Roasted Ratatouille Pasta
This easy meatless dinner combines pasta with a modified version of the classic French dish, ratatouille. To make this easy recipe, we roasted eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers in a hot oven to bring out their natural flavors and sweetness, then tossed them with a mixture of sautéed onion and garlic, plum tomatoes, herbes de Provence and fresh thyme.
Roasted Ratatouille Pasta
Yield:
4 servings
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
This deliciously satisfying, French-inspired pasta dish combines roasted eggplant, zucchini and bell pepper with fresh tomatoes, herbes de Provence and fresh thyme.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta (cavatappi, rotini, penne)
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (or more to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or foil coated with nonstick spray.
- Place the eggplant in large mixing bowl, drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread the eggplant in a single layer on one of the prepared baking sheets.
- Next, add the zucchini and bell peppers to the mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, toss and spread over the second baking sheet.
- Roast the vegetables until tender and very lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
- When the vegetables have about 5 minutes of roasting time left, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain thoroughly, leaving the pasta in the colander.
- Return the pasta pot to the stove over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil along with the chopped onion and herbes de Provence.
- Sauté until the onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic and thyme. Continue cooking for 2 minutes longer, stirring continually, then add the tomatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook just long enough for the tomatoes to soften, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat, add the pasta and combine.
- Stir in the roasted vegetables and toss to combine. Add a little extra olive oil if desired, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Plate individual servings and top with freshly ground black pepper and a sprig of thyme if desired.
