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tossing up a bowl of pasta salad with red peppers and artichokes
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5 from 2 votes

Pasta Salad with Artichokes and summer vegetables

Bow tie pasta with zucchini, spinach, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers and a homemade pesto vinaigrette of artichoke hearts, basil and more!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pasta salad, artichoke
Servings: 6
Calories: 340kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups dry bowtie pasta
  • 1 large zucchini halved and sliced
  • 1 cup spinach chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ cup jarred sliced roasted red pepper
  • ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
  • ½ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese optional*
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing:

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  • ½ cup jarred artichoke hearts + 1 tablespoon juice from the jar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon pumpkin or hemp seeds
  • ½ cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the zucchini slices for the last 3 minutes of cooking.
  • While pasta is cooking, prepare salad veggies if you have not already done so. Place chopped or sliced veggies, except for zucchini, to a large salad bowl.
  • When pasta and zucchini are done cooking, drain and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then add them to the salad bowl with the veggies.
  • While pasta is cooling, prepare the dressing: Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor or blender. Pulse until well chopped.
  • With processor running, pour in olive oil until just incorporated and dressing is smooth but runny.
  • Pour half of dressing over the pasta and veggies in the salad bowl. Toss well to coat.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little more dressing if desired**.
  • Toss gently once more and serve. Garnish salads with grated cheese, if desired.

Video

Notes

*omit cheese if making vegan salad
**leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for up to a week. It is wonderful on all kinds of salads, especially kale salad (massage into kale leaves to tenderize them).

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1144IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 1mg