An easy pasta salad inspired by one of my favorite French dishes!
Ratatouille is one of my favorite French dishes. The simple stew has just a few ingredients: eggplant, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, parsley, and basil. I’ve taken some of those ingredients and turned them into a delicious pasta salad that can be made ahead for easy entertaining. This would also be perfect to pack for a picnic!
I came up with this for my Cinderella Ball, which might seem odd considering the time of year (January) but in Texas, we have fantastic zucchini and squash available year round and it’s often mild enough to grill. I grill year round and wanted a healthy pasta salad with a French twist for Cinderella, which originated in France. I made a giant bowl of it and yet managed to get basically no photos. Someday I’ll make it again and update this post with better pictures.
Thank you to my grocery partner Tom Thumb for supporting The Rose Table and this recipe! It’s partnerships like this that keep The Rose Table ad-free. Tom Thumb’s organic veggies were fantastic in this pasta salad, which is now one of my favorite dishes!
Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad
3/4 cup orzo
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lbs zucchini
1 lbs yellow squash
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup basil, chopped
Parmesan for grating and garnish
Optional serving suggestion: grilled chicken
- Cook orzo according to package directions; drain.
- Whisk together freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss about half the liquid with hot orzo. Reserve liquid to add later if the pasta is dry.
- Wash and pat vegetables dry. Cut ends off of zucchini and squash. Slice lengthwise. Toss vegetables with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Grill vegetables, covered, at 400 degrees about 4-5 minutes per side or until nicely charred and fork tender.
- Cut vegetables into cubes and toss with pasta, green onions, parsley, basil, and a generous grating of parmesan cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, add sliced cherry tomatoes and shave parmesan right over the bowl.
Reach more about my Cinderella Ball here. Watch the video highlights:
Happy grilling,
Don’t forget to follow/like The Rose Table on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Sign up for The Rose Table’s emails here. Shop The Rose Table here. Follow my blog with Bloglovin.
Leave a Reply