promise that just about everyone in the household will eat it!
List of the ingredients
- Fresh zucchini
- Pasta
- Goat cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Vinegar
- Honey
- Garlic
- Basil & pine nuts
How to make zucchini pasta salad
(Note: this is a quick description, the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Slice and toss the zucchini with olive oil and seasoning.
- Spread the zucchini slices onto a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.
- Cook and drain the pasta.
- Make the dressing.
- Place the pasta, zucchini, basil, pine nuts and goat cheese in a large salad bowl.
- Pour over the dressing and toss until combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe notes
Zucchini Pasta Salad Ingredients
Pasta: these big fusilli shapes are a firm favourite at then moment. But any premium-quality short shape pasta would do.
Zucchini: don’t use very large zucchini. Small to medium squash will have a sweeter flavor and a firmer texture, which makes them great for this recipe. And feel free to add more zucchini if you like.
Goat cheese: I love it, its flavor and creamy texture pair wonderfully with the sweet roasted zucchini. But you can use crumble feta cheese or a few dollops of creamy ricotta and shaved parmesan instead of goat cheese.
Toasted pine nuts: for richness, and crunch. But cheaper toasted walnuts or almonds would work fine instead of pine nuts.
Dressing: extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, a little honey, garlic, Dijon mustard, and a touch of chili flakes are combined to add a tangy and sweet flavor that brings this pasta salad together.
Fresh herbs: in my world fresh basil is a must for pasta salad.
Seasoning: make sure the flavor pops!
Tips for an amazing zucchini pasta salad!
- Cut the zucchini into evenly sized chunky pieces so they’ll cook evenly and will keep a nice bite.
- Don’t crowd the baking sheet with zucchini slices.
- Cook the pasta just an extra minute beyond al dente to keep its texture a tad softer (because pasta firms up when refrigerated!).
- Reserve a touch of pasta water to toss the pasta along with goat cheese and dressing. This way you’ll keep things juicy for days without using copious amounts of oil.
- Make sure you’re happy with the overall flavor. Once you combined the pasta with the dressing, taste and add more salt, pepper, lemon juice or olive oil if desired.
- Assemble and serve when it’s slightly warm or at room temperature.
More recipes to use up your zucchini?
I have a few delicious recipes perfect to use up your fresh zucchini, from scrumptious pasta, to crispy pizza, zucchini bites and dessert like this chocolate zucchini bread. You’re welcome!
More yummy pasta recipes you’ll love…
If you’re a pasta lover, check out my Super Quick Pasta Recipes ready in less than 15 minutes and also these incredible vegan pastas and Italian pasta recipes or penne pasta recipes, perfect to inspire you!
Below some of our favs:
- Pasta with artichokes
- Tomato basil pasta
- Creamy tomato pasta
- Mushroom ricotta pasta
- Penne arrabbiata
- Penne with pesto
Lastly, I hope you’ll love this scrumptious zucchini pasta salad, and if you have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it. I would love to hear from you!
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Zucchini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz (220 grams) short-cut pasta
Zucchini
- 1 lb (450 grams) zucchini (approx three medium-sized)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Goat cheese & herbs
- ⅓ cup (100 grams) soft goat cheese, into pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Roast zucchini: Preheat the oven to 450°F/230℃ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut zucchini into half-moons (about ¾ inch/2 cm thick), add it to a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and seasoning until coated. Spread it evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: while roasting the zucchini, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta per packet directions plus an extra minute to make the texture slightly softer. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, drain and add pasta to a large serving bowl. Let it cool slightly.
- Make the dressing: place ingredients in a jar and shake well.
- Assemble the pasta salad: add the roasted zucchini to the bowl, add the goat cheese, basil leaves and pine nuts and pour the dressing over. Toss until well combined adding a touch of pasta water to make it moist. Taste and make sure the flavor pops. Add a bit more of salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- To serve: let it cool slightly before serving or serve at room temp. It keeps well for 3 days in the fridge, but it soaks up the dressing and gets a bit dry and firm in the refrigerator. Before serving, quickly microwave the pasta salad and add a touch of olive oil and lemon juice to make it moist. Enjoy.
