Roasted Ratatouille Pasta

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This easy vegetarian (vegan) Roasted Ratatouille Pasta is ready in 30 minutes! Packed with colorful veggies like tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant. A few clever techniques add layers of flavor to this quick summer pasta recipe. Perfect for weekday dinners and lunches, potlucks, or picnics. (Gluten Free & Vegan option).

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables

1 lb zucchini (about 4 cups)
1 lb eggplant (about 4 cups)
1 red bell pepper (or yellow/orange)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pasta

1 lb dried fusilli pasta (or rotini, penne, rigatoni, spaghetti, etc.; Gluten-free if needed)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 diced yellow onion
3 tablespoons tomato paste (see note 1)
3 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup minced sun-dried tomatoes (see note 2)
12 ounces cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (more as needed)
½ cup chopped fresh basil
⅓ to ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (see note 3)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Vegetables: Position rack in upper-third of oven and set to broil (see note 4). Scatter 1 lb zucchini, 1 lb eggplant, 1 red bell pepper on a large bare baking sheet. (Don't line with parchment). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
Broil Vegetables: Broil vegetables on upper rack until brown around the edges and tender in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring at least twice. (Watch carefully, broil times vary significantly). Set aside.
Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 1 lb dried fusilli pasta and cook al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before straining pasta.
Make sauce: Meanwhile, in another large pot, warm 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown around the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 cloves minced garlic, ¼ cup minced sun-dried tomatoes, 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes are soft and bursting, about 5 minutes.
Combine: Add drained pasta to the pot of sauce, along with ⅔ cup of the reserved pasta water (see note 5). Toss to coat. Add small increments of more pasta water, if needed, until noodles are coated in silky sauce.
Finish: Scatter in roasted vegetables, ½ cup chopped fresh basil and ⅓ to ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Toss to mix. Taste and season with more salt, if needed (I often add another ¼ teaspoon). Serve hot, topped with more cheese.

Notes

Tomato Paste: Use double-concentrated tomato paste if you can. Otherwise regular tomato paste works too. Tomato paste can easily burn in the bottom of the pot, so make sure you're keeping an eye on temperature and stirring frequently.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and drain before using. There's no need to remove all oil off the sun-dried tomatoes. Some residual oil helps flavor the sauce.
Cheese: You can use Parmesan cheese or similar (such as Asiago or Pecorino Romano). For a vegan option, use a grated Parmesan cheese substitute.
Broiler position: Electric ovens usually have the broiler element at the top. Positioning the rack in the upper-third allows the pan to be close enough (but not too close). Gas ovens usually have a broiler drawer at the bottom. In this case, you'd be putting the baking sheet of veggies in the drawer—not the upper-third of the main oven.
Pasta water: If you forgot to reserve the pasta water before draining the water, all is not lost! Substitute hot or warm water instead. You may also need to add a bit more salt to compensate.
Storage tips: Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Leftovers are best with a bit more salt and cheese, to taste.

Nutrition