Chunks of courgette, aubergine, onion and tomato roasted to perfection in a balsamic and garlic dressing and stirred into pasta -easy comfort food with a healthy twist. If you are trying to get more vegetables into your diet, then this Ratatouille Pasta is the recipe for you.
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About this Ratatouille Pasta Recipe
This is a light and fresh pasta dish that is perfect for summer. Easy to adapt with your favourite vegetables, or whatever needs using up, it's filling and comforting without being too heavy.
A vibrant dish that it perfect for serving up to guests and it would be a great BBQ side dish too. Reduce food waste and eat more veggies - that's a win for us.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Pasta - Really, anything goes here when it comes to the pasta. We used rigatoni, but penne, fusilli, or even spaghetti work. It is a chunky sauce, so it won't really cling to the pasta.
- Courgette - Look for a vibrant and rich colour courgette. Don't choose one that is too big, as they tend to be watery and flavourless.
- Aubergine - Look for aubergines with smooth, shiny skin that are uniform in colour and heavy for their size.
- Bell peppers - We used red and yellow, for a nice pop of bright colour. However, green and orange will work too. You could also use roasted red peppers.
- Onion - We used red onion in this recipe, however brown onion or even shallots will work.
- Tomatoes - This recipe will be best when using in season tomatoes. Fresh, ripe and juicy tomatoes are what give this dish such an amazing flavour. We used cherry tomatoes, as we love that pop of flavour. We also added some sun-dried tomatoes for a more intense tomato flavour.
- Oil - This makes up the majority of the dressing that the vegetables are cooked it and helps them to crisp up. Try to use a really good quality olive oil, as you really will be able to taste the difference.
- Balsamic vinegar - Just like the olive oil, try to use a really good quality one, as it will have more flavour. Cheaper versions tend to be a bit watery, and that's not what you want.
- Dried herbs - We used a mixture of oregano and basil.
- Parmesan - What is a pasta dish without cheese? If you want to make this vegetarian or vegan, then use your favourite alternative.
Variations
The key to this recipe being the best it possibly can be is roast the vegetables. It will take a bit longer, but it's totally worth it. You could fry them in a pan if you wanted to save time.
We roasted up some courgette, aubergine, onion and tomatoes. However, this recipe is so easy to adapt, making it a great way to use up vegetables.
It might make it less traditional, but all in the name of reducing food waste, right? Vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers and asparagus will all work./p>
Make sure to use softer vegetables, as they are quicker to cook quicker until vegetables like carrots. Make sure they are all cut evenly, so they cook at the same time. They should all be about the same size as the cherry tomatoes.
To make a creamy version of this pasta, you could stir in a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche or even cream cheese.
How to Make Ratatouille Pasta
Prep: Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C(fan)/425°F/Gas 7
- Step 1: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Step 2: Put all of the vegetables into a large bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix well.
- Step 3: Put the vegetables in a single layer on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 45 minutes, mixing half way through.
You will need a large baking tray for the vegetables. You want to make sure that there is enough room for them all in the pan, as if they are too close together they will steam rather than crisp up.
- Step 4: Cook your pasta so it is cooked when the 45 minutes is up. Serve the vegetables mixed into the cooked pasta and top with chopped basil and grated Parmesan (both optional).
What is Ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a French stewed vegetable dish that originated in Nice. Although recipes and cooking times will differ widely, common ingredients include tomato, garlic, onion, courgette, aubergine and green herbs. It is sometimes referred to as ratatouille niçoise.
Traditionally it is a stew (see our Ratatouille recipe), however we have taken the same vegetables and flavours, and then roasted them and mixed them into pasta.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta dish really has it all. You don't have to serve it with a side dish, as it has so many vegetables packed into it already. However if you did want some sides, we have some suggestions for you:
- Slow Cooker Green Beans
- Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Lemon Asparagus
- Roasted Garlic and Herb Mushrooms
- Spanish Olives
You could also keep it simple with a big green salad. The key to an epic green salad is to use a variety of greens, like romaine, spinach, kale and rocket. You want leafy greens, but crunch too. Then you need the perfect dressing. Why not try our Lemon Vinaigrette, Honey and Mustard Dressing or Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette.
Our Cheesy Garlic Bread or Air Fryer Garlic Bread also goes really well with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a delicious plant based meal, and we could all use more of those in our life, right? So, it really doesn't need any meat. However, if you are serving it up to someone that really can't eat a meal without meat or fish, then there are some options. You could stir in some leftovers from Roast Chicken or even add some fried prawns or grilled salmon.
If you have leftovers of this, then it will keep in an air tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat it, add it to a frying pan with a little bit of water to heat through. It will be a bit dry, so the water is needed.
You can also freeze this pasta dish in a freezable container and it will keep for up to 2 months.
It really depends on how good your kids are at eating vegetables. The vegetables on this dish are far from hidden, as they are chunky and in full view - some kids are fine with that. If your kids are on the fussier side, you could blend all the vegetables up once roasted, and then stir it into the pasta for more or a hidden sauce.
More Pasta Recipes
If you've tried this ratatouille pasta, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Roasted Ratatouille Pasta
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 280 g (10 oz) of Pasta
For the vegetables:
- 1 Aubergine (eggplant) - diced
- 2 Courgette (zucchini) - diced
- 1 Red bell pepper - diced
- 1 Yellow bell pepper - diced
- 1 Red onion - diced
- 240 g (1.66 cups) of Cherry tomatoes
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons of Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of Tomato puree
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 0.5 teaspoon of Dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon of Dried basil
- 1 pinch of Fine sea salt and ground black pepper
To serve:
- Fresh basil - chopped (to serve)
- Parmesan - grated (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat your over to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7 .
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of Olive oil, 2 tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp of Tomato puree, 2 Garlic clove, 0.5 tsp of Dried oregano, 0.5 tsp of Dried basil and 1 pinch of Fine sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Put 1 Aubergine (eggplant), 2 Courgette (zucchini), 1 Red bell pepper, 1 Yellow bell pepper, 1 Red onion and 240 g of Cherry tomatoes into a large bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix well.
- Put the vegetables in a single layer on a baking tray and cook for 45 minutes, mixing half way through.
- 12 minutes before the vegetables are cooked, put 280 g of Pasta in a pan of boiling water and simmer until cooked and then drain.
- Mix the vegetables and pasta together and serve topped with Fresh basil and Parmesan (both optional).
Recipe Notes
- Make sure all the vegetables are cut evenly, so they will all cook at the same time.
- You will need a large baking tray for the vegetables. You want to make sure that there is enough room for them all in the pan, as if they are too close together they will steam rather than crisp up.
Nutritional Information
Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.
All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love my pasta loaded with veggies! This looks absolutely comforting and delicious.
Anushree Ganguly says
The recipe looks great and I love the colours ! I will definitely try this x
Charlotte says
I am liking all the colours in this. I have never tried roasting my vegetables in balsamic before, but it sounds really good. I would put some cheese on this though ;)
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Roasted vegetables are my favorite! I love how fresh and colorful they look in this pasta. Sounds perfect with the balsamic vinegar - so simple and delicious!
Mira says
Looks colorful and delicious Dannii! I'm going to cook pasta today! Pinned!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
I couldn't agree more that roasting vegetables is the best way to eat them!!! love love love this roasted ratatouille spaghetti!! looks delicious!
Harriet Emily says
Ratatouille is one of my favourite things to make at home, and I'm always looking for new ways to liven it up - so the touch of balsamic is so perfect for that! I can't wait to try this, it looks and sounds amazing Dannii!
Laura ~ RYG says
It's so interesting that your skin is better since stopping meat. Maybe I should try? I'm getting such bad breakouts lately and I'm too old for breakouts! New to the balsamic scene, I'm going to have to check out a higher quality balsamic like you suggest. Love this recipe boasting all these yummy vegetables!
David @ Spiced says
We have a bunch of eggplant in our garden that is ready to be picked! I love this idea of roasting them up and serving it over pasta. That might have to be dinner this week. :-) Oh, and I couldn't agree with you more about good balsamic! Cheap balsamic is the worst...but the good stuff? I think I could eat it with a spoon! Haha!
Kerry says
That is dinner tonight sorted. Pasta is very popular in our house and we could all do with eating more vegetables.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Oh this spaghetti looks fantastic, Dannii! Ratatouille is one of my favorites, and I'm loving the balsamic with this! Such a great meal!
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
Something else we majorly have in common: a love for amazing balsamic vinegar (I'll take the cheap stuff too). OMG it will be amazing when you visit!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
Love this pasta dish, Dannii! Roasted vegetables are my favourite, I could bowl after bowl! Love the balsamic flavour in this! Pinned, excited to try it out! :D
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Wow! This roasted-ratatouille-spaghetti look divine, Dannii! Indeed a perfect way to include more vegetables in diet. So vibrant and delish! Fabulous share! :)
Rose says
That is so great that you are feeling better since eating meat free. I have been a vegetarian for 2 years now and I have so much more energy. Like you, I am never saying never when it comes to eating meat, but this just makes me feel healthier at the moment.
Your blog is so inspiring. Keep up the good work!