Food & Wine

Budget-friendly Mediterranean roasted vegetables with spaghetti recipe

Spaghetti on a fork

Blanche Clark

Posted May 16, 2023

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly family meal or a vegetarian dish that’s easy to make and suitable for vegans, then this recipe for spaghetti with Mediterranean roasted vegetables ticks all the boxes.

In less than an hour, you can serve your family or friends a nutritious pasta dish that’s bursting with colour and flavour.

Roasting is a simple cooking technique that gives vegetables a caramelized exterior and a lovely tender bite. Mediterranean vegetables include zucchini, eggplant and capsicum. You can add more colour by using red, green and yellow capsicums.

This recipe also includes chargrilled artichokes, which add a tangy, slightly smoky flavour to the pasta sauce. You can buy chargrilled artichokes in the deli section at most supermarkets or markets.

Another key ingredient is fresh parsley, which brings out the flavour, balances the dish, and makes an attractive garnish. Fresh basil and oregano leaves also add some Mediterranean flair.

If you're looking for a meat lover's pasta dish, try Guy Grossi's ultimate beef bolognese recipe.

Cooking pasta sauce on stove

Roasted capsicum, eggplant and zucchini add lovely flavours to a pasta sauce. Image: Blanche Clark

What’s the best way to roast vegetables?

To roast the zucchini, eggplant and capsicum, all you need is olive oil and salt. It's important to cut the vegetables into similar sizes to ensure even cooking.

Another tip is to make sure your vegetables are spread out on the baking tray. If they’re too close together or overlap, they'll steam rather than roast. If you want the vegetables to caramelise on the outside, the oven temperature needs to be about 200°C.

What’s the best oil to roast vegetables?

Use a light or regular olive oil for roasting Mediterranean vegetables. Avoid extra virgin olive oil because it has a low smoking point, and is best for salads. You can use canola oil or sunflower oil, but the olive oil adds lovely fruity tones. If you like chilli, you can use a chilli infused olive oil.

For more family friendly and budget friendly recipes, see our Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe, Vegetable tagine recipe, and Sweet potato and kidney bean hot pot recipe.

Impress your family by plating the pasta dish with a basil-leaf garnish.

Impress your family by plating the pasta dish with a garnish of basil leaves. Image: Blanche Clark

Vegan-friendly Mediterranean roasted vegetables with spaghetti recipe

Serves

4

Time to make

60 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

Ingredients
  • 630g dry spaghetti
  • 140g zucchini, diced 2cm cubes
  • 140g eggplant, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 140g capsicum, sliced
  • 140g chargrilled artichokes, chopped
  • 70g onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
  • 600g tinned tomato
  • 40g parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 50mls olive oil
  • 10g salt
  • 100mls olive oil, extra
  • Parmesan cheese or vegan cheese, grated, as desired

Method

  1. Preheat an oven to 180°C.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, ready for the spaghetti.
  3. Toss the zucchini, eggplant and capsicum in 50mls olive oil and 10g salt, and place on a rimmed baking tray. Roast until tender (usually around 20 minutes).
  4. Heat the extra olive oil (100mls) in a large skillet over a medium heat.
  5. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
  6. Add the garlic and cook a further 30 seconds.
  7. Increase the heat to medium high. Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
  8. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook as directed on the packaging.
  9. Reserve ½ cup cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce.
  10. Add the roasted vegetables and the reserved cooking water. Toss to combine, then stir in the chopped parsley.
  11. Divide among four bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan or vegan cheese.

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