Roasted Veggie Pesto Pasta (Print version)

Pasta tossed with roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, and rich basil pesto for a tasty main course.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
02 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 1 red onion, sliced
05 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta

09 - 12 ounces penne or fusilli pasta

→ Pesto

10 - 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade

→ Garnish

11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
12 - Fresh basil leaves for serving

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 425°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - Spread zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss until evenly coated.
03 - Roast vegetables for 20 minutes in the preheated oven until they begin to soften and brown.
04 - Remove baking sheet from oven, add halved cherry tomatoes, toss gently, and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes until all vegetables are tender with light browning.
05 - While vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
06 - In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, roasted vegetables with pan juices, and pesto. Toss gently to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water gradually until achieving desired creamy consistency.
07 - Plate hot and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything roasts together while your pasta cooks, so you're actually done in under 45 minutes despite how impressive it looks.
  • The caramelized edges on the vegetables taste like comfort, and the pesto adds a brightness that feels like late summer no matter the season.
  • It's flexible enough to use whatever vegetables are calling to you, which means it never gets boring.
02 -
  • Add the cherry tomatoes only at the end of roasting or they'll collapse into nothing instead of staying plump and juicy.
  • That reserved pasta water is liquid gold, stir in just enough to make the pesto cling to everything without making it soupy.
  • Don't skip tossing the vegetables halfway through roasting to get those beautiful caramelized bits on all sides.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables roughly the same size so they roast evenly and finish at the same time.
  • Don't stir the vegetables too often while they roast, let them sit long enough to develop those precious caramelized spots that make this dish memorable.
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