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zucchini ditalini pasta salad with basil vinaigrette in bowl with gold serving spoon

Zucchini Ditalini Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

This Zucchini Ditalini Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette is the best way to use up all that summer zucchini! This simple side dish combines grilled zucchini with creamy mozzarella pearls, fiber-rich chickpeas and ditalini pasta. It all gets tossed in a simple, homemade basil vinaigrette and is perfect for anything from weekday lunches to hosting a crowd!
Servings 8 people
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Zucchini Ditalini Pasta Salad:

  • 2 medium zucchinis ends trimmed & each cut into 4 planks lengthwise
  • cooking spray or oil
  • kosher salt & black pepper to taste
  • 8 oz dry ditalini pasta *
  • 1 can chickpeas drained & rinsed (15oz)
  • 8 oz mozzarella pearls halved

For the Basil Vinaigrette:

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • juice from 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
  • kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • First, preheat your grill to 450F (about medium-high heat). Alternatively, you can use a grill pan over medium-high heat for this. Meanwhile, spray or brush each side of the zucchini planks with oil, then season with kosher salt & black pepper. Once the grill is hot, add zucchini planks and let cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until you see grill marks and they're tender but not mushy. Allow the zucchini to cool down before cubing it.
    2 medium zucchinis, cooking spray or oil, kosher salt & black pepper
  • Meanwhile, cook ditalini pasta in heavily salted water according to package instructions. Once done, drain & rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down. If your pasta will be sitting for a while before assembling the salad, it's best to toss it in a light amount of oil to prevent sticking.
    8 oz dry ditalini pasta
  • OPTIONAL: For a more vibrant green basil vinaigrette, you can blanch the basil before proceeding. To do so, bring a pot of water up to a boil, then quickly add basil leaves for just 5 seconds. Remove them and transfer immediately to an ice bath. With your hands, or between a paper towel, squeeze out as much excess liquid from the basil as possible.
  • In the cup of an immersion blender (or in a small food processor), add all of the basil vinaigrette ingredients. Blend until combined & smooth. Taste and adjust the amount of lemon juice & kosher salt as needed.
    ⅓ cup olive oil, 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 2 garlic cloves, juice from 1 lemon, kosher salt & black pepper
  • Add cooked & cooled pasta along with the cubed zucchini, chickpeas and mozzarella pearls to a large salad bowl. Pour basil vinaigrette over top and toss to combine. Taste and add more kosher salt & black pepper as needed. Enjoy!
    1 can chickpeas, 8 oz mozzarella pearls

Video

Notes

*NOTE: If you need to make this gluten free, try this brand of gluten free ditalini, or simply substitute your favorite small gluten free pasta shape (orzo would also be great here).
NUTRITION INFO & SERVING SIZE: This recipe makes about 6-8 servings, depending on your appetite and if you're serving it as a side or a main. However, for purposes of the nutrition information calculated below, I have divided it into 8 servings.
Calories: 267kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: Basil, Chickpeas, Grilling Recipes, Mozzarella, Pasta Salad, Side Dish, Summer Recipes, Summer Side Dish, Zucchini

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 1mg