Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta

This Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta is packed with flavor, color, and nutrition. A rainbow of vegetables makes this dish not only a gorgeous center piece to your meal, but one that is diverse in phytonutrients, the plant nutrients that give fruits and vegetables their colors and provide a variety health benefits. We should strive to eat a rainbow of colors everyday because different colored plant foods provide different kinds of phytonutrients. 

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Feel free to mix this dish up with your favorite vegetables and whole grain or bean noodles. Allow this recipe to serve as a template for your own creations. Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta is great to enjoy year-round. It can be served warmed or chilled, though the flavors of the pesto really come out nice when warmed up.

A few notes before you get started:

PASTA: Feel free to swap in whole grain pasta or bean noodles of choice. Use zucchini noodles if you want a more veggie based pasta dish. 

TOMATOES: Feel free to sub the sun-dried tomatoes for fresh cherry or grape tomatoes. Roast 2 cups cherry tomatoes whole for 20-30 minutes with the rest of the veggies.

ADDITIONS: To add more plant-based protein, use roasted chickpeas or add in some roasted tofu or cooked tempeh. White beans would also make a great addition. Other vegetables that would work great in this dish, roasted Brussels sprouts, asparagus, zucchini, and corn. 

 

Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta

This Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta is packed with flavor, color, and nutrition. A rainbow of vegetables makes this dish a gorgeous center piece to your meal. Feel free to mix this dish up with your favorite vegetables and whole grain or bean noodles. Serve warm or chilled, though the flavors of the pesto really come out nice when warmed up.
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Ingredients
  

Vegetables

  • 2 cups julienned carrots (about two large carrots)
  • 2 bell peppers, cut into strips 
  • 4 cups chopped broccoli or cauliflower 
  • 3 oz sun-dried tomatoes or 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cups chopped kale 

Pasta

  • 1 8 oz package of legume pasta

Walnut Pesto

  • 1½ - 2 cups fresh basil, roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup fresh parsley, large stems removed and chopped
  • 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup raw walnuts 
  • 4-5 cloves roasted garlic (or as desired)
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste 

Instructions
 

Vegetables

  • Preheat the oven to 425F, use a roast setting if available. 
  • Place the carrots and peppers on a lined baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves for the pesto too. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring often to keep from burning. If using cherry tomatoes, cook the tomatoes for 20-30 minutes.
  • Add the broccoli or cauliflower to a lined baking sheer and roast for 10-12 minutes. 
  • Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for several minutes, drain and rinse well. Optional to leave them as is or chop them.
  •  Chop the kale cabbage and kale.

Pasta

  • Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package. Avoid overcooking and rinse with cold water, this will help the noodles hold their shape once combined with the rest of the dish.

Walnut Pesto

  • Roughly chop the basil and the parsley. Add the basil, parsley, and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse together until well chopped. 
  • Add the walnuts, roasted garlic, miso, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pulse together until well combined. For a smoother texture, continue processing until smooth and creamy. 

To Serve

  • In a large bowl, combine the roasted vegetables, sun dried tomatoes, cabbage, kale, pasta, and pesto. Stir to combine. Optional to reheat the dish or serve as is. Enjoy!