Pasta salad

This pasta salad is fresh, light, and full of flavor – perfect for a quick lunch, summer picnic, or light dinner. The oven-roasted vegetables add depth and natural sweetness, while the silky-creamy tahini dressing with soy sauce and maple syrup brings it all together into a balanced, entirely vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

• 200 g spelt fusilli
• 1 zucchini, cut into half-moons
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• ½ small onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 tbsp olive oil for roasting
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp sesame tahini
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 2–3 tbsp warm water
• 1 spring onion (green part only)
• 1 small handful of parsley, coarsely chopped
• sesame seeds for sprinkling

This recipe yields about 4 servings.

Preparation:

1. Roasting the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Combine the zucchini, peppers, onion, and carrot with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Roast for 22–25 minutes until slightly charred at the edges.
2. Cooking the pasta: Cook the fusilli for 7–8 minutes. Do not rinse. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water if needed to add to the salad.
3. Preparing the dressing: Combine the tahini, soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, and warm water until a silky, glossy consistency is achieved.
4. Assembly: Mix the warm pasta with half of the dressing. Add the roasted vegetables and the remaining dressing. If needed, add some pasta water for a creamier texture.
5. Final touch: Sprinkle with green onion, parsley, and sesame seeds. Mix well.