Grilled Vegetable Salad with Garlic Dressing

By JenHall

This was really good & easy. I made it without the pasta & it was still very tasty. This would be a great recipe to make while camping. Leftovers are not very good straight from the fridge - need to come to room temp then they are yummo. The eggplant cooks quickly so keep an eye on it so it doesn't get mooshy.

Ingredients

• 2 red and/or yellow sweet peppers
• 2 Japanese eggplants, halved lengthwise
• 2 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, or 8 to 10 yellow sunburst or pattypan squash*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups dried tortiglioni or rigatoni
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon bottled roasted minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup cubed fontina cheese (3 ounces)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian parsley or parsley

Preparation

Step 1

1. Halve sweet peppers lengthwise; remove and discard stems, seeds, and membranes. Brush sweet peppers, eggplants, and zucchini with the 1 tablespoon oil. To grill, place vegetables on the grill rack directly over medium-hot coals. Grill, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, olive oil, water, bottled roasted minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake well.

3. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain again. In a large bowl combine pasta and grilled vegetables. Pour dressing over salad. Toss lightly to coat. Stir in cheese; sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

*Note: If using sunburst or pattypan squash, precook for 3 minutes in a small amount of boiling water before grilling.

Make-Ahead Tip: Cut up cheese; wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Prepare dressing; cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before tossing with salad.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 369, Total Fat (g) 19, Saturated Fat (g) 6, Cholesterol (mg) 61, Sodium (mg) 317, Carbohydrate (g) 40, Fiber (g) 5, Protein (g) 12, Vitamin A (DV%) 38, Vitamin C (DV%) 113, Calcium (DV%) 12, Iron (DV%) 18, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet