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This easy vegetarian Summer Pasta Salad with Dill Vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to your summer grill outs. Serve it Nicoise Salad style or toss everything together for a more traditional serving option.
Today I’ve partnered with Alessi Foods to bring you (what I hope to be) your new favorite summer salad recipe! With Memorial Day weekend on the horizon, I can’t be more pumped for grilling season. Here in Indiana, we get very wet and damp springs that make it almost impossible to plan for outdoor hangs ahead of time. Memorial Day weekend always feels like the kick-off of summer with the weather quickly changing from damp to constant sunshine. It’s also the first weekend that I start to feel like my garden is healthy enough to begin pulling from (hello gorgeous dill plant) which means it’s official veg season! Needless to say, I’m already planning and am so excited for a weekend of hanging out at the lake and pulling out the grill for the first time this season!
I created this pasta salad using Alessi’s bronze die pasta because I read that it absorbs dressing better than normal pasta, so I really wanted to put it to the test with a bright and punchy vinaigrette. I made the salad “Nicoise Salad style” with the individual pieces neatly laid out on the plate – I personally love the modern vibe and punchy presentation but if you are short on time, you can also just toss everything together for a more traditional pasta salad look. Also, if creating your salad “Nicoise Salad style” then make sure to make a base layer just made out of pasta so that there is room for everything.
This summer pasta salad is so light and refreshing. The chickpeas and potatoes make it filling enough to enjoy as lunch on its own or bring to your next grill out as a delicious side. You can definitely swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand but make sure you pick out a variety of colors and textures to keep the salad interesting.
