Autumn Vegetable Pasta Salad

Fall brings in so many amazing flavors, tastes, and smells. I LOVE the smell of pumpkin cooking in the oven, or squash in a soup, even cinnamon and sweet potatoes. Sometimes, though, we want a fast, fresh, and fall felling meal that is simply made and delicious. This is where my Fall Vegetable Pasta comes in!

To be honest, in the summer, I called this meal my summer pasta salad, because it was just that… the most amazing combination of fall flavors and textures. But now, after a little renovation, I’ve made this into one of my absolute go-to fall meals!

How it’s Made

The best part about this pasta salad is that it is solely and completely interchangeable. Don’t have a squash in stock? Use a yellow bell pepper! No arugula? Use spinach or kale! It’s really such a great interchangeable meal as long as you keep the main staples consistent.

For this meal, I always start by roasting my chickpeas. Roasted chickpeas are one of my favorite foods! I LOVE their soft but crunchy texture, taste, and a touch of salt mixed in. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I love the way I can interchange roasted chickpeas for potato chips and be just as satisfied. The roasted chickpeas add protein, flavor, and the perfect crunch on this pasta salad.

Next, I start to cut my vegetables. For my fall version of this recipe, we will be using squash and red onion. At this point, I usually start to boil the pasta.

Next, I like to make the dressing in my biggest glass bowl just to make sure everything fits at the end. To make the dressing you combine olive oil, lemon, spices, and the goat cheese. The goat cheese really makes this dish POP! It is so tart, tangy, and delicious with the pasta and vegetables. And I love that it is such a wonderful fall cheese.

After you cut the vegetables, you add it all to a hot pan and saute until cooked through and golden. Once the vegetables are done, add it to the bowl with the goat cheese mixture so the cheese can start melting. Then, you’ll want to add the pasta and the remaining ingredients into the bowl, omitting only the chickpeas.

Once everything is combined in your bowl, you will place it into serving bowls and top with the chickpeas.

I’m telling you, friend… this is the PERFECT fall pasta dish! It also makes delicious healthy leftovers for a yummy lunch the next day!

This Autumn Vegetable Pasta Salad is full of:

1. Roasted Chickpeas

2. Squash

3. Red Onion

4. Spinach or Arugula

5. Corn

6. Tomatoes

I hope you love this Autumn Vegetable Pasta Salad as much as I do and use it for many years to come. Happy Cooking!

Autumn Vegetable Pasta Salad

Time: 40 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Roasted chickpeas:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pasta:

• 8 oz. bowtie pasta (regular, whole grain, or even chickpea pasta will work)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1/2 cup goat cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, plus more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Dash of cayenne pepper, if you like a little heat

Vegetables:

• 1/2 medium red onion, diced

• 1 large yellow squash, halved, quartered, then diced into small bite sized chunks

• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

• 1 small pint of san marazano or cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 2 cups spinach or arugula

Directions:

1. For the roasted chickpeas: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Add the drained chickpeas to a baking pan, sprinkle garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper over the chickpeas and toss with your hands to combine. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the chickpeas are golden and crispy. Set aside.

2. For the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a little salt. Once water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-15 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, goat cheese, salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne until combined. Drain pasta, and place pasta overtop the goat cheese mixture and toss to combine (the hot pasta should melt the goat cheese and make it all become very creamy)!

3. For the vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, preheat a small skillet to medium heat. Drizzle some olive oil in the pan and add the squash and red onion to the skillet. Cook until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the large bowl with the pasta.

4. Finally, add all other remaining ingredients to the pasta mixture: corn, tomatoes, and spinach. Place into bowls, top with roasted chickpeas, and serve. This meal can be served warm or cold. Enjoy!

Recipe by: The Heaping Harvest

I hope you love this Autumn Pasta Salad and enjoy making this recipe for years to come. If you’ve tried this recipe, we would love for you to write a review below! Thank you :)

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