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    Home » Mains

    Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables

    Originally Published: Aug 24, 2018 · Last Updated: Jul 6, 2020 by Ann · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    276 shares
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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a glass salad bowl
    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a bowl
    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a glass salad bowl

    This simple summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables, feta, and an herby balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect way to enjoy the late summer harvest. It's super easy and quick to make and is a great side for a BBQ or potluck. Leftovers make wonderful lunches too!

    A couple of weeks ago I went to my friend's place for some evening drinks and chit chat, and she served a lovely snack board that included some marinated grilled vegetables. She whipped this thing up in about 15 minutes after a full day of kid activities! I think that's one of my favorite things about summer. The simple pleasure of putting a bunch of stuff on the grill at the end of a busy day, and having a delicious healthy dinner on the table in minutes.

    *This post probably contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a glass salad bowl

    Anyway, I was still thinking about those grilled vegetables the next day, so I decided to make a big batch myself. There are plenty of things you could do with grilled vegetables, but I decided to toss them with some pasta and an easy herby vinaigrette for the perfect summer pasta salad. This was so good, It was pretty hard not to eat it all on the spot, but I refrained and instead prepared some lunches for the week.

    Process shots for making marinated grilled vegetables in a grill pan for summer pasta salad

    Since I try to spend as little time as possible in the house on summer Sundays, I really tried to make this summer pasta salad as efficiently as possible. I made a big batch of the vinaigrette and used half of it to marinate the vegetables before grilling them, and the other half to dress the salad.

    Fresh basil, oregano, thyme and parsley on a cutting board with a bowl of oil, vinegar and garlic for making summer pasta salad

    All in all this was super simple and quick to make and tasted exactly like summer. I used my trusty Lodge grill pan to grill the vegetables, which means I can get the taste of summer in the dead of winter, if I want to (and I will!). But you could obviously do this on a gas or charcoal grill. In fact, if you wanted to be extra-efficient, you could just put some veggies on the grill the next time you're grilling something for dinner and use those.

    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a bowl

    I used colorful bell peppers, red onions, zucchini, and corn in this salad, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand, or whatever your garden is producing in excessive quantities! I also love a little cheese in my pasta salad and happened to have some feta in the fridge, so I used that. But bocconcini, burrata, or goat cheese would have been great too.

    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a large glass serving bowl

    This summer pasta salad is fast, fresh, and full of summery flavor. It's perfect for BBQs and potlucks!

    Enjoy! xx

    Sound good to you? If you make this summer pasta salad recipe, I would be thrilled if you would take a pic and tag me on Instagram @ourhappymess!

    Or pin for later!

    And if you're looking for more easy dinner inspiration, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Or subscribe in the sidebar on the right to get every new recipe in your inbox 🙂

    A Couple of Other Favorite Pasta Salads to Try

    Creamy taco macaroni salad

    Mediterranean Israeli couscous salad

    Summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables in a glass salad bowl

    Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables

    This simple summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables, feta and an herby balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect way to enjoy the end-of-summer harvest. It's super easy and quick to make and is a great side for a BBQ or potluck. Leftovers make wonderful lunches too!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Side
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    marinating time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 480kcal
    Author: Ann Otis

    Ingredients

    • 1 zucchini sliced ½ inch thick
    • 1 red bell pepper seeded and quartered
    • 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and quartered
    • ½ red onion quartered
    • 2 ears corn shucked
    • 1 lb dry pasta shapes such as rotini, penne, or farfalle
    • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

    Marinade and Dressing

    • ⅔ cup olive oil
    • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 tablespoon each of basil, oregano, parsley and thyme chopped (more for garnish)
    • ½ salt and pepper to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add half the marinade (½ cup), to a gallon-size plastic baggie, reserving the rest for the dressing, and add the vegetables to the bag. Swish around until well combined and refrigerate for an hour or up to a day.
    • Preheat a grill pan or grill on medium-high heat. Remove the vegetables from the marinade and grill, turning once 8 - 10 minutes. Corn will need to be turned a few times to cook evenly. Watch the vegetables as they cook and remove them as the are done, when they are crisp-tender. (Zucchini will be done first, with bell peppers taking the longest).
    • While the vegetables are on the grill, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
    • Once cooked, remove the vegetables from the grill and chop into 1 inch pieces. Run a sharp knife down the length of the corn cobs to release the kernels.
    • In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, vegetables, dressing (reserved marinade), feta and additional chopped herbs, if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 830IU | Vitamin C: 68.4mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 1.6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @OurHappyMess or tag #OurHappyMess!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme

      September 05, 2018 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      So colorful! A great way to use up that summer produce!

      Reply
    2. Dannii

      September 05, 2018 at 10:45 am

      5 stars
      All of my favourite summer flavours in this salad. Perfect for an end of summer party.

      Reply
    3. kim

      September 05, 2018 at 10:44 am

      5 stars
      Yum! This looks fabulous! Will be adding this to my weekly menu!

      Reply
    4. Sandi

      September 05, 2018 at 10:36 am

      5 stars
      The bright colors of this pasta salad make it look so appetizing. I hope to try this soon.

      Reply
    5. Emily

      September 05, 2018 at 10:09 am

      5 stars
      I love a good pasta salad, this looks so colourful and delicious!

      Reply
    6. Jill

      August 26, 2018 at 10:57 pm

      ❤️❤️❤️

      Reply

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    Ann from Our Happy Mess

    I'm Ann and I believe in balanced eating, homemade foods, and DESSERT. I love to cook, but I can't spend all day in the kitchen anymore, so what you'll mostly find here are simple, family-friendly recipes. I'm really happy you're here!
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