This enticing pasta dish features a colorful combo of farm fresh veggies, roasted to perfection, then served over protein-rich red lentil pasta. If preferred, you can use your favorite variety of pasta because the roasted veggies are the true star of this tasty dish! Serve with crusty bread and/or crisp green salad on the side to round out the meal.
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
This festive combination of roasted sweet peppers, mushrooms, baby tomatoes and fennel makes a delicious pasta dish, served over protein-rich red lentil rotini.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 sweet bell peppers, (red, orange and/or yellow) seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 8 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half (multi-colored are nice)
- 1 medium head of fennel, fronds and upper stalks removed, sliced
- 8 to 12 ounces red lentil rotini or fusilli, or your favorite pasta variety (use gluten-free if needed)
- ½ to 1 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
- Several sprigs of fresh basil or parsley (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line two large, rimmed baking pans with unbleached parchment paper.
Put the peppers, 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder into a large bowl and toss with a large spoon to combine. Spread the peppers in an even layer over half of one of the lined pans.
Put the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder into the same bowl and toss to combine. Spread the mushrooms in an even layer over the other half of the pan that has the peppers on it. Bake the peppers and mushrooms for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they are tender and golden around the edges, stirring half way through cooking.
Put the tomatoes, 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, into the same bowl and toss to combine. Spread the tomatoes in an even layer over half of the second lined pan.
Put the fennel and 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil into the same bowl and toss to combine. Spread the fennel in an even layer over the other half the pan that has the tomatoes on it. Bake the tomatoes and fennel for 25 to 35 minutes, or until they are tender and golden around the edges, stirring half way through cooking.
While the veggies roast, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the rotini. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Lightly drain the rotini, leaving a bit of the pasta water in the bottom of the pot. Transfer the cooked and lightly drained rotini back into the pot. Stir the vegan buttery spread into rotini, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Divide the rotini into four to six pasta bowls and top each serving with a generous amount of the peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and fennel. Garnish with fresh parsley and/or basil and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
This festive combination of roasted sweet peppers, mushrooms, baby tomatoes and fennel makes a delicious pasta dish, served over protein-rich red lentil rotini.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 sweet bell peppers, (red, orange and/or yellow) seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 8 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half (multi-colored are nice)
- 1 medium head of fennel, fronds and upper stalks removed, sliced
- 8 to 12 ounces red lentil rotini or fusilli, or your favorite pasta variety (use gluten-free if needed)
- ½ to 1 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
- Several sprigs of fresh basil or parsley (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line two large, rimmed baking pans with unbleached parchment paper.
Put the peppers, 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder into a large bowl and toss with a large spoon to combine. Spread the peppers in an even layer over half of one of the lined pans.
Put the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder into the same bowl and toss to combine. Spread the mushrooms in an even layer over the other half of the pan that has the peppers on it. Bake the peppers and mushrooms for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they are tender and golden around the edges, stirring half way through cooking.
Put the tomatoes, 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, into the same bowl and toss to combine. Spread the tomatoes in an even layer over half of the second lined pan.
Put the fennel and 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil into the same bowl and toss to combine. Spread the fennel in an even layer over the other half the pan that has the tomatoes on it. Bake the tomatoes and fennel for 25 to 35 minutes, or until they are tender and golden around the edges, stirring half way through cooking.
While the veggies roast, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the rotini. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Lightly drain the rotini, leaving a bit of the pasta water in the bottom of the pot. Transfer the cooked and lightly drained rotini back into the pot. Stir the vegan buttery spread into rotini, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Divide the rotini into four to six pasta bowls and top each serving with a generous amount of the peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and fennel. Garnish with fresh parsley and/or basil and serve.
Notes
