Roasted Beet Pasta Salad with Basil Dressing
This Roasted Beet Pasta Salad with Basil Dressing is from our July Pasta Spotlight with Alex Caspero of Delish Knowledge.
Roasted Beet Pasta Salad with Basil Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb rainbow beets
- 1 large zucchini squash sliced, roasted
- 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 4 cups whole wheat penne
- ⅓ cup toasted walnuts chopped
- 8 ounces small mozzarella balls ciliegine, halved
- Basil chiffonade for garnish
Basil Dressing:
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut leaves off beets and set aside for another use. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast for 45-70 minutes until just fork tender. (Larger beets will take longer to roast)
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While the beets are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add pasta, cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
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While the beets are cooking, prep and cook the zucchini. Slice the zucchini into half-moons and toss in the remainder teaspoon of oil. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes.
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When beets are finished, let them cool then rub the skin off using a paper towel. Remove any stems and slice into thin half-moons.
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In a large bowl, combine the cooked penne, roasted beets, zucchini, halved mozzarella balls and toasted walnuts.
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Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper (if needed) and serve.
