Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad

I loooove roasted vegetables.  It's my favorite preparation.  Roasting brings out so many yummy, caramelized flavors.  You can roast pretty much any type you want...carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower, etc.  During our trip to Ohio, I threw this dish together to accompany our grilled burgers.  It turned out so well that I decided to make again when we got home!

Warning: this isn't so much a recipe as it is a suggestion.  There are no hard and fast rules in pasta salad.

Gather your ingredients.

I roasted some mushrooms, an onion, a zucchini, a couple of tomatoes, and a few cloves of garlic.  Peppers would also be lovely.  Just use what you want.  You'll also need some pasta, olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite vinaigrette dressing.  I usually make mine, but used bottled this time because I had one hanging around my pantry.

Pre-heat your oven to oh...somewhere between 400 and 450.  Slice up your veggies and toss them with a couple of gluggs of olive oil and some salt and pepper.

All sliced up and ready to roast!


Put your veggies on a cookie sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan around and checking on them every now and again.  While that's happening, cook your pasta according to al dente according to the package instructions.  I used about a cup and a half of dry pasta.  Drain well, and toss with your vinaigrette.  I used a bit over half a cup.


After your veggies are sufficiently roasted and delicious, throw them in with the pasta.  Be sure to get all of the yummy juices!  

  Done!  Enjoy warm or cold.