Name: roasted vegetable and goat cheese pasta salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 pound butternut squash (peeled, seeded and diced); ½ pound eggplant (peeled and diced); 4 plum tomatoes (diced); 1 medium red onion (diced); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon coarse salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 garlic clove (finely minced); 4 ounces feta or goat cheese (crumbled); ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (rough chopped); 1 teaspoon fresh oregano (chopped); ½ pound cellentani (corkscrew) pasta

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This is my go-to recipe for fall entertaining, so it was time to share it with all of you. I am pretty sure I first found this recipe 15 years ago on the side of a Gladware storage container. My attempts to find the original source were futile, so here’s the version I keep in my Evernote recipe file. Not claiming full originality here, but hey, it’s pasta salad. jump to simple recipe view

photo by jenn kosar

It’s important to dice the vegetables to a uniform size; I usually do about a half-inch as it reduces the roasting time and allows for multiple vegetable types to enter one bite. The amounts of the vegetables need not be precise. When in doubt, round up, and don’t waste any excess. Make a double batch of the veggies to have as nextovers, or to make the side dish more appealing to low-carb eaters.

A busy cook tip I admit to using all the time: buy the squash in the pre-cut containers from the grocery store. Candidly, I do this even when I have the time to prep my own squash. I once did the entire process myself and it left my hands orange and tired. The convenience route shortens prep time and saves my manicure.

This works beautifully for a make-ahead option, and in fact gets better the second day and as leftovers.

roasted vegetable and goat cheese pasta salad

serves 6 as a side dish, or up to 20 on a buffet
prep time 20 minutes
total time under 60 minutes start to table

ingredients

1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

½ pound eggplant, peeled and diced

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1 medium red onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, finely minced

4 ounces feta or goat cheese, crumbled

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

½ pound cellentani (corkscrew) pasta

preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, combine squash, eggplant, tomatoes, red onion, oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread vegetables evenly in a single layer on a large non-stick or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Stir in garlic after you take the vegetables out of the oven and allow to cool.

photo by jenn kosar

While the vegetables are roasting, combine the cheese, parsley, and oregano in small bowl.

If you’re making ahead, transfer the vegetables to a storage container (or the dish you plan to serve in covered in plastic wrap). Transfer the cheese mixture into a separate storage container. Refrigerate the vegetables until just before serving. Take the cheese out of the fridge about 30-60 minutes before you assemble the dish.

Before serving, cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to quickly cool the pasta. Toss the pasta with the vegetables first, then the cheese mixture.

If you are serving immediately, add salt and pepper to taste. If you are serving later in the day, chill the entire dish in the refrigerator and salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

photo by jenn kosar

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roasted vegetable and goat cheese pasta salad

Serves 6 as a side dish or a healthy make-ahead lunch, or up to 20 on a buffet at a party.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced
½ pound eggplant peeled and diced
4 plum tomatoes diced
1 medium red onion diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove finely minced
4 ounces feta or goat cheese crumbled
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley rough chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
½ pound cellentani (corkscrew) pasta

Instructions

Heat oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, combine squash, eggplant, tomatoes, red onion, oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread vegetables evenly in a single layer on a large non-stick or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Stir in garlic after you take out of the oven and allow to cool.
While the vegetables are roasting, combine the cheese, parsley, and oregano in small bowl.
If you're making ahead, transfer the vegetables to a storage container (or the dish you plan to serve in covered in plastic wrap). Transfer the cheese mixture into a separate storage container. Refrigerate the vegetables until just before serving; take the cheese out of the fridge about 30-60 minutes before you assemble the dish.
Before serving, cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to quickly cool the pasta. Toss the pasta with the vegetables first, then the cheese mixture.
If you are serving immediately, add salt and pepper to taste. If you are serving later in the day, chill the entire dish in the refrigerator and salt and pepper to taste just before serving.