This roasted vegetable pasta is flexible, so use whatever veggies you have on hand! Garnished with fresh herbs, it's simple and delicious.
dinner / vegetarian / gluten free — Jump to recipe
This roasted vegetable pasta dish makes me happy to cook! As the vegetables roast, they fill the kitchen with sweet, earthy, and savory aromas. When they’re golden brown and caramelized, I pull them out of the oven and toss them with a zingy dressing, warm pasta, fresh herbs, and cheese. I don’t use any measuring spoons (and you won’t have to either). Instead, I taste and adjust to find a perfect balance of late summer flavors. Hint: You’ll know it’s right when you can’t resist taking another bite. 🙂
This roasted vegetable pasta takes about 30 minutes to make, and it’s simple, flexible, and fun. Filled with bright color and bold flavor, it’s a delicious showcase for any farmers market haul of veggies.
Vegetable Pasta Recipe Variations
You’ll love this recipe as written, but it’s also a great one to play with. Feel free to use what you have on hand or whatever looks best at the farmers market. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Switch the veggies. Nearly any late summer veggie works well in this roasted vegetable pasta. Replace some of the summer squash with eggplant or bell peppers, swap the carrots for green beans, or add broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, or corn.
- Grill the veggies. Too hot to turn the oven on? This vegetable pasta is just as good when you cook the veggies on the grill.
- Swap the cheese, or skip it. If you don’t have feta on hand, use shaved Parmesan cheese or crumbled goat cheese in its place. To make this recipe vegan, skip the cheese, or add a spoonful of capers instead.
- Add some crunch.Toss in a handful of toasted pine nuts or roasted chickpeas.
- Up the herbs.In addition to fresh basil, top the pasta with dollops of pesto.
Let me know what variations you try!
Vegetable Pasta Recipe Tips
- Roast heartier vegetables for longer. If you make this roasted vegetable pasta with the same veggies I did, you’ll find the roasting times in the recipe below. However, if you’re using different vegetables, their cooking times will likely vary. Heartier veggies like root vegetables, onions, and cauliflower will take around 30 minutes, while tender veggies like zucchini and asparagus will take closer to 20. For reference, check out my guides to roasting cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, butternut squash, and Brussels sprouts.
- Dress the veggies while they’re warm. The vegetables will absorb more of the bright, tangy dressing while they’re still warm from the oven, so, for the best flavor, toss them with the oil and vinegar before they cool.
- Taste and adjust.One of my favorite things about making this roasted vegetable pasta is that you can get away with not measuring anything (fewer dishes!) as long as you’re willing to taste and adjust your final dish. Too bland? Add more salt, red pepper flakes, herbs, or cheese. Not punchy or bright enough? Add more lemon or vinegar. Too dry? Drizzle your olive oil a little more generously. As long as you season to taste, you’ll end up with something delicious.
More Favorite Pasta Recipes
If you love this roasted vegetable pasta, try one of these healthy pasta recipes next:
- Creamy Vegan Pasta
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Easy Pesto Pasta
- Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Peas
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli
- Linguine with Lemon and Tomatoes
- Or any of these 25 Easy Pasta Recipes!
Roasted Vegetable Pasta
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 45 minutes mins
Serves 4 to 6
This easy roasted vegetable pasta is one of our favorite weeknight dinners. The combination of veggies listed below is excellent, but feel free to swap in whatever you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Vidalia onions, or 1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 small pattypan squash, sliced in half
- 2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence
- Leaves from 8 sprigs fresh thyme, more for garnish
- 1 16-ounce package brown rice penne pasta
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil, more for garnish
- Juice of ½ small lemon, more if desired
- Pinches of red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the carrots and onions on the first sheet and the pattypan squash, zucchini, and tomatoes on the other. Drizzle both sheets of vegetables with olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Place the sheet with the carrots and onions in the oven first and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the onions are tender and lightly charred, and the carrots are tender and browned. Place the second sheet in and roast for 20 minutes, or until the squash and zucchini are golden brown around the edges, and the tomatoes are lightly bursting. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the sherry vinegar, garlic, herbes de Provence, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir in the roasted vegetables.
Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Drain and transfer the cooked pasta to the large bowl with the roasted vegetables and toss to coat.
Add the feta, basil, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes and gently toss. Season (generously!) to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, as desired.
Garnish with more fresh herbs and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
FAQs
After a few weeks of adding cornstarch to roasted chunks of various plant bits, I can confirm that it absolutely makes them crispier, and it's just as simple as it sounds.
How long does it take to roast veggies at 350 degrees? ›
Oven: place the veggies on a sheet pan and place in a 350 degree F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes. Skillet: You can place the veggies in a skillet with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray and cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes.
What's the best temperature to roast vegetables in the oven? ›
The perfect temperature– 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork tender interior. But it will vary based on the types of veggies and oil used. If your veggies are not browning enough, try increasing the temperature.
What vegetables are best for roasting? ›
Best Vegetables To Roast
Obvious choices are root veg like carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. But crucifers like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower roast well, too. More delicate veggies like cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and squash roast spectacularly well.
What baking ingredient makes roasted vegetables so crispy? ›
The next time you roast vegetables, add some cornstarch. Yes, cornstarch—that box in your pantry is the secret to a super-crispy exterior on veggies, from potatoes to cauliflower. Cornstarch is commonly used to coat proteins like chicken or beef to achieve a crispy exterior, so why not use it with vegetables?
Why won't my roast veggies go crispy? ›
The Oven Temp Is Too Low
But, they'll turn out soft and soggy instead of crispy and caramelized. The solution: Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F to 425°F.
Should you roast vegetables covered or uncovered? ›
There is no need to cover vegetables when roasting. Covering them creates steam, so they won't get as crispy and caramelized. Don't forget to stir once or twice while cooking so the vegetables get nicely browned on all sides. Other than that, you can't really go wrong.
What is the best oil for roasting vegetables? ›
For vegetables, chicken, and just about everything else, olive oil and ghee are our first choices for roasting at temperatures over 400°F. Not only do they help food cook up with the crispiness you crave, but each one also imparts its own unique flavor that you just don't get from neutral oils like grapeseed or canola.
Is it better to roast vegetables at 400 or 425? ›
In general, denser, sweeter vegetables need a lower temperature: approximately 375°F to 400°F. For vegetables that are more watery (like eggplant, say, or celery), the heat can be cranked to 450°F or higher. You'll find a guide to the best temperature for roasting any vegetable below.
Which vegetables take the longest to roast? ›
Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips take the longest, followed by hard squash and cruciferous vegetables like butternut squash, cauliflower and broccoli. Tender items like cherry tomatoes or zucchini come next, then cooking greens, which have the shortest roasting time.
Put the aluminum down! Unlined pans get you better vegetables in less time and the same amount of mess. Now that we're firmly into vegetable roasting season, it's time to set the record straight: it's always better to roast vegetables on unlined sheet pans.
How do you know when roasted vegetables are done? ›
Roast until the vegetables are tender enough to pierce with a fork and you see some charred bits on the edges. Softer vegetables cook more quickly, while harder vegetables like potatoes will cook more slowly. Smaller pieces will also cook more quickly than larger pieces.
Should I season vegetables before or after roasting? ›
Because salt draws moisture out of the food, season veggies just before roasting. Place vegetables hot side down when applicable. Ideally, roast different vegetables separately since they all cook at different times. You can combine them together afterwards!
Which of the following vegetables is not well suited for roasting? ›
Vegetables to Avoid Roasting
Green beans, broccoli, and other green-colored vegetables are not as well-suited for roasting because they tend to turn olive green.
What is the difference between roasting and baking vegetables? ›
What's the Difference Between Baking and Roasting? Roasting uses the same type of all-over, dry heat as baking, but at higher temperatures between 400 and 450° F. Choose the roasting method to get thicker, tougher foods brown and crisp, and the baking method to retain moisture in thinner, more delicate foods.
How to cook vegetables so they are crunchy? ›
Crank up the oven temperature:
I roast fresh vegetables at 425°F but turn up the heat when cooking frozen vegetables and roast them at 450°F. You're after crispy, browned-in-spots roasted vegetables and not steamed vegetables.
Why are my roasted vegetables always soggy? ›
Make sure your pan is big enough to spread the vegetables out evenly in a single layer with a little space between each piece. You don't want to overcrowd the pan, if you think the pan is too crowded, split the vegetable between two pans. Crowded vegetables just create extra moisture and steam in the pan.
Does adding cornstarch make things crispy? ›
Interestingly, cornstarch contains 25 to 28 percent amylose, which is higher than the amount in wheat or potato starch (which are 20 to 22 percent amylose), and this is why cornstarch works the best for making crispy coatings on fried foods.
How do you roast veggies so they are not mushy? ›
Arrange in one layer.
Once the vegetables are properly coated with oil, spread them out evenly across your baking sheet in one layer. If the vegetables are arranged too closely together or are on top of one another, they will steam, making them mushy rather than caramelized.
