A delicious homemade pasta is so healthy, packed with vegetables, you can eat the entire bowl without a moment's hesitation. Add crunchy pine nuts and fresh shaved vegan parmesan, (Follow Your Heart and Violife make great ones). Make this for date night, and listen to raves about your cooking.

Recipe Developer: Natalie Penny, @natalie.naturally

Why we love it: When you're looking for a sophisticated meal to enjoy that's easy to make and won't leave you cooking in the kitchen for hours, this roasted eggplant pasta is the perfect recipe. It's full of fresh flavors and a great way to load up on veggies while you enjoy pasta.

Make it for: A healthy dinner and treat mom to a homemade Italian meal. Cheers to you for making a delicious plant-based dinner and cheers to mom for everything she's done for you!
Why it's healthier: Eggplant is a high fiber and low-calorie food that has been linked to lowering cholesterol, promoting weight loss and managing blood sugar.

Healthy ingredients: Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A, beta carotene, folate

Roasted Aubergine and Tomato Pasta with Basil Pesto

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

2.5 cups of pasta shape of choice

Sauce

4 medium aubergine chopped into 1-inch cubes
1 tomato, I use a mixture of large and cherry, ideally vine. Halved or quartered.
1 large red onion roughly diced
5-6 springs fresh thyme
The whole bulb of garlic cloves removed and bashed
4 tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pesto

1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts
Juice ½ lemon
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
2tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
a good grind of black pepper
1/2 cup of basil thick stems removed.

To serve

Fresh basil and thyme leaves
Green salad
Vegan parmesan

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 320°F. Place all the ingredients for the sauce into a large oven dish or baking tray, give it a good stir to combine and place in the hot oven. Stir every 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft golden and some lightly charred. It may take a little longer than 45 minutes.
Once the vegetables are done you can cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve.
Whilst the vegetables are cooking, make your pesto. Hold back 2 tbsp. of pine nuts and add the rest of the ingredients to a high-speed blender and pulse until desired consistency, you don’t want it too smooth and paste-like. You can use a pestle and mortar, if preferred but start with the garlic, basil and nuts and gradually add the oil and lemon.
Set aside covered until ready to use.
When you’re ready to serve, boil the pasta to the packets instructions, I always take a minute or two off for al dente.
Take your vegetables out of the oven, remove any thyme stalks and garlic skins. With a folk squish all the garlic cloves you come across to a paste and stir through the veg.
Once the pasta is cooked drain and add to the tray with the vegetables, giving everything and good stir to coat.
Serve in bowls with a dollop of pesto to stir through, a sprinkle of extra pin nuts and some fresh herbs scattered on top.
You may like to serve a green salad and bowl of vegan parm on the side too.

Nutrition Info: Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Calories 352 Total Fat 27.2 g Sat. Fat 3.2 g Sodium 324 mg Total Carbs 27.8 g Fiber 10.8 g Sugars 15.4 g Protein 7 g

Filed Under: Vegan Dinner

Categories: Recipes