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Square overhead shot of roasted veg pasta on a wooden table.
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Roasted Vegetable Pasta

A hearty, flavorful, and easy vegetarian dinner that takes advantage of almost any veggies in your kitchen!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword pasta with roasted vegetables, roasted veg pasta, roasted vegetable pasta, roasted vegetables with pasta
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 372kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.), cubed
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch thick rounds
  • 4 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  • Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni, or other pasta of choice
  • ½ cup prepared basil pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • Garnish: chopped fresh basil (or other herbs); freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini, and garlic on the prepared pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; toss to coat. Season with Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
    Process shot showing how to make roasted vegetables on a sheet pan.
  • Add the bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes to the pan with the eggplant. Drizzle with another 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with additional salt and pepper, as well as a pinch of red pepper flakes. Toss to coat. Return the vegetables to the oven for 20-30 more minutes, until everything is tender and starting to brown. Stir the pan halfway through.
    Adding chopped bell pepper to a tray of roasted vegetables.
  • While the vegetables roast in the oven, cook the pasta in a large pot of well salted boiling water according to package directions for al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, and then return it to the pot.
    Boiled rigatoni in a colander.
  • Stir the pesto sauce and the butter into the pasta. Cook over low heat, just until the butter melts and the pasta is coated in the warm sauce. Gradually add some of the pasta cooking water, if needed. Stir the roasted vegetables into the pasta; toss gently to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately, and garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan.
    Close overhead shot of a bowl of roasted vegetable pasta.

Notes

  • Drizzle the vegetables liberally with olive oil, and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Feel free to add extra oil, if necessary. You want all of the veggies to be well coated before roasting, since the oil adds great flavor, helps them brown in the oven, and prevents them from sticking to the pan.
  • Generously salt the pasta cooking water. This is your opportunity to season the noodles, which contribute important flavor to the finished dish.
  • Cook the pasta just until al dente (tender, but with a firm bite). The pasta will continue to cook in the pot with the butter and pesto, so you don't want it to be overdone and mushy by the end.
  • Use homemade pesto if you have a lot of fresh basil on hand, or pick up a jar of prepared basil pesto for a nice shortcut.
  • If the pasta seems dry, stir in extra pesto, extra butter, a drizzle of olive oil, or some of the reserved starchy pasta water to taste.
  • Garnish the pasta with plenty of fresh herbs like basil, thyme, parsley, chives, and oregano, as well as grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese. These add extra layers of flavor and highlight the taste of the roasted veggies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 993IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg