Hearty, wholesome, and bursting with flavor, this Rustic Roasted Veggie Rigatoni is the perfect balance of comfort and nutrition. Oven-roasted vegetables bring out deep, caramelized flavors, and al dente rigatoni is coated with a rich and briny artichoke tapenade. Whether you’re looking for a cozy weeknight meal or a crowd-pleasing pasta dish, this recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
I love throwing veggies on a baking sheet and roasting them in the oven. It’s a simple yet delicious way to bring out the natural sweetness and deep, caramelized flavors of fresh produce. By tossing them with olive oil, herbs, and spices before roasting at high heat, you achieve crispy edges and tender insides, making them an irresistible addition to any meal. The artichoke tapenade is easy to make and replaces cream-based or tomato-based sauces that are often found in pasta recipes. This tapenade provides a bright Citrusy and also briney flavor and is lower in acidity compared to traditional tomato sauces. Make it vegan by skipping the parmesan cheese.
Ingredient Notes for Rustic Roasted Veggie Rigatoni
- Veggies: You can choose whatever veggies you like but I love this combination of asparagus, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and spinach that is wilted into the pasta once cooked. If you choose different vegetables keep in mind that the roasting times may be different.
- Artichoke tapenade: This is a great go-to sauce for me and can be used in a variety of dishes. Make sure you use pre-marinated artichokes and drain the artichokes well. Then simply dump everything into the food processor and blend until the mixture is still slightly chunky. You don’t want it to be pureed.
- Pasta: I like using rigatoni for this dish but you could also use penne, rotini or farfale. I would not recommend any long noodles like spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine. The tapenade sauce, in my experience, seems to coat better on short pasta.
Cooking and Preparation Notes:
- Do your best to chop veggies into uniform pieces for even cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the veggies. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent steaming.
- Ideally, you should flip veggies around the 15-minute mark for even browning. To be honest I sometimes do this and I sometimes don’t.
- Be sure to add the spinach and tapenade immediately to the warm pasta once it has been drained. This allows the spinach to wilt slightly and allows the tapenade to stick to the surface of the pasta.
Rustic Roasted Veggie Rigatoni
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes15
minutesIngredients
16 oz Rigatoni
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
S&P to taste
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp oil
Artichoke mix:
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
S&P to taste
12 oz jar marinated artichokes, drained
1/4 cup of olives of your choice, non-pitted, non-stuffed
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tbsp capers
2 small garlic cloves, finely diced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes if desired.
Directions
- Preheat to 425°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.
- Place the asparagus on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Mix well with your hands. Place the asparagus in the preheated oven and set a timer for 5 minutes.
- Place the onions and cherry tomatoes on a separate baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil only and mix with hands. When the timer goes off, place this baking sheet on a second oven rack. Set another timer for 10 minutes. Remove all veggies after the timer goes off
- Begin cooking the pasta according to package directions.
- In the meantime, make the artichoke mix by placing all listed ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until everything is thoroughly mixed and finely chopped but not pureed.
- Drain the pasta when done. Immediately add the chopped spinach and artichoke mix to the warm pasta and stir well. Add the roasted veggies.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes if desired.
