It’s a dry 90 degrees here in San Mateo and temperatures are expected to rise over the next few days. The last thing I want to do is turn on the oven – but I’d bite the bullet to prepare this pasta with roasted vegetables and sun-dried tomato pesto.
The recipe is simple and ideal for using up a surplus of summer produce (and half-empty bags of pasta in your pantry). Have an abundance of zucchini? Sub in squash for the eggplant and bell pepper – or vice versa. Throw in a handful of sliced carrots or green beans if you feel so inclined.
Just don’t mess with the pesto – it’s the essence of the dish. The sun-dried tomatoes add a burst of flavor and color to the sauce, which permeates the pasta and veggies and makes the meal unique.
Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate.
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (do not remove oil)
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil, torn into small pieces
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds (see notes**)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 10 ounces short pasta, like casarecce, radiatori or rigatoni
- 1 green zucchini, quartered lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ½"-thick pieces
- 1 yellow zucchini, quartered lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ½"-thick pieces
- 2 pattypan squash, cut into ½" pieces
- 1 Italian eggplant, cut into ½" pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½" pieces
- ½ red onion, cut into ½" pieces
- 1 shallot, cut into ½" pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- In a food processor or blender, purée all the pesto ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place zucchini, pattypan squash, eggplant, bell pepper, onion and shallot on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir gently. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are caramelized and fork tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
- Add about ½ cup pesto to pasta and toss to coat. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if pasta seems dry.
- Add roasted vegetables and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, at room temperature or cold.
**To toast raw almonds, cook them in a fry pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool and then chop.
I love a classic pesto pasta.. but rarely do I make the pesto myself! Thanks for this delicious recipe. It looks AMAZING.
Thank you, Thalia! This is the first time I’ve made a red pesto, and I think you will enjoy it!