Looking to make some last minute Valentine’s Day plans? Why not cozy up to your loved one after a delicious homemade pasta dinner. This roasted vegetable pasta is rich and comforting but also super simple to make. Yourself and your partner can prepare it while enjoying a glass (or two) of wine. This dish is always a hit, regardless of who I am making it for. It’s also loaded with veggies so that’s another bonus! This dish is great with whole wheat pasta, but if you really want to impress him/her, pick up some fresh pasta on the way home…definitely a sure way to score brownie points!
Roasted Veggie Pasta What you need:
- 1 lb whole-wheat pasta*
- 1 tbsp. avocado oil (or other high heat cooking oil)
- 1 medium red onion, sliced 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved/quarted**
- 1 large eggplant, skin on & cut into even sized cubes
- 1 large zucchini (cut into small chopped cubes)
- 1 large carrot (cut into small chopped cubes)
- 2 tbsp. fresh thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 3 handfuls of spinach (chopped)
- Fresh pepper, to taste
- Pinch of sea salt
*I love this dish with penne pasta, but spaghetti or linguini works too!
**Your call, depends on how much you like tomatoes!
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425oF. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, as you will need them in the next step!
- In a large bowl, toss in the onion, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, oil and salt. Mix it up and place on baking sheets until mixture it even spread out.
- Prepare large pot of water to cook pasta. Add a pinch of salt and a little oil to the pot before adding the water. Once pasta is fully cooked. Before straining, scoop out ½ cup of pasta water and set aside.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven add garlic, thyme & lemon juice. Stir and place back in the oven. Roast again for 10 minutes. I like mine a little crispy so you can also keep it in there for a little while longer!
- In another large bowl, combine pasta, cooked vegetables and remaining ingredients. These include the balsamic vinegar, pepper and spinach. If pasta looks a little dry, add pasta water 1 tbsp. at a time until desired consistency is reached. Healthy Tip: This dish pairs well with a white wine. To make a spritzer, I recommend adding carbonated water to your wine glass!
