Pasta lovers, this vibrant Fall Pasta Salad is for you! Featuring the tastiest harvest veggies, this hearty recipe is bursting with warm autumn flavors. You'll love the combination of roasted veggies, tart cranberries, and crunchy pepitas, all paired with a yummy maple Dijon dressing. Make it ahead for an easy lunch or dinner, or serve it as a side dish for a fall party or holiday meal!
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Ginnie's Take
Who says pasta salad is just for summer? Now that autumn has arrived, I've been making this scrumptious Fall Pasta Salad on repeat. This flavor-packed recipe has an abundance of fresh, seasonal ingredients plucked straight from the fall harvest: tender herb-roasted vegetables, tart cranberries, and crunchy pepitas. Combined with the tastiest sweet and tangy maple-mustard dressing, this easy pasta salad recipe is out of this world delicious!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Mouthwatering Flavor - I've made many pasta salads over the years, but this one just might be my favorite! It has the perfect combination of savory fall flavors, paired with a touch of tart sweetness from the dressing and cranberries, and some crunch from the pumpkin seeds. It's simply delicious!
- Loaded with Veggies - With its roasted cauliflower, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and red onion, plus tender massaged kale, chewy cranberries, and crunchy pepitas, this easy recipe is a tasty way to enjoy your favorite fall fruits and vegetables!
- Versatile - Serve this salad as a main course or as side dish. Enjoy it warm and freshly made, or prepare it in advance and serve it cold. This pasta salad is a great make ahead lunch or dinner that you'll actually look forward to eating! And with its generous serving size, it's perfect for fall parties, too (hello, Thanksgiving).
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Ingredients
If you're looking for a pasta salad for fall (or winter), stop searching, because this recipe is it! Here's what you'll need to make it:
- Veggies - This recipe contains a colorful mix of fall vegetables: herb-roasted cauliflower, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and red onions, along with hearty, massaged kale.
- Pasta - I used rotini pasta, but other twisty shapes will also work.
- Dressing - The homemade Maple Dijon Dressing pulls all the flavors together, and it couldn't be easier to make. You'll need extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a shallot, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard.
- Other Ingredients - You'll also need some dried cranberries (craisins) and roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), as well as extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, dried rosemary, and dried thyme to roast the veggies.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and nut free, and it's easy to make gluten free, too! Perfect for serving friends and family with different diets.
You'll Also Need
You'll need a large baking sheet (or two) to roast the vegetables, a mason jar (or medium bowl) to make the dressing, a large pot to cook the pasta, and a large mixing bowl.
How to Make Fall Harvest Pasta Salad
This Autumn Pasta Salad has a few steps, but each one is simple, and your oven does half the work for you! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's a quick overview of the steps:
- Roast vegetables. Start by mixing the veggies with the olive oil and spices, then roast until tender and browned.
- Cook pasta. While the veggies roast, cook the pasta until tender.
- Make dressing. As the pasta cooks, combine the dressing ingredients in a mason jar, then shake to combine. Mix half the dressing with the hot pasta, then set aside. Tip: The hot pasta will soak up the dressing as it cools, making it extra flavorful!
- Prep kale. Add a little dressing to the kale, then use clean hands to massage it in. Tip: The kale should be dark green and reduced by about half when you're done.
- Mix everything together. Combine the roasted veggies, cooked pasta, kale, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and remaining dressing. Mix well.
Doesn't this Fall Pasta Salad look so vibrant and delicious? And trust me, it tastes even better than it looks!
Variations
Customize this Autumn Harvest Pasta Salad with a few simple swaps:
- Veggies - Substitute (or add) other fall vegetables, such as bell peppers, sweet potatoes, different types of winter squash (like delicata or pumpkin), parsnips, carrots, or shallots.
- Fruit - Replace the craisins with dried apples, figs, or dates.
- Nuts - Swap out the pepitas for toasted almonds, walnuts, or pistachios.
- Pasta - Instead of rotini, try fusilli or cavatappi. You could also use a fun fall pasta, like zucchette, which is pumpkin-shaped!
- Dressing - Use my simple Maple Syrup Vinaigrette for a similar sweet flavor, or for a more savory flavor, use my Citronette (increase the recipe by half) or French Vinaigrette.
- Gluten Free - To make this recipe GF, simply use gluten free rotini (or another twisty shape). Just keep in mind that GF pasta typically comes in smaller boxes than regular pasta. You'll probably need more than one box!
Serving Suggestions
This Fall Harvest Pasta Salad recipe is incredibly versatile! You can eat the pasta warm or cold, enjoy it as a side dish, or serve it as a one-dish, plant based lunch or dinner (that can be prepared in advance).
The recipe feeds a crowd, so serve it as a side dish for all your fall parties and get togethers! For a full harvest feast, pair this pasta with other autumnal dishes, like Vegetable Wellington, Creamy Broccoli Stalk Soup, Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots, Pumpkin Hummus, and Mushrooms Stuffed with Boursin. For a casual get togethers, like game day, it's also tasty served with cozy entrées, like gooey Sourdough Grilled Cheese, hearty Veggie Chili, or delish Cheese Lasagna. Add a mug of Hot Cranberry Apple Cider and some slices of Apple Banana Bread, and dinner is done!
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in your refrigerator, where it will stay fresh for up to four days. This recipe is ideal for making in advance, and it's perfect for meal prep, too. You can serve leftovers cold, or you can warm them gently in your microwave before eating.
Related Recipes
Check out all my Pasta Salad recipes for similar ideas, like this hearty Kale Pasta Salad! And you'll love these other fall salad recipes, too:
- This gorgeous Delicata Squash, Pomegranate, and Pecan Salad is made with the most flavorful autumn ingredients!
- Craving something crunchy? Don't miss this lovely Kale, Apple, and Pumpkin Seed Salad.
- Pumpkin lovers, you'll want to try this delish Pumpkin Quinoa Salad, this simple Roasted Pumpkin Salad, and this unique Pumpkin Couscous Salad!
- This Autumn Harvest Salad is loaded with yummy ingredients, like roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy apples and nuts, and rich cheese.
- Serve this Farro, Cauliflower, and Kale Salad warm for a tasty fall meal or side dish.
Fall Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For Roasted Vegetables:
- 1 pound (454 grams) brussels sprouts, halved or quartered depending on size (about 3 cups)
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- ½ medium cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
- 1 medium red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
For Pasta:
- 1 pound (454 grams) rotini pasta (or other spiral pasta)
For Dressing:
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup finely diced shallot
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For Pasta Salad:
- 4 cups thinly sliced kale (One 7 ounce /198 gram bunch)
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup roasted pepitas
Equipment
- Large Baking Sheet (or Two)
- Dutch Oven or Pasta Pot
- Large Bowl
Instructions
Prepare Roasted Vegetables:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Place brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cauliflower, and red onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well.
- Roast veggies for 20 minutes, then flip and continue baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are browned and tender. Set aside.
Prepare Pasta:
- While vegetables roast, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta, then cook until tender.
- Drain well, then return to pot.
- Stir in ½ of the dressing, then set aside to cool.
Prepare Dressing:
- While pasta cooks, combine ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup diced shallot, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a mason jar (or bowl). Stir well to dissolve salt.
- Add ¾ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper to shallot mixture.
- Cover jar, then shake until ingredients are emulsified. Dressing should look thick and creamy when done. (If using a bowl, whisk ingredients together.)
Prepare Pasta Salad:
- While pasta cooks, place 4 cups sliced kale in a large bowl. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons dressing, plus a small pinch of salt.
- Using hands, massage dressing into kale for a couple minutes. Kale should be dark green, and the volume should be reduced by about half, when you're done.
- When everything else is ready, combine the roasted vegetables, pasta, kale, remaining dressing, ⅓ cup dried cranberries, and ⅓ cup roasted pepitas in a large bowl (or the pasta pot). Mix well, then season with additional salt to taste (only if needed).
- Serve pasta salad warm or chill until ready to eat. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
