Spinach Pasta with Roasted Broccoli & Bell Pepper
This healthy vegetarian spinach pasta features roasted vegetables tossed with light balsamic sauce! Recipe is easily vegan and gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 12, 2024
Would you look at that? I made Christmas-colored pasta, completely on accident. I’m on a perpetual roasted broccoli and red bell pepper kick, you see, and got a hankering for some hearty pasta.
Here, freshly roasted broccoli and bell pepper collide with lots of delicious sautéed spinach, my favorite whole wheat linguine and some balsamic vinegar. Toss all that together with some magical reserved pasta water for a light, silky sauce, and we end up with high-contrast Christmas pasta. I love it.
This spinach pasta recipe is highly adaptable. Feel free to change up the roasted vegetables—just use whatever you have around, cut to similar sizes and roasted until tender. Or, skip the roasted vegetables for a very simple but very flavorful and hearty spinach pasta.
The recipe is easily made vegan and/or gluten free, and the leftovers are great, whether served chilled, at room temperature or warmed again.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments. I’m always so eager for your feedback, and hope you love my recipes!
Spinach Pasta with Roasted Broccoli & Bell Pepper
This healthy vegetarian pasta features loads of spinach and roasted vegetables tossed with light balsamic sauce! Feel free to change up the vegetables or skip them completely for a simple, hearty spinach pasta recipe. Recipe is easily vegan and gluten free (see notes). Serve with a green side salad for a complete meal. Recipe yields 4 large or 6 more modest portions.
Ingredients
Roasted vegetables
- 1 large bunch of broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), florets removed and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch squares
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
Spinach pasta
- 8 ounces linguine or spaghetti (whole wheat if desired)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot bulb, sliced very thin (about ½ cup, sliced)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 12 ounces baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- Optional: 1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese* (about ¾ cup, grated), plus extra for garnishing
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To prepare the roasted vegetables (optional, skip for a more simple spinach pasta): Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Transfer the sliced broccoli florets and bell pepper to the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil (add a little more olive oil if necessary). Sprinkle with salt, arrange the vegetables in an even layer and bake until the broccoli is tender and caramelized on the edges, tossing halfway, about 25 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are in the oven, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, carefully reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
- To prepare the balsamic spinach, in a large Dutch oven (my 5.5-quart Le Creuset is perfect here) or large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add the sliced shallot, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. While stirring constantly, add several big handfuls of spinach at a time until they have wilted, then repeat until all of the spinach is in the pot. Once the spinach has reduced a bit but is still bright green in parts (this happens quickly!), pour in the balsamic vinegar and remove the pot from heat.
- In your Dutch oven or in a large serving bowl, combine the roasted vegetables and cooked pasta with the spinach mixture. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil and optional Parmesan. Drizzle in about ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water and gently toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt (mine needed about ½ teaspoon more) and freshly ground black pepper. Divide into bowls and serve immediately, with extra grated Parmesan on top for bonus presentation points.
Notes
Change it up: Skip the roasted veggies for a simple weeknight pasta that’s full of greens, or change up the vegetables used.
Make it vegan/dairy free: Use olive oil instead of butter and omit the Parmesan. This pasta is great without the Parmesan, but you could add a light sprinkle of nutritional yeast for some cheesy flavor, if you’d like. Another option for extra savory flavor would be to add about ⅓ cup freshly toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds.
*A note on Parmesan: I always get a few comments on recipes that include Parmesan (“It’s not vegetarian!”) but Whole Foods actually makes a great animal rennet-free Parmesan. There’s plenty of flavor in here without the Parmesan, if you’d rather leave it out.
Make it gluten free: Choose a good gluten-free pasta (DeLallo makes one!).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I always forget how versatile a pasta dinner can be! Endless combinations! Thanks for the inspiration!
This recipe looks great, can’t wait to try it! As for the SaladSavors, the tangy beets, pecans and goat cheese blend sounds perfect! Happy holidays!
i’d honestly love all of them, but i’m a sucker for cheddar and apples. :)
I would like to try the sharp asaigo, artichoke, sundried tomato!
i’d love to try the salad savors with goat cheese!! goat cheese is my fav!
Looks great! I’d love to see the Salad Savors with roasted chickpeas, sundried tomatoes and feta!
Like the salad mix-ins – seems like a good way to make a salad quickly.
I love balsamic. Pasta is an essential food group. And bland salads are ridiculous. I’m so excited to try your recipe Kate! But first, I have some fresh spinach in need of tangy beets, pecans and goat cheese or apple and cheddar SaladSavors (how’s a gal to choose?!).
The crisp and sharp flavors sound delicious!
Pecan please!
I would try the Bold, gorgonzola, dried pear, and toasted almonds. Sounds delicious.
this is going on next week’s menu!
Yum! That dried apple salad topper looks amazing.
The beet saver looks delish. As does the pasta! Can’t wait to try.
Asaigo, artichoke, sundried tomato – oh my!
I’m allergic to milk so I’m not sure I can actually eat any of these SaladSavors but they look tasty anyway! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I would love the feta cheese with olives and peppers but like, your creation sounds amazing too!! Yum! I really like the broccoli in this.
So excited to try this recipe!!! Thank you for your meal-inspiring dishes!!! :)
The vibrant blue cheese SaladSavors looks awesome!
I think they all sound tasty, but BOLD intrigues me most!
I would try Sharp Asiago. I love the photo of your doggie, and your pasta dish looks scrumptious. Thanks for this giveaway and happy holidays to you.
Happy holidays to you, too, Becky!
Yum! Thank you! Xoxo
This pasta looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it!
This pasta sounds amazing, and perfect for this time of year! And I love the sound of those salad savors — will have to check them out.
Oh yum! The pictures just made my stomach growl!
I’d like to try the tangy flavor!
The Tangy Beets variety looks amazing!
This looks awesome, great recipe idea! I’d like to try the sharp asaigo, artichoke, sundried tomato mix. But they all look good!
I wish they had options without cheese! They sound so good but I can’t do dairy </3
Beautiful le creuset!
The crisp looks great!
Oooh, I love roasted broccoli, but never thought to put it in pasta! As for the salad savors, Crisp sounds great. I love apple in salads!
Roasted broccoli is my favorite side dish right now, so I definitely need to try this.
i think i would go with the sharp asaigo, artichoke, sundried tomato :) all my favorite flavors!
Being allergic to nuts my options are a bit limited (always a problem with salad combos like this :() but the Sharp Asiago is right up my alley!
I’d love to try the zesty feta. They all sound tasty though!
I would love to try the Zesty Feta topping!
I’d like to try the tangy beets Salad Savers. Thanks for the chance!
The one with feta and olives sounds delish!
Wow, what an awesome giveaway! And that pasta looks delicious, too. Mmmm, good thing it’s almost lunch time.
Another amazing looking recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
I would definitely go for the zesty feta option! I love love a good Greek salad, but somehow I never make them at home.
This looks so delicious! I always love broccoli (=
And DeLallo pasta was the first whole wheat pasta I tried that I actually liked..
Thanks so much for all the winter recipes! I went back into the archives this week and made the risotto stuffed acorn squash and it was so delicious.
Hope you and your have a happy holiday!
Yay, I’m glad you found DeLallo’s whole wheat pasta! That stuffed squash is one of my first recipes. Glad you enjoyed it!
The add-ins always make the salad! I think the beets, goat cheese and pecans would be great paired with the balsamic spinach pasta. Well, I know what I want for dinner tonight!
This looks amazing – can’t wait to try it!! Happy Holidays! Thank you for spreading the joy.
Thank you, fellow Kate! Happy holidays!
This looks delicious and easy to throw together…win, win!
Cheddar & Apples? Yes, please!
Love the recipes & the stories.
this recipe looks great! i can’t wait to try this as a lighter alternative to all of the heavy holiday feasting going on!
I love the broccoli with spinach, great winter veggie combo!
Look sooooo good!!!