This quick and easy vegetarian pasta recipe is made with grilled peppers, eggplant, and onions that are tossed in olive oil, oregano, garlic, and parmesan cheese. A guaranteed family-favorite!
If there’s one meal I know my family will love, it’s pasta in any form. Maybe it’s because our last name is Della Croce, maybe not. Can anyone else relate?
Not only is pasta budget-friendly and easy to find, it’s literally a blank palette ready for you to paint with whatever ingredients you have on hand.
If you have picky eaters, pasta is a great way to sneak in a little extra nutrition which is exactly what I did when I partnered with Sunset recently to create this grilled vegetable pasta recipe. How beautiful are these unique orange and yellow striped pepper Aloha Peppers? Naturally sweet, flavorful and high in Vitamin C, my kids love these colorful peppers.
For this pasta recipe, in addition to the Aloha Peppers, I also used Sunset Baby Eggplants and Wild Wonders Peppers. Of course, this recipe will work great with any variety of Sunset peppers or eggplants so use what you have on hand. If you’re not familiar with Wild Wonders Peppers, they are incredibly sweet-tasting peppers with no bitter after taste. Additionaly, they have virtually no seeds making for easy prep and great for grilling.
Before placing the vegetables on the grill I like to toss them well in the oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
Time saving tips:
There is no need to use a separate bowl when removing the cooked vegetables from the grill. Simply place them back in the same bowl that you originally used to season them. Added bonus: you can use any remaining oil mixture to season the pasta without having to add more oil.
Once the veggies are off the grill, roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces then toss them together with the cooked pasta, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. If you don’t have basil on hand, parsley works great also.
Frequently asked questions:
When getting ready to grill the Aloha Peppers, I like to quarter and seed the pepper before tossing in the oil mixture. When grilling peppers, it’s key to keep the pieces large enough so that they don’t fall through the grill. Alternatively, you can always use a grill basket.
When grilling Baby Eggplant (or any variety), I like to cut the eggplant into ¾ inch thick slices either horizontally or vertically. Either direction works, the key is not to cut the eggplant too thin so that it doesn’t end up too mushy.
You can store this grilled vegetable pasta for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It can be served warm, room temperature or chilled.
I highly recommend grilling chicken to serve alongside or on top of the pasta. A few of my favorite recipes include Grilled Chicken Souvlaki, Za’atar Spiced Grilled Chicken, or Tandoori Grilled Chicken.
Your fork is waiting.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta or pasta of choice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Aloha Peppers quartered, seeded
- 2 Wild Wonders Peppers whole
- 2 Baby Eggplants cut in 1-inch thick rounds
- 1 red onion
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil minced
Instructions
- Preheat grill on high heat. Prepare pasta according to package instructions and set aside.
- Peel the red onion then slice into thick rounds. To keep the rounds intact while grilling, insert 2-3 toothpicks around the outside edge; set aside.
- While the grill is heating and pasta is cooking, whisk together olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the vegetables to the bowl (peppers, eggplant and onion) and toss well to coat.
- Place vegetables on a single layer on the grill and cook until slightly charred and tender, about 5-6 minutes per side, flipping once. Keep the bowl and any reserved marinade next to your grill. When vegetables are done cooking, from the grill and place back in the bowl with the reserved oil mixture.
- When vegetables are cool enough to touch, remove from bowl and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces. Place back in the bowl with the reserved oil mixture along with the cooked pasta. Add cheese and basil then toss again. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.
Chef’s Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This recipe is written in partnership with Sunset. All thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Lemon Bowl possible.
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