Balsamic Grilled Veggie Pasta

It’s something about grilled vegetables: their flavor and texture just send my taste buds soaring. Without being a vegetarian – eating meatless meals are still very fulfilling and delicious to me, and this dish knocks it right out of the park.

Every now and then I love picking up fresh veggies from the farmer’s market and making a huge meal out of it. Grilling the vegetables is a must, especially in the summer time. There’s really nothing better than a hot summer evening with the smell of food cooking on the grill; your neighbors will surely appreciate it too 😉

Balsamic Grilled Veggie Pasta
Serves 2

Ingredients:
– 2 portobello mushroom caps
– 1 small zucchini
– 1 small summer squash
– 1/2 yellow onion
– 3 roma tomatoes
– 2 tablespoons minced garlic
– olive oil
– balsamic vinegar
– salt and pepper
– 4 oz angel hair pasta, or pasta of choice

Directions:
1. Clean mushroom caps thoroughly with slow, running water and scrape the mushroom’s ‘gills’ off using a spoon. Pat mushrooms dry with a paper towel.
2. Cut the stems of the mushrooms off and discard. Slice zucchini, summer squash, onion, and tomatoes into desired thickness. (The thicker the cuts, the longer the cooking time)
3. With all the veggies in a bowl – evenly drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper (enough to coat all the vegetables) and mix.
4. With the grill on medium-low heat, cook the veggies until tender and translucent, flipping them over half-way during the cooking time.
5. While the veggies are grilling, prepare the pasta by boiling salted water in a kettle. Once water is at a roaring boil, add pasta and stir. Cook for 5-7 minutes for angel hair (cooking times may vary depending on the type of pasta).
6. Once pasta is finished, drain water and add a drizzle of olive oil to the cooked pasta.
7. Once veggies are finished, slice the mushroom caps and fix your plate!
* I added blue cheese crumbles to my pasta; of course feel free to add any cheese of your choice, or none at all!

The meat was certainly not missed on this plate. With the meatiness of the portobello mushrooms and the other combined veggies, you’ll surely be leaving your dinner table full and satisfied.

Enjoy and happy grilling!
xo