This summer we’ve been grilling with friends a lot. Since I haven’t been eating meat, I’ve been experimenting with veggie dishes to bring to parties. I’ve been loving tons of fresh zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes. Look how pretty it looks!
This vegan gluten-free dish is sure to be a hit with any group! It also is a great way to use fresh veggies from your garden or a local farmer’s market!
DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT
Zucchini & Summer Squash Pasta Salad
This gluten-free and vegan pasta dish is easy, quick, and loaded with veggies and chickpeas for protein.
Tips: (1) Feel free to substitute fresh, dried, or even young living essential oils in the recipe. I’ve provided the options. I talk about my dish with essential oils here in this veggie pasta sauce post. I’m available to help you use them in and out of the kitchen. You can order them here. (2) Never overcook gluten-free noodles because it makes them mushy. Add a little olive oil to the water with gluten-free noodles (this keeps them from sticking), stir them, and boil them for the minimum time recommended. With this recipe strain them, and rinse them with cold water.
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini
- 1 summer squash
- 1 large sweet yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- parsley (1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh)
- basil (1 tablespoon dried, or 3 tablespoons fresh, or 6 tiny drops of Basil Young Living Essential Oil)
- oregano (2 tablespoons dried, 6 tablespoons fresh, 12 tiny drops of Oregano Young Living Essential Oil)
- 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 8 oz chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (I used cherry heirloom tomatoes)
- 1 bell pepper (I used orange to add color)
- 1 teaspoon real salt
- 5 grinds on pepper grinder
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil + 3 tablespoons
- 1 bag gluten-free noodles (I used a spiral quinoa noodle because they are more firm)
Directions
- Start a pot of water to boil on the stove with a little salt for your noodles. Be prepared to start the noodles when the water is ready.
- Wash vegetables (I used Thieves Fruit and Veggie Spray).
- Slice zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Chop bell pepper and fresh herbs (if desired). Mince garlic and onion.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan.
- Sauté bell pepper, zucchini, summer squash, garlic, and onion for ~3 minutes.
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas
- Add mushrooms and herbs, salt, and pepper. Continue to sauté for ~3 more minutes until veggies are almost tender.
- Add chickpeas and tomatoes to the pot, along with 1/2 cup olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Sauté for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the cooked gluten-free noodles.
- Serve cold.
I brought it to a BBQ.
This looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try this! Thank you for sharing!
You’ve done it again! This looks absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to try – I love pasta salads so much and love the addition of zucchini and summer squash – would never have thought to do that!
Beautiful salad!
I’ve been looking for something just like this to take for lunch during the week! I’m going to have to try it out now!
Laura || http://www.thelifeoflaura.com.au xx
I love pasta salads in the summer! This looks yummy…pinning for later!
Yum! This looks super delicious and simple! It’s not quite salad weather here at the moment, but I’m adding this to the recipes for when the good weather rolls around again… hopefully soon!
This looks so lovely Susan Ellen! I love pasta salads, I could pack some up for hubby to take for lunch the next day too 🙂
Yummmyyy ! I HAVE to try it 😀
This looks really good! I love pasta salads! We have quite a few zucchinis in the garden this year so I need more and more recipes with it! THis is perfect! Definitely adding to my meal planner <3
I’ve been cooking so much with zucchini this summer too! Nothing better than fresh veggies!
Very nice post!Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Thanks for reading 😉
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