Grilled Pasta Salad

A pasta salad that actually tastes like something. Grilled zucchini and chunked Spanish onion get brushed with an Italian herb soup mix blended with olive oil, broiled until charred and crisp-tender, then tossed with penne and roasted red peppers in a simple vinegar dressing.

The soup mix-and-oil blend is a clever shortcut that packs garlic, herbs, and tomato flavor into one brush-on coating. It seasons the vegetables as they grill and creates a light crust that chars beautifully under the broiler. Five minutes is all they need.

Serving this warm or at room temperature instead of cold is what sets it apart from typical pasta salads. Warm grilled vegetables release their juices into the pasta and the vinegar dressing absorbs better when everything is still a little hot. Cold pasta salads mask flavor; this one lets you actually taste the char.

Chef Tips

• Cut the zucchini into thick slices so they hold up on the grill and don’t fall apart
• Chunk the Spanish onion large enough to stay on the broiler pan without slipping through
• Toss the pasta while it’s still warm so it absorbs the vinegar dressing
• Red wine vinegar gives the sharpest, most flavorful result, but cider vinegar works for a milder version

Variations

• Add grilled asparagus or eggplant alongside the zucchini for a bigger vegetable mix
• Toss in crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan for a salty, cheesy addition
• Swap penne for rotini or farfalle, which catch the dressing in their curves