One of my favorite things to do in spring is get my garden ready. I love having plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables on hand. Often times, I get out of control with how much I plant. If you ask my husband, he was ready to kick me out for the jungle of a garden I planted last year. My tomatoes may or may not have gotten out of control. By out of control, I mean they took over our whole deck. To keep that from happening this year, I’ve been working on some veggie-filled, plant-based recipes to keep my garden at bay. One of those recipes just happens to be this Plant-Based Mediterranean Pasta.
I’m telling you, your garden will be challenged to keep up with this one! My Plant-Based Mediterranean Pasta has it all. We are talking:
- basil
- tomatoes
- eggplant
- broccoli
- garlic
And if your garden goes above and beyond from mine, maybe you have some artichoke hearts at your disposal. Otherwise just head to your pantry and grab the jars of artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers like I did!
One of the keys to this recipe is making sure you roast the vegetables. I’ve found myself thinking about just tossing them all in the pan and letting them heat through. I like easy just as much as the rest of you. BUUUTTTT I promise you, the roasted veggies give a hint of sweetness and the extra crunch this recipe needs. Just use the extra dish and roast those veggies. You won’t be disappointed.
Secondly, don’t skimp on the pesto. The quality of pesto can make or break this recipe. If you have a favorite store-bought variety, feel free to use that for this recipe. Otherwise, I suggest you look into making your own. You can easily whip up my Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto in a matter of minutes. In addition to being vegan, it is also suitable for those who need a dairy or nut free alternative. And trust me, once you start whipping up your own pesto, you’ll never go back. Once you follow the two keys to success, the rest is easy. After that, you’ll mostly toss the ingredients into the pan and the rest will be delicious history!
Are you ready to go head to head with your garden? Don’t forget to use that Miracle Grow so you can eat this all summer long! If you serve up our Plant-Based Mediterranean Pasta, don’t forget to tag a snapshot with #stephanieleenutrition on Instagram. I’d love to share what you whip up! Happy eating xo!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium eggplant, cubed
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt and pepper
- 8 ounces Banza Rigatoni Pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
- 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1/2 cup basil pesto see recipe notes for the Stephanie Lee Nutrition recipe
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast optional
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss eggplant, broccoli, and cherry tomotoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Evenly spread over a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- While vegetables roast, boil pasta per package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
- In a large pan, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add in garlic, artichoke hearts, and red peppers. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in pesto sauce, roasted veggies, pasta and additional salt and pepper as needed. Stir well to combine, allow to warm over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Top with nutritional yeast and serve hot.
