Vegetarian Recipes

Ditalini Pasta Salad

I love a good pasta salad in the summer, and this Ditalini Pasta Salad is one of those recipes that just tastes like the season. It’s fresh, flavorful, and such a great way to use up all those summer veggies. I roast zucchini, bell pepper, and eggplant until they’re golden and just tender, then toss them with ditalini pasta, a big scoop of pesto, and a little feta for a salty bite. It’s simple but so, so good. You can totally use store-bought pesto to keep things easy or use a homemade pesto to keep costs down. Either way, this dish is perfect for picnics, potlucks, or meal prep for the week!

Easy Ditalini Pasta Salad Recipe

If there’s a pasta salad that belongs at every summer table, it’s this super easy ditalini pesto pasta salad. I don’t use any fussy ingredients or complicated steps to make it. Just roasted veggies, a good scoop of pesto, a sprinkle of feta, and those tiny pasta tubes.

I like ditalini better than larger pasta shapes, such as rotini, in this recipe (even though I love that shape in a classic pasta salad) because it holds onto the pesto in all the right ways. It also makes this dish super easy to scoop and eat, especially if you’re standing around at a cookout with a paper plate in one hand and a drink in the other. 😉 Other small pasta shapes will work, too, like orzo or small shells, so feel free to use what you’ve got!

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Ditalini Pasta Salad

This easy Ditalini Pasta Salad is packed with roasted summer veggies, tossed in pesto, and finished with a sprinkle of feta. Delicious & meal prep friendly!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Total Cost $8.67 recipe / $1.08 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings (1 cup each)

Calories 253kcal

Author Jennie Alley

Equipment

Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Pot
Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

1 cup zucchini medium dice, $0.75
1 cup red bell pepper medium dice, $1.48
2 cups eggplant medium dice, $1.49
2 Tbsp olive oil divided, $0.35
1 tsp salt $0.04
1 tsp garlic powder $0.12
½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.08
8 oz ditalini pasta $0.83*
¾ cup pesto $2.22
¼ cup feta cheese $1.31

Instructions

Gather all ingredients and preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, red bell pepper, and eggplant with 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, turning the pan halfway through.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ditalini pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, roasted vegetables, pesto, and feta. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
Chill for at least 1 hour before serving for best flavor. Garnish with additional feta cheese when serving if desired. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Ditalini can be swapped for any small pasta shape like small shells, elbows, or orzo…whatever you have on hand works!

Nutrition

how to make Ditalini Pasta Salad step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make ditalini pasta salad.

Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Chopped red bell pepper, zucchini and eggplant in a mixing bowl with seasonings.

Roast the veggies: Add 1 cup diced zucchini, 1 cup diced red bell pepper, and 2 cups diced eggplant to a large bowl. Toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp black pepper.

Chopped zucchini, eggplant and red bell pepper on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Spread the seasoned vegetables onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Be sure to turn the pan halfway through for even roasting.

Roasted zucchini, eggplant, and red bell pepper on a parchment lined baking sheet.

They should be tender and starting to brown around the edges once done. Just enough to bring out their sweetness without turning mushy.

Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 8 oz. ditalini pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

Feta cheese, roasted summer vegetables, cooked ditalini pasta, and pesto in a bowl.

Assemble the salad: Add the cooked pasta, remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, roasted vegetables, ¾ cup pesto, and ¼ cup feta to a large bowl. Toss to evenly coat everything in the pesto.

Finished ditalini pasta salad in a bowl.

Chill: Now chill your ditalini pasta salad for an hour before serving. This gives the flavors time to meld and makes the salad extra refreshing. If you have any extra, sprinkle over additional feta cheese (optional), and enjoy!

Roasting the veggies at high heat brings out a nice caramelized flavor. I think it adds so much more than just tossing them in raw. You can roast other veggies like cherry tomatoes or onions if you want to mix it up.
Don’t want to turn the oven on? Yep, I get it. If you’re making this pesto pasta salad in the middle of a heatwave, you can grill your vegetables instead. They’ll still get that nice char and smoky flavor, and it keeps the heat out of the kitchen. Just slice them a bit thicker so they hold up on the grill, then chop and toss them in like usual.
I’ve served this ditalini pasta salad warm, at room temperature, and chilled, and it’s delicious in every way.
For a protein boost, I’d add some diced grilled chicken, canned chickpeas (rinsed), or grilled shrimp.
If you’re making this ahead for a potluck or picnic, give it a quick toss before serving to freshen it up!
You can use any pesto you like. I went for a basil pesto here, but our kale pesto would also work well.

Serving Suggestions

Like I mentioned above, this salad goes perfectly with grilled meats, so if the grill’s already going, you may as well make some grilled corn, too! I think it’s also great when served as part of a bigger summer spread with things like beet salad, sliced watermelon, and a couple of easy dips with toasted pita or crackers. It will seriously hold its own at any potluck, BBQ, or party!

This ditalini pesto pasta salad also works as a simple side next to spinach-stuffed chicken breasts or Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers for a midweek meal, and the leftovers are delicious for lunch the next day.

Storage Instructions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and they’ll stay fresh for up to four days. Just give the salad a quick toss before serving since the pesto can settle a bit as it chills. I don’t recommend freezing this one, as the veggies and pasta tend to lose their texture once thawed.

Orzo Pasta Salad

$9.99 recipe / $1.24 serving

Greek Chicken Pasta Salad

$10.67 recipe / $2.66 serving

Tuna Pasta Salad

$4.83 recipe / $0.81 serving

Tortellini Salad

$14.41 recipe / $1.20 serving

The post Ditalini Pasta Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Vegetarian Recipes

Cherry Blondies

Whenever I’m craving something sweet, but I’m sick of the same old same old, I whip up a batch of these fudgy, chewy, fragrant Cherry Blondies! The creamy white chocolate, tart cherries, and crunchy almonds make this recipe stand out. This is not your typical blondie! I don’t use almond extract too often, but pairing its flavor with cherries and white chocolate is just a no-brainer to me. (But a little goes a long way, so use it sparingly!)

Easy Recipe for Cherry Blondies

Blondies are like brownies, just without the cocoa. Instead, they’re made with brown sugar and vanilla, and have the BEST buttery flavor and chewy texture.

For these cherry blondies, I mix in canned cherry pie filling (it adds a sweet-tart cherry flavor without a lot of fuss or cost), slivered almonds, and white chocolate chips. I also brown the butter first to bring out a nutty, almost toffee-like richness that’s totally worth the extra few minutes. A mix of brown and white sugar strikes the perfect balance of moisture and structure, while a splash of almond extract adds a frangipane-style flavor. Bake them once, and you’ll see why I keep coming back to this combo. 😋

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Cherry Blondies

These easy Cherry Blondies are loaded with white chocolate, almonds, and cherry pie filling for a sweet treat that’s simple to make and hard to resist.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost $5.82 recipe / $0.64 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Chill Time 20

Total Time 1 30

Servings slices

Calories 429kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

8×8” Baking Dish
Parchment Paper
3 Mixing Bowls
Sauce Pan
Hand Mixer

Ingredients

1¾ cups all-purpose flour $0.28
½ tsp baking powder $0.02
¼ tsp salt $0.01
1 large egg $0.29
1 tsp vanilla extract $0.47
½ tsp almond extract $0.15
½ cup cherry pie filling $0.73*
1½ sticks salted butter cut into cubes, $1.48
½ cup granulated sugar $0.19
1 cup brown sugar $0.91
¼ cup white chocolate chips $0.42
¼ cup slivered almonds $0.87

Instructions

Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350℉.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and cherry pie filling. Mix together and set aside.
Cube the butter and melt over medium heat until frothy, whisking once in a while to make sure the milk solids don’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
Once butter is browned, it will have a nutty aroma and darken in color. (Babysit it! Don’t let it burn!) Remove from heat.
Combine browned butter with granulated and brown sugar.
Mix with a hand mixer on low until combined. Then, add the wet cherry mixture and continue to mix until combined.
Finally, gently mix in the dry flour mixture little by little until a batter forms.
Fold in white chocolate and almond slivers.
Transfer batter to greased and line baking dish and add some extra white chocolate and almonds on top, if you have them.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting. The interior may still be a little gooey. These are chewier than your typical brownie! Enjoy.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*The ingredients in a can of cherry pie filling are pretty simple, but I have found the Duncan Hines Comstock brand “Simply Cherry” in a can to have fewer ingredients and no added coloring, so if you see it next to the regular cherry pie filling, you may want to spring for that can instead. You could try making these with fresh cherries, which I skipped because I couldn’t find any at my local grocery store, just make sure you pit them first!

Nutrition

how to make Cherry Blondies step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make cherry blondies.

Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper. Set this aside for now.

Flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients: Add 1¾ cups flour, ½ tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Set this aside.

Cherry pie filling, egg, and vanilla extract in a bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients: In a different mixing bowl, combine 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp almond extract, and ½ cup of cherry pie filling. Set this aside for now as well.

Brown the butter: Add 1½ sticks of cubed salted butter to a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter until frothy, being sure to whisk it once in a while to avoid the milk solids from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan. Babysit it, and don’t let it burn! It typically takes about 5-8 minutes for butter to brown.

When the butter is browned, it’ll smell nutty and be darker in color. There will also be flecks of brown throughout (those are toasted milk solids, and they’re full of flavor). Remove it from the heat once done.

Brown and white sugar added to a bowl of browned butter.

Make the batter: Pour the browned butter into a mixing bowl and add ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.

The wet ingredients for cherry blondies added to the creamed butter and sugar.

Use a hand mixer on low to combine the browned butter and sugars. Once mixed, add the wet cherry pie filling mixture and keep mixing until thoroughly combined.

Dry ingredients added to the wet ingredients to make cherry blondies.

Now, gently fold in the dry flour mixture a little at a time until a thick batter forms.

Slivered almonds added to the batter for cherry blondies.

Finally, fold in ¼ cup white chocolate chips and ¼ cup slivered almonds.

The batter for cherry blondies in a lined baking dish.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. If you have any extra, top the batter with a few white chocolate chips and slivered almonds to make it look extra pretty.

Finished homemade cherry blondies in a baking dish.

Bake: Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. They’re done once a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let your homemade cherry blondies cool for 20 minutes before cutting for the best results. They may still be a little gooey! They’re definitely chewier than your average brownie but just as delicious. Enjoy!

Overhead view of a baking dish of cherry blondies with one missing.

Tips for Browning Butter

I brown the butter in this cherry dessert recipe because it gives the blondies the most amazing, deep, nutty flavor that plain melted butter can’t match. You could skip this step and just melt it, but it definitely wouldn’t taste the same.

It’s honestly so easy to brown butter, and only takes about 5-8 minutes from start to finish! Here’s how to do it right (we also have a step-by-step breakdown with photos on how to brown butter you can check out, too!):

Use a light-colored pan if you have one. It makes it easier to see the color change.
Watch it closely. Browning happens fast, and it can burn before you know it. Stay nearby and use medium heat.
It’ll start to froth. That’s normal. Just keep gently stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Look for brown flecks. Those are the milk solids toasting, which is exactly what you want.
Pull it off the heat right away. As soon as it smells nutty and the color deepens, about 5 minutes, take it off the heat! It’s ready to use.

You can even make a big batch of browned butter and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks and use it in future recipes. It’s obviously delicious in my cherry blondies recipe, but it’s also amazing tossed with plain pasta, drizzled over roasted veggies, or mixed into oatmeal.

Line your pan with parchment paper. It makes it way easier to lift the blondies out and slice them cleanly once they’ve cooled.
Let them cool in the pan. As good as they smell fresh out of the oven, I let my blondies cool for at least 20 minutes to help them set up properly. They’ll slice neater, and the texture will be just right.
Check for doneness with a toothpick. You’re looking for a mostly clean toothpick when inserted into your white chocolate cherry blondies. If you hit a cherry or a melty white chocolate chip, it might smear a bit, so try a second spot! Don’t forget, they may still be a little gooey on the inside rather than cakey.

Storage Instructions

Personally, I enjoy these cherry pie blondies cold! I like to keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and grab one whenever I need a sweet pick-me-up. They’ll be good for up to 3-4 days when stored this way. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.