Roast vegetable pesto pasta

Roast vegetable pesto pasta combines roast vegetables, pesto and lemon with pasta to create a light vegetarian meal. It is a good way to make use of seasonal vegetables and is easy to prepare.

It can be prepared and cooked in a little over half an hour making it ideal for busy days or for when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen.

It is great served on its own or with a leafy green salad. It is also perfect paired with olive bread, focaccia or rosemary and olive tear and share rolls.

Similar to broad bean risotto and summer vegetable quiche this vegetarian pasta dish can be adapted to make use of whatever vegetables you have to hand.

If you enjoy pasta you could make a batch of homemade egg pasta or make some pasta dough with spinach. Or why not treat yourself to some of these delicious but easy to make sweet potato gnocchi?

The quantities in this easy pasta recipe are sufficient for two servings.

Ingredients

• 170g pasta - rigatoni is ideal for this recipe as the ridges help to coat the pasta with the pesto but you could use penne pasta or pasta twists if that is what you have in your cupboard.

• 5 teaspoons vegetarian basil pesto - you can use either homemade pesto or a good quality store-bought pesto. If you are using ready made pesto check the ingredients to make sure that it is vegetarian pesto.

• 1 medium red onion - red onion is my favourite for most pasta dishes but you could use other types of onion if you prefer.

• 5 cloves garlic - use fresh garlic, finely chopped or crushed.

• A selection of vegetables - such as red pepper, green pepper, courgette, mushrooms, aubergine, cherry tomatoes. Ideally choose a variety of colours.

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon - ideally use an organic unwaxed lemon. If you are using a waxed lemon lightly scrub the lemon before zesting.

• Olive oil - ideally use extra virgen olive oil (EVOO) for maximum flavour.

• Approx 1 tablespoon grated cheese - a strong flavoured vegetarian cheese such as vintage Cheddar is perfect for this recipe.

How to prepare.

First, prepare the vegetables and then lightly roast in a little olive. Alternatively, you could cook the vegetables in a frying pan or skillet.

Cook the pasta until it is al dente.

Drain the pasta and stir in a little olive oil, return to the pan and cover with the lid to keep it warm.

Zest and juice the lemon, add to the cooked pasta and stir.

Add the pesto to the lemon pasta and stir until all the pasta is coated with the pesto.

Add the cooked vegetables and toss taking care not to break up the vegetables.

Place the pan over a low heat for a couple of minutes or so, stirring to prevent the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add a little water if needed.

Serve immediately in hot bowls with a little grated cheese over the top.

How to serve

1. Garnish your roast vegetable pesto pasta with fresh herbs such as basil or parsley.
2. Serve either on its own or with a leafy green salad.
3. This pesto pasta dish is also great paired with homemade olive bread or focaccia.

Tips

1. This dish should be served straight away. It is not suitable for reheating or freezing.
2. The vegetables can be cooked ahead of time to make it even quicker to prepare this meal.
3. You can make many variations of this easy vegetable pasta dish by using different combinations of vegetables and different pasta shapes.
4. If you would like to add extra protein add a handful of pine nuts before serving.

FAQs

Other vegetarian pasta recipes