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 would love to try the tangy beets!
Vibrant or Zesty – those look incredible! Why have I not seen these before?!
Wow, Kate! Talk about serendipity….
I was just staring into the produce bin in my frig, trying to decide what to do with the broccoli crown and red bell pepper that have been sitting there, waiting for me to do something with them! Thanks for this delicious-looking solution.
I think I’ll throw in a can of cannellini beans, too…for good measure.
Happy Holidays, Kate.
These all sound great! Love salads!
I was totally stumped about what to do for dinner… until I saw this! Thanks for the inspiration and getting me out of the M-F recipe cycle!! :)
I am thrilled to find a recipe that incorporates broccoli into pasta!
This looks delish! would love trying this out in a new Le Creuset dutch oven :)
oops, forgot my entry for the Le Creuset giveaway (mustn’t do THAT!! :) )
It’s the ZestyFeta SaladSavors option that calls to me.
I’d love to try the asiago, artichoke, and sundried tomato!
This recipe looks like yet another winner. I love that I can rely on your recipes to be delicious. Thank you.
Sharp cheddar looks good!
This looks so yummy, Kate! I have to admit, I have a dutch oven (Lodge brand) so this would make a great gift for one of my friends :)
You never fail to please the eye and the tummy! Adding this to the Cooke and Kate recipe list!
I’ve never seven seen these before. I would like to try the Tangy Beets (I love beets!)
The pasta looks great. Can’t try the new products as they all have dairy.
Great recipe. I like the idea suggested above of using zucchini noodles!
Delish! I love a veggie packed pasta with a more simple salad…perfecto!
I’m on a major roasted broccoli with roasted chickpeas kick right now. Mushrooms would be good in this too! Will have to put it on my menu for next week. Yum!
Well, the SaladSavors look interesting. I’d try them if they did not have cheese.
I would be all about sharp cheddar!
the goat cheese flavor sounds so yummy :)
Looks amazing. I would choose the tangy beets, pecans and goat cheese blend !
This looks both delicious and festive!
Looks so yummy!! To bad i already had dinner.. lol
i love roasted veggies in the cold months—and christmas colors to boot!
i’d love to try the bold gorgonzola flavor of SaladSavors®, as one can never go wrong with gorgonzola!
I can’t wait to try the cheddar, almond and apple SaladSavor! Sounds delicious!
would definitely try to the white cheddar (crisp) salad saver!
Any of the salad savers options would be nice
The roasted vegies are the key to this recipe. YUM!
This is a hearty meal for the winter months…love this one! I love getting to see glimpses of Cookie!
This looks delicious!…especially since I’m at work wishing I’d packed more snacks. I can’t wait to give this a try, but I think I’d go for the Asiago salad savor. Thanks for the chance to win and happy holidays!
This pasta looks wonderful, and I would like to try the cheddar, almond and apple Salad Savors.
Love roasted broccoli! Looks like a great weeknight dinner.
Tangy sounds delicious!
Almonds apple and cheddar yes!! looks awesome :)
The bold gorgonzola looks fantastic!
I would love to try the sharp asiago, I’m going to have to go find it!
These pasta look so delicious and what a great give-away! Thank you for this.
This recipe looks awesome! I’d love to win the set!
This pasta looks delicious. Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Happy Holidays.
The sharp asaigo, artichoke, sundried tomato sounds like a must try!
I can’t wait to try this – I too am on a perpetual roasted broccoli kick, but I’ve never tried roasting red bell peppers. This looks like a good way to start. I love getting these recipes in my email – thanks for sharing!
Christmas pasta! I love it! The colors are so on point. And I am all about roasted broccoli in ANY form. So this looks divine! And thanks for hosting such a fun giveaway :)
What a cool product! The blue looks so good, I’m a sucker for blue cheese. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
That “crisp” flavor would totally be my choice too!
Would love to win the Le Creuset French Oven. Also this recipe looks amazing. Thanks for the tip on the Salad Savors
I have a secret love for salad kits, I’ll admit, especially with anything I wouldn’t buy full size, like crispy noodles. Yum.
The Bold Gorgonzola looks wonderful!
Looks wonderful! I’m always so excited to get updates from you. You’re such an inspiration for my kitchen. Can’t wait to try a new veggie pasta. :)
We make a broccoli garlic pasta regularly and it is getting old. This is just the revamp I needed. It’s going on the list for next week’s dinner menu. Thank you!!