Delicious Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Sometimes in the fall, there is an abundance of vegetables that are ready all at the same time. It can be quite overwhelming and I loathe wasting fresh fruits and veggies. This pasta salad is so filling and healthy, and helps take care of the extra harvest issue. Feel free to adjust this recipe based on the veggies that you have on hand. This is what you'll need to make about 4-6 servings:

Photo bybluejeanchef

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup small-dice butternut squash
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 red or yellow onion, diced small
• 1 bell pepper, diced small
• 1 medium zucchini, diced small
• 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 12 ounces penne, rotini or any similar short pasta
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Toss the butternut squash, broccoli, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini in the mixture until evenly coated. Save the bowl for later. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes until tender and browned.

While the veggies roast, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and place it in the reserved mixing bowl. Add the roasted vegetables, parsley, basil, remaining olive oil, cheese, and halved tomatoes. Toss everything together and serve warm. Enjoy!

Other veggies that work well are:

• mushrooms
• peas
• corn
• crookneck squash
• sweet potato
• carrot
• green onion