- Prep time
- 0:15
- Cook time
- 0:45
- Skill level
- Low
- Serves
- 4
Pasta salad makes us think of warm weather, family gatherings and picnics in the park with friends.
And yet, for some of us, the weather remains decidedly cold and we are unable to gather with loved ones; we may not even be able to leave our home too often due to Victoria's coronavirus restrictions.
For now, my family and I like to eat this pasta salad in our backyard, the sleeves of our woollen jumpers rolled up to allow our bodies to soak up some winter sunshine.
If you don't have access to a garden or balcony, and if you can't go to a park at the moment, a picnic indoors can still feel like a treat, with a favourite quilt and a spot by a window.
Perhaps you're also reading a book, or perhaps there are little ones taking pasta from your plate. A different sort of picnic, but comforting in its own way.
I've used lumache rigate in this recipe, though you could use other small pasta shapes — little shells work well.
I appreciate why my children pick the pasta out first: they are indeed moreish, having soaked up the lovely herby vinaigrette.
Tips:
- Beetroot substitutes: If you aren't a fan of beetroot you can use the same weight of sweet potato or extra pumpkin.
- Taste the dressing as you go: Be sure to taste the vinaigrette when assembling it. Different brands of vinegar and oil will have different flavours; similarly, some lemons are more juicy and sweet than others, while some bunches of thyme are particularly pungent. Feel free to add more or less of the ingredients to suit your preference.
- Make ahead: You can make this recipe in advance and let it sit in the fridge until you're ready to eat it, ideally leaving the cheese and walnuts off until just before serving. For food safety purposes, refrigerate the pasta within an hour of cooking and eat within three days.
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Heidi Sze is a pre- and post-natal dietitian and nutritionist from the Mornington Peninsula. Her book Nurturing Your New Life was published in 2019. She has two kids, Joan and Walt, and shares thoughts on food and her life as a mostly stay-at-home mum over on her blog, Apples Under My Bed, and on Instagram. Every month, we publish a new recipe from Heidi as part of our Easy Dinners series.
Ingredients
Method
- 1.Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- 2.Put a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.
- 3.Add the chopped pumpkin to a baking tray with half the onion — try to keep the wedges together (if they fall apart don't worry, you'll just need to retrieve those pieces from the tray earlier in the cooking process to ensure they don't burn). Add the chopped beetroot and remaining onion to another baking tray. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables (2 tablespoons per tray) along with a good pinch of sea salt, then massage the veggies, ensuring they're evenly coated and spaced.
- 4.Place the trays in the hot oven. After 20 minutes of cooking take out the trays and toss the vegetables, removing any pieces that might already be cooked to your liking. Put the trays back in the oven, rotating their position so the tray at the bottom of the oven now goes on the top, and cook for a further 10-20 minutes until the vegetables are soft, golden in places and delectable.
- 5.Meanwhile cook your pasta in the boiling water. Be sure to check for doneness 2 minutes prior to the time suggested on the packet — you want your pasta to be al dente.
- 6.While the pasta and vegetables are cooking, prepare your vinaigrette by removing the thyme leaves from the stalk and chopping finely. Add this to a small mixing bowl with the vinegar, oil, lemon juice and zest (the amount of lemon juice you get from your lemons will vary). Whisk the vinaigrette with a fork then have a taste — you want it to be sharp and vibrant, knowing the flavour will mellow when soaked up by the pasta. Season with salt and pepper as desired then whisk again to combine.
- 7.Drain the pasta and add it to a large serving bowl, then immediately pour over the vinaigrette, stirring to combine. Let the pasta sit and soak up the vinaigrette, stirring every now and then.
- 8.When the vegetables are cooked, add them to the bowl (if you've got any pan juices, add those too!) and gently fold everything together. Top with toasted walnuts and goats' cheese, a scattering of thyme leaves if you wish, plus any additional seasoning as required.