Blueberry and Roasted Beet Pasta Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing is the salad you’ve been waiting for. Fresh blueberries, perfectly roasted beets, and a blend of cheeses make for the most amazing pasta salad ever!
I love this time of year. The products are plentiful and fresh. This Blueberry and Roasted Beet Pasta Salad is a unique twist on a classic pasta salad. It’s the perfect summertime produce recipe to add to your menu for any occasion!
Blueberries and beets embedded in pasta and vegetables with small pieces of fresh mozzarella. This heavenly salad will help you enjoy and celebrate every last minute of summer. And let’s talk about the dressing. Blueberries, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a touch of honey.
Why beets??
One of the most versatile vegetables, beetroot is packed with amazing health benefits, like fighting inflammation, improving digestive health and regulating blood pressure. Who doesn’t love food with benefits? Beetroot is also so easy to prep and roast. With a little prep work, you can have perfectly soft golden beets for your blueberry and roasted beet pasta salad.
How to roast beets in the oven
If you have an oven (or grill) you can roast beets! Preheat your oven or grill to 400-425 degrees and place the rack in the top third of the oven. Prepare the beet by washing and scrubbing it until clean. Cut off any pits or dirt that can’t be scrubbed away with a paring knife. Cut the beets in half (or quarters if they are very large) and place the beets cut-side down on a baking sheet. Line the baking sheet with parchment or a silicone sheet to make cleanup easier! Drizzle with olive oil and salt and follow recipe directions to cook. That’s it!
Pasta salad is a popular side dish for summer BBQs, family dinners, and baby/bridal showers. The roasting of the beets in this salad beats a regular salad! I’ve always believed that it only takes one or two “special” ingredients in a pasta or green salad to take it to the next level. With this salad, it’s definitely the roasted beets.
This Blueberry and Roasted Beet Pasta Salad recipe combines so many incredible flavors into one easy summer salad. If you’re looking for a unique twist on the traditional pasta salad, you’ll love this salad that truly celebrates fresh summer produce!
Try our other family favorite pasta salads… Teriyaki Spinach Pasta Salad, Caprese Pasta Salad, and Mango Chicken Pasta Salad with Tarragon Lime Dressing.
Pasta salad with blueberries and roasted beets
This salad is a celebration of summer! Pasta, blueberries, roasted beets and veggies with a fresh blueberry dressing.
ingredients
For the salad:
-
1-1 1/2
lb
golden turnips
green removed -
Freshly ground olive oil, salt and pepper
for the beets when roasting -
3/4
lb
Bowtie Noodles -
1
tablespoon
olive oil -
2
tablespoon
White balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar -
1/2
lb
spinach
or spring mix or mixed greens (about 12-16 cups greens) -
1
Cup
chopped celery or jicama -
2
pints
washed blueberries
drained well and divided for dressing and salad -
1/2
lb
fresh mozzerella cut into cubes -
1
Cup
grated or shaved Parmesan
For the dressing:
-
1
Cup
fresh blueberries -
1/3
Cup
Olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil -
2
tablespoon
White balsamic or white wine vinegar -
3
tablespoon
honey to taste - salt and pepper to taste
instructions
-
Wash the beets thoroughly and cut in half lengthways. Place flat side down on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with ground pepper and sea salt.
Roast for 20-25 minutes at 400 in the convection oven (or 425 regular oven for 20-25 minutes) until a knife can be easily inserted into the beet. After cooling, peel off the outer skin with a knife and discard. Cut the beets into bite-sized pieces.
-
Using an immersion blender or stand mixer, blend the ingredients for the dressing while the beets and pasta cook. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
-
While the beets are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the fly noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and put in a bowl.
Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar and a good helping of ground pepper and salt. Leave to cool completely.
-
Mix cooled noodles with vegetables.
-
Toss noodles and veggies with celery (or jicama), remaining blueberries, and beets. Gently fold in the cheese. I always reserve some of the ingredients to top the salad for the best presentation. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
-
Just before serving, drizzle the salad with a little dressing and serve the rest as a side dish. See recipe notes.
recipe notes
- Do not mix the salad with the dressing. The blueberry dressing is very dark in color and will stain pasta and cheese. I drizzle a portion of the dressing over the prepared salad and serve the rest with it.