This Fall Pasta Salad has all the flavors of fall with roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, crisp apples, fresh thyme, and tender pasta. All topped with creamy goat cheese and a simple maple dijon vinaigrette dressing.
Who says pasta salads have to be limited to the summertime? As a dietitian, I love using seasonal ingredients I can find at the farmer's market and making new recipes out of them. This easy fall pasta salad recipe is a combo of all my favorite fall flavors When I shared it with my mom the first time I made it, we agreed it had to go on the blog!
This was inspired by my Elote Pasta Salad, which has become a fan favorite on my page. I wanted to make something similar that would work for the transition from summer to fall and throughout the holiday season! It pairs well with these tender Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for meal prep! Make a batch of this fall harvest salad at the beginning of the week and have lunch ready to go when you're hungry.
- It's a great recipe to bring to gatherings in the fall season. Sure to be a big hit!
- So versatile! Enjoy it as a delicious side dish or serve it with your favorite protein as a main dish. Serve it as a cold pasta salad or heat it and turn it into a warm pasta salad.
- This is a nutrient-dense recipe that provides dietary fiber, protein, antioxidants, and several vitamins and minerals to support your health! It's also gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This Fall Harvest Pasta Salad uses simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements.
Salad Ingredients
- Pasta - I use chickpea or lentil pasta to add protein and fiber and I like Banza's Rotini pasta. Use your favorite type of pasta! When it comes to pasta shape, short pasta with plenty of nooks works best. Rotini, fusilli, penne, or bow-tie pasta are all popular for pasta salad. I like to cook pasta al dente by cooking it about a minute less than is called for on the package.
- Butternut Squash - Butternut squash is the sweetest winter squash variety and it almost caramelizes when roasted. You can use packaged pre-cut butternut squash to make this recipe even easier. If you want to use fresh butternut squash, choose a ripe one by picking one that's heavy for its size. You can use sweet potatoes instead if you prefer.
- Brussels sprouts - one of the classic fall veggies, brussels sprouts are sometimes called "little cabbages" and when cooked right, they have a crisp texture and are a great addition to this salad.
- Apple - diced apple gets roasted with the squash and brussels and adds a little extra sweetness to the dish. I use Honeycrisp apples, but you can use any variety of apples you like!
- Fresh Thyme - thyme pairs great with fall produce like the ingredients in this recipe! You can substitute fresh thyme for dried by using 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Feel free to add in some sage or rosemary, too.
- Goat Cheese - tangy goat cheese is creamy and decadent and pairs beautifully with pasta. Look for plain goat cheese. You can find it near the delicatessen with the other cheeses at the grocery store. Goat cheese provides a good amount of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. If you don't like goat cheese, feta cheese is a good alternative.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt & Black Pepper - we use a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper to roast the veggies. This helps them get tender in the oven.
- Dried Cranberries (optional) - if you're like me and want to add a bit more sweetness, some dried cranberries or chopped dates do the trick!
Dressing Ingredients
You can use a store-bought Balsamic Dressing for this Autumn Pasta Salad Recipe. But if you want to make a homemade Maple Balsamic dressing, here are the ingredients you will need.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil is olive oil in its purest form (least processed) so it retains all the antioxidants and nutrients from the olive itself. If accessible, I suggest using high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste. Olive oil is high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that can reduce inflammation and has been shown to improve brain health.
- Balsamic Vinegar - use a balsamic that is aged for best flavor!
- Maple Syrup - adding a sweetener like maple syrup balances out the other salty and savory flavors in this dressing.
- Dijon Mustard - a little bit of dijon is my favorite way to add some tang and spice to this dressing. And it pairs so well with the sweetness of the maple syrup.
- Garlic - a great balsamic recipe would not be complete without some fresh minced garlic.
- Salt & Black Pepper - to tie all the flavors together.
How to Make Fall Pasta Salad
Below are the instructions for how to make this fall pasta salad with some detailed instructions and visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe!
- Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Prepare a baking sheet with greased parchment paper for easy clean-up. Dice the butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and apple into small bite-sized pieces and add them to the baking sheet. Coat the veggies in the olive oil, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Toss them until they are well coated. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until they are fork tender. Cooking times will vary.
- Step 2 - While the veggies roast, cook your pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions. You will bring water to a boil on medium-high heat, add some salt, and add the pasta to the salted water. Be sure to salt your pasta water! If you prefer al dente pasta, cook it 1-2 minutes less than the box calls for, and stop the cooking process by immediately draining the excess water, saving about a tablespoon of the pasta water. After you drain the pasta, toss it in a drizzle of olive oil or the extra pasta water and let it cool.
- Step 3 - While the pasta cooks, make the maple dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisking them together until well-emulsified, about 1 minute.
- Step 4 - When the veggies are done roasting, let them cool for at least 10 minutes. To assemble the salad, add the cooled pasta, roasted veggies, goat cheese, and dried cranberries (optional) to a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss to combine, making sure everything is well coated.
Hint: If you are making this salad in advance wait and add the goat cheese and dressing right before serving. And if you are serving this as a Thanksgiving Pasta Salad, use a bag of colorful pasta for even more of a variety of colors!
Dietitian Tip
Ingredient prep for this salad in advance by roasting your veggies and making the dressing the night before. Then when lunchtime or dinnertime rolls around, all that's left to do is cook up your pasta and assemble the salad!
Video of How to Make Fall Pasta Salad
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the best parts about a fall pasta salad is that you can easily customize it with different flavor combinations to your taste. Below are a few ideas, but feel free to get creative!
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes if you like your pasta salad with a bit of a kick!
- Deluxe - to kick it up a notch, add red onion to the roasted veggies and top this pasta salad with pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or pomegranate seeds.
- High Protein - if you want to serve it as a main course, one of the best ways to ensure it'll keep you full is to add more protein. Use shredded rotisserie chicken, make some turkey meatballs, or use your favorite protein based on personal preference!
Storage
Refrigerator - store your leftover Fall pasta salad in and airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It's even better the next day!
Expert Tips
- Add a bit of olive oil to your pasta right when it finishes cooking to prevent it from sticking together.
- If you are making this in advance of serving it, leave out the cheese and dressing and add them when it's time to serve.
- I suggest using a pasta cut that has a lot of grooves so that you get some of the dressing in every bite of this fall harvest pasta salad!
- You can substitute the fresh thyme with 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this Fall Pasta Salad is a nutrient-rich option. It contains dietary fiber from the vegetables and chickpea pasta to support gut health. The chickpea pasta provides plant protein, and the vegetables provide important vitamins including Vitamin C, A, and K. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil provides healthy fatty acids that have been shown to support brain health and hormone health. And many of the ingredients in this recipe contain antioxidants which are vital to overall health.
No, this recipe contains goat cheese which is an animal product. You can easily make this recipe vegan by replacing the goat cheese with vegan cheese or just taking it out altogether!
If using chickpea pasta or another gluten-free pasta variety, this recipe is gluten-free. I use Banza Chickpea Rotini.
I do suggest letting your pasta cool before combining the ingredients and adding the dressing. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the pasta in the fridge.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Fall Pasta Salad:
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some of my educational articles you may enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Fall Harvest Pasta Salad with Butternut Squash, GF
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8 oz pasta, dry I use one 8 oz box of Banza Rotini Chickpea Pasta
- 2 cups diced brussels sprouts, bite sized pieces or shredded
- 2 cups diced Butternut squash, bite sized pieces
- 2 cups diced apple, bite sized pieces about 1 large apple, I use a Honeycrisp
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz goat cheese, more for topping or feta cheese
- ¼ cup dried cranberries optional
For Maple Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Prepare a baking sheet with greased parchment paper for easy clean-up. Dice the butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and apple into small bite-sized pieces and add them to the baking sheet. Coat the veggies in the olive oil, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Toss them until they are well coated. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until they are fork tender. Cooking times will vary.
- While the veggies roast, cook your pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions. You will bring water to a boil on medium-high heat, add some salt, and add the pasta to the salted water. Be sure to salt your pasta water! If you prefer al dente pasta, cook it 1-2 minutes less than the box calls for, and stop the cooking process by immediately draining the excess water, saving about a tablespoon of the pasta water. After you drain the pasta, toss it in a drizzle of olive oil or the extra pasta water and let it cool.
- While the pasta cooks, make the maple dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisking them together until well-emulsified, about 1 minute.
- When the veggies are done roasting, let them cool for at least 10 minutes. To assemble the salad, add the cooled pasta, roasted veggies, goat cheese, and dried cranberries (optional) to a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss to combine, making sure everything is well coated.
- Hint: If you are making this salad in advance wait and add the goat cheese and dressing right before serving. And if you are serving this as a Thanksgiving Pasta Salad, use a bag of colorful pasta for even more of a variety of colors!
Video
Notes
- Add a bit of olive oil to your pasta right when it finishes cooking to prevent it from sticking together.
- If you are making this in advance of serving it, leave out the cheese and dressing and add them when it's time to serve.
- I suggest using a pasta cut that has a lot of grooves so that you get some of the dressing in every bite of this fall pasta salad
Carly
This looks awesome. What could you use in place of Brussels sprouts?
Mallory
Thank you so much, Carly!! It means so much to me! I think you could use broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower in place of brussels!
Christine
I used a crisp granny smith and it turned to mush? Was I not supposed to bake it?
Mallory
Hi Christine,
Thank you so much for taking time to ask this question! The apples will get soft when you bake them but they shouldn't be mushy. I've never used a granny smith for this recipe but sounds like they cook faster. You could either not cook the apple at all or add it in the last 10 minutes of roasting the vegetables to just soften it. I'm so sorry that happened and hope you'll try the recipe again with the adjustments! Have a wonderful day! -Mallory