Tossed in flavorful pesto and grilled to smoky perfection, these pesto grilled vegetables are incredible piled over penne pasta and a great way to use up summer produce!
Meet the one and only way you ever need to know how to grill vegetables!
Smothered in pesto and served alongside a mess of hot penne pasta is how we’re rolling today. You’ll never want those summer veggies any other way again.
You also won’t really care about the fact that you’re eating mostly vegetables here. These babies are that good.
This is one of those meals you can pull together in about 30 minutes, uses minimal ingredients, and won’t heat up your kitchen either.
And the lack of meat? Promise you won’t even miss it here!
These Pesto Grilled Vegetables feature…
- A rainbow of smoky grilled veggies including summer squash, zucchini, asparagus, and sweet pepper
- Flavorful basil pesto coating every inch of the grilled veggies
- Hot penne pasta for serving alongside veggies
Making the Pesto Grilled Vegetables
(scroll down to the bottom of post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Summer squash
- Zucchini
- Asparagus
- Sweet pepper
- Garlic
- Pesto
- Penne pasta
Choosing Your Vegetables
The best part about this recipe is that you can use so many different kinds of vegetables! We love a base of summer squash, zucchini, sweet pepper, and asparagus, but the sky’s the limit for what you can use.
You can swap out any of the veggies in this recipe for mushrooms, green beans, green onions, cherry tomatoes, or sweet corn. This recipe is great for using up a bounty of summer vegetables!
Tips for Perfect Grilled Vegetables
- Cut vegetables in uniform sizes – take care to cut the vegetables the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- Grill veggies in grill pan or on aluminum foil – this will keep the vegetables from falling through the grill grates and makes for easier clean up.
- Evenly space vegetables while grilling – this helps prevent the vegetables from steaming and gives them a little char from the grill.
Stovetop and Oven Instructions
Don’t have access to a grill? You can still make this recipe! Follow the below instructions for stovetop and oven cooking methods.
Stovetop
Follow recipe instructions for prepping vegetables up to the grilling step.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and saute 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender. Serve with penne.
Oven
Follow recipe instructions for prepping vegetables up to the grilling step.
Lightly grease a large baking sheet and arrange vegetables in a single layer in pan. Roast vegetables at 400F 25-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Serve with penne.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different spin on this recipe!
- Use homemade pesto – we love the ease of this recipe using jarred pesto, but homemade bumps all the flavors up a notch.
- Swap out the veggies – as mentioned above, this recipe works great with a variety of veggies!
- Add cheese – try grated Parmesan, Asiago, or some fresh mozzarella or burrata melted on top.
- Try a different grain – instead of the penne, try serving these vegetables alongside quinoa, steamed rice, or skip the grains entirely for a veggie-heavy side dish.
- Add meat – if you can’t go without your meat, feel free to mix some diced grilled chicken or sausage into the vegetables after grilling. You can also serve these bowls alongside any main protein dish, such as steak or chicken.
These vegetables are perfectly smoky, bursting with pesto flavor, and just everything summer veggies SHOULD be!
Watch this easy recipe become your go-to way to use up that veggie harvest this summer. There’s no going wrong!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More recipes to help you get your grill on!
Pesto-Grilled Summer Vegetables with Penne
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Ingredients
- 2 small summer squash, sliced 1/4-in thick
- 2 small zucchini, sliced 1/4-in thick
- 1/2 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-in pieces
- 1 medium sweet pepper, cut into 1-in pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb penne pasta, cooked according to package instructions and kept warm
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss squash, zucchini asparagus, pepper, garlic, and basil pesto until evenly combined. Season veggies with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grill veggies on nonstick aluminum foil or in a grill pan over medium-high heat turning occasionally until veggies are slightly charred and tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Toss veggies into penne pasta and season with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was updated with new photos and recipe notes on 5/20/22.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
This is definitely summer on a plate…love the pretty colors! And, of course, the pesto! I could eat pesto with just a spoon, I love it that much, so this penne is calling my name. Sounds perfect for a light summer meal!
Sarah says
Oh, I totally eat pesto by the spoonful. It’s just so good!
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says
I LOVE grilled vegetables! And pasta. Pasta too. Next time I’ll make them with pesto, sounds delicious!
Sarah says
Let me know if you give this one a go, Vivian!! 🙂
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
Sarah this is GORGEOUS! I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to grilling anything other than meat, but I definitely need to change that this summer. I can’t wait for those first veggies popping out of the ground!
Sarah says
You are tooooo sweet, Ashley!! Thanks for all the sweet words, girl! xoxo
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
For me, summer is not summer without pesto and grilled veggies .. so this recipe is a huge WIN and amazing!!!!!! love this and totally happening over here!
Sarah says
Exactly my point of view on summer! It’s just gotta have veggies. 😉
Ami@NaiveCookCooks says
Girl this is so timely! Just last night I made pesto at home and now I know what to do with it!! I love roasted veggies so this is totally my kind of meal!
Sarah says
That sounds like pesto destiny to me!! Thanks Ami!
Annie says
Aren’t grilled veggies the BEST! I love this!! I can’t wait to make this one!
Sarah says
Totally the best part about summer!!
Ella says
I’m such a grilling scaredy-cat so I can’t do the actual open flame. But, I’ve got a grill pans AND a George Foreman grill. You think I could cheat using either of those? I’d love to still make this dish.
Sarah says
Yes either would work fine Ella!!
Keegan says
Do you mix anything in with the pasta or just eat it plain?? Thanks!
Sarah says
Nope! As the recipe tells you, the grilled veggies just go with the plain pasta. 🙂
Sara says
I’m having trouble with the link to the pesto sauce and it’s my absolute favorite. Help please!
Sara says
Help! I’m having trouble with he pesto link and that is my absolute fav pesto recipe. Help please!
Sarah says
Here’s the link, Sara! I’ll go in and make sure that the link in the recipe is fixed. 🙂 So sorry for the inconvenience!
Kay says
Would there be any way to do this in a frying pan in the stove? (I don’t really know how to grill not do I have a grill). And if so, what adjustments would need to be made? I’m not an experienced cook. Any help appreciated. Thank-you.
Sarah says
Hi! You can definitely make this on the stove! I would recommend heating 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the veggies and saute 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender. Good luck!
Liz says
This was really good! My husband let the veges marinate in the pesto several hours and I think it made a difference. I just wish it was more “soupy” so it would mix worth the pasta better. I did mix them together and topped with olive oil and that helped some. Will definitely make again.
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Sarah says
Love the sound of marinating the veggies in the pesto! Thanks for sharing your feedback, Liz. 🙂