Cheesy Rotini Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

white bowl with rotini pasta and roasted vegetables on gray background.

Cheesy Rotini Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

Twisted rotini pasta noodles tangled with three melted cheeses, rich marinara, and paired with perfectly roasted vegetables. An easy & healthy pasta dish the whole family will love!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword healthy rotini pasta, how to make rotini pasta, rotini pasta

Freezer Friendly No

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 483kcal

Author A Simple Palate

Ingredients

8 oz rotini pasta
1/2 - 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 - 1 1/2 cups white or yellow cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

Roasted Vegetables

2 Tablespoon olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 cups broccoli florets
2-3 medium zucchinis (yellow and green), cut into quarter pieces
1 small to medium eggplant, cubed
1 cup cherry tomatoes
salt & black pepper

Instructions

Roasted veggies: Preheat oven to 400F - arrange chopped vegetables out on a sheet pan. Toss with oil, minced garlic, and pinch of salt & pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flip halfway through.
Cook pasta noodles: bring medium to large pot of water to a boil water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook pasta as box instructs, I prefer noodles to be "al dente" in texture.
Reserve pasta water: When pasta is cooked, pour about 1 cup of pasta water in a separate pot or liquid measuring cup (or another vessel that can handle heat). Set pasta water aside and strain noodles.
Mix in cheese & sauce: Add pasta back to pot with cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and pasta water. Balance consistency to desired level of cheesiness by adding more cheese or pasta water if needed. Note: turn heat on low if needed to help ingredients melt together.
Add herbs & fresh parmesan: Then add fresh basil, fresh oregano, and tomato sauce to pasta. Serve noodles with roasted vegetables over top with fresh parmesan cheese, additional fresh basil, and cracked black pepper.

Notes

Make it gluten-free: If you'd like to lighten up your pasta dish, I love using chickpea or lentil pasta noodles. They are not only gluten-free and made completely from veggies, but are also an excellent source of plant-based protein.
Different veggies to use: Adjust the vegetables to your liking. Add extra veggies such as mushrooms, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and red peppers.
Storing leftover tips: Keep leftover pasta stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days - reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop with a little bit of oil.

Nutrition