Pesto and pasta is a classic combination. That is why this Pesto Pasta with Roasted Vegetables is such a satisfying dish.
My favorite thing about this recipe is the home-made pesto! Pesto is actually very easy to make, so it’s hard for me to justify buying it at the grocery store. I love the way that such a simple combination of ingredients like fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and lemon can transform into a sauce that’s simply mouthwatering. The flavors in the pesto are so refreshing and vibrant, making it the perfect addition to any meal.
However, have you seen the price of pine nuts? They’re pretty expensive. Although this recipe uses such a small amount, don't be afraid to substitute them for something else such as walnuts or almonds. Sure, there’s a lot to love about pine nuts (so buttery and creamy!), but with so many other tasty nuts, why not mix things up?
Also, keep in mind that pesto oxidizes, or turns brown when exposed to the air, quickly. To avoid this issue, cover your pesto with aluminum foil, then refrigerate until you’re ready to use it. It also freezes wonderfully.
This dish might seem a little time consuming, but it really moves along quite quickly. There are just three major steps: 1) make the pesto 2) cook the pasta and 3) roast the vegetables. Once those are complete, just combine everything and enjoy!
This recipe is adapted from the Harriet Emily blog.
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Pesto Pasta with Roasted Vegetables
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Pesto
- 1 cup fresh basil
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Pasta
- 12 ounces brown rice pasta
- ⅔ cup sun dried tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 4 zucchini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 garlic bulb
Instructions
Pesto
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until combined.
Pasta
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cook pasta in boiling water, according to package directions. Rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside.
- Soak sun dried tomatoes in water for 15 minutes. Drain, chop and set aside.
- Cut off the top of the garlic bulb so the garlic cloves are exposed. Drizzle exposed garlic cloves with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Wrap garlic bulb in aluminum foil.
- Roast in oven for 40 minutes or until the cloves are golden in color. Keep in mind that you can roast the garlic and zucchini at the same time; however, the garlic takes longer to cook so you should start that first. When finished, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before gently squeezing each garlic clove out of the skin.
- Chop zucchini into semi-circles and place into large bowl. Toss zucchini with remaining 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Pour zucchini onto parchment-lined pan and spread out evenly. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, flip and continue roasting for 15 minutes.
- When zucchini and garlic are done roasting, toss with pasta, sun dried tomatoes and pesto.
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