Well, summer is slowly arriving with higher temperatures. So that means for us, the beginning of salad season. Yea! Today we bring you a nice pasta salad – a bit different than the usual ones as the vegetables are cooked, roasted, baked or panfried, whichever is best for you- meaning cooler.

Ratatouille Pasta Salad

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

  • 250 grams of whole wheat spirali pasta
  • oil for frying or to drizzle on baking
  • 1 medium eggplant, cut in small bite sized pieces
  • 1 zucchini, cut in small bite sized pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut in small bite sized pieces
  • 1 orange bell pepper, cut in small bite sized pieces
  • 2 med. onions, cut in small bite sized pieces
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • herbs de Provence
  • dash cayenne
  • fresh basil
  • lemon pepper
  • salt
  • olive oil
  • 1-2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
  • a bit of cilantro oil (made from fresh cilantro and olive oil with lemon juice)

Directions:

  1. Cook the pasta in lightly salted water, drain and place in a large bowl that has a lid.
  2. As it is very warm today, I will be stir frying the veggies, not firing up the oven to bake.
  3. Heat some oil in a frying pan. 
Lightly saute the onions, until one side is lightly brown, and they begin to be soft.
  4. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
  5. Do the same, with the bell peppers and garlic, then the zucchini, then the tomatoes, and at least the eggplant.
  6. Drain the extra oil from each vegetable well, as you don’t want the salad to be too heavy with oil.
  7. Make a dressing, from a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, herbes de Provence, lemon pepper, lemon juice, salt and pepper and cayenne.
  8. Pour the dressing over the pasta and mix well.
  9. Add the vegetables and mix again.
  10. Add the nutritional yeast, mix and taste. Season to taste with additional seasonings if needed.
  11. Allow the salad to season for 3-4 hours. Serve at room temperature with fresh herbs as thyme and basil.