Roasted Vegetable Harvest Pasta

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Pasta for Fall

When I mention pomegranate seeds, roasted squash, roasted brussel sprouts, and maple syrup, what do you think of? Probably Thanksgiving, right? In this fusion dish, I'm taking classic holiday flavors and serving them in a new way: as a pasta! It has everyone's favorite holiday flavors, but in a very unexpected package.

This dish feels like Thanksgiving dinner collided with a pasta salad. It has perfectly browned roasted squash and brussel sprouts, a holiday-worthy maple balsamic dressing, and an over-abundance of festive garnishes. They're all such special ingredients! But unlike Thanksgiving dinner, this pasta takes less than an hour to make, so it's a weekday win for sure. Plus who says we can't enjoy holiday flavors all fall and winter long??

Platter of healthy, vegan pasta with vegetables

Make it Your Own

There are lots of ways to switch up this festive pasta. Feel free to swap in your favorite fall veggies (just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly). You can also use your favorite pasta shape; while I love bean-based pastas for their extra protein, you can use whatever you love most. If you go with a more traditional pasta, adding in some chick peas (or maybe topping the pasta with a scoop of my Maple Sea Salt Hummus!) would make this feel meal-worthy.

Another great thing about this dish is that it's awesome either hot or cold. So make a big batch, enjoy a bowl for dinner that night, and save the leftovers for easy meals later in the week. You can either reheat any leftovers or enjoy them cold as a fall-inspired pasta salad.

Make-Ahead Tips

Hosting a fall harvest dinner? This dish works great as a make-ahead item! While you can in theory prepare the entire dish ahead of time, the radicchio and the garnishes can get a bit droopy. That's fine for leftovers, but if you're purposefully preparing this ahead, a couple very minor tweaks will keep everything fresh and vibrant. My suggestion is to prepare the pasta and roasted veggies ahead of time and store them together. You can also prepare the dressing ahead of time. When you're ready to serve, reheat the pasta and veggies, toss with the fresh radicchio and dressing, then plate and garnish. Easy!

Fall pasta with squash, brussels sprouts, apples, and pecans

Let's Talk Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

  • Delicata squash
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Pasta. I'm absolutely smitten with bean-based pastas and use them almost exclusively. Shown here is the chick pea rotini from Tolerant Foods, it's one of my favorites. Feel free to use what you love, although I suggest a short cut of pasta to go with the hearty veggies.
  • Radicchio. I love the bitterness this adds, it's the perfect complement to the maple balsamic dressing. So while you can swap the other veggies, I suggest keeping the radicchio to ensure the dish feels balanced in terms of its sweetness.
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Maple syrup
  • Fresh thyme. The dressing for this pasta is pretty simple, so fresh thyme is definitely the way to go.
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Small apple. Or use a pear!
  • Pomegranate. So beautiful and tasty, but what a pain! You'll definitely want to prepare the pomegranate in advance; there are some good tutorials online for how to do this.
  • Pecans. I prefer roasted and salted for maximum flavor, or use maple-roasted or even my maple rosemary cayenne roasted.

Beautiful, colorful, healthy pasta and vegetable dish

Closing Thoughts

Isn't this the best dinner plan for a fall evening? It feels so special and comforting, but comes together quickly and is a balanced meal with lots of veggies and good protein. It has all the best flavors of the holidays, but in a more nourishing package and without the fuss. The perfect way to make any old weekday feel like Thanksgiving dinner!

I made this dish for the first time in the middle of the fall and have already made it a few more times since. We love how versatile it is and how well it keeps. I may even make a double-batch next time, since we just can't seem to get enough of this one. Whether it's for a cozy dinner, a harvest dinner party, or make-ahead lunches, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Thanksgiving pasta with fresh herbs

Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

Suggested Pairings

Chaider Rum Punch

Maple Sea Salt Hummus

Sweet and Salty Stuffed Figs

Roasted Brussel Sprout Waldorf Salad

Chai-Spiced Pear Crumble Bars

Disclosure: I received free product from Tolerant Foods. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.

Roasted Vegetable Harvest Pasta

Holiday harvest flavors meet pasta in this unique, colorful fusion dish. This pasta feels special but comes together quickly, so you can have a holiday-worthy meal any night of the week!

Author:
Lee

Ingredients

For the Pasta

  • Delicata squash
  • 2 c brussel sprouts
  • Olive oil for cooking
  • 16-oz or 12-oz box of bean-based pasta
  • Small head of radicchio

For the Dressing

  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • Leaves from 10-12 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Generous sea salt and black pepper

For Garnishing

  • Small apple
  • Several handfuls of pomegranate arils
  • Several handfuls of roasted, salted pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425.
  2. Cut the delicata squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash halves into quarter-inch thick slices. Lay the slices on an oiled sheet tray.
  3. Cut the stems off the brussel sprouts, then cut each brussel sprout in half. Lay them cut-side down on a separate oiled sheet tray.
  4. Roast both the squash and brussel sprouts for about 20-25 minutes until tender and browned (keeping them on separate sheet trays will allow you to remove them as soon as they're done).
  5. While the veggies cook, boil the pasta as directed (remember to salt the water generously) and cut the radicchio into thin ribbons.
  6. Strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs and mix the dressing ingredients together, adjusting to taste as you see fit.
  7. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it and transfer it to a very large mixing bowl. Add the roasted squash and brussel sprouts, radicchio ribbons, and dressing, and mix gently.
  8. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter. Garnish with apple slices, pomegranate arils, and roasted pecans.

Leave a Comment

Please Share Your Thoughts!

Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.

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Pamela
December 9, 2022
I was perplexed if this should be served hot or cold, so settled on room temp. I also found the ingredients unconventional- pomegranate and apples with pasta??? But I followed the recipe, added some lime juice, and it was delightful. The meal is visually beautiful, suitable the holidays, with a unique and bright combination of flavors and colors.
Lee
December 11, 2022
Pamela- Haha I agree completely, unconventional for sure! This year I've really been having fun with pasta dishes that are not Italian/Mediterranean in flavor. My Nourishing Taco Pasta is another example, as is my Lemon Blueberry Thyme Pasta Salad. It has been a good way for me to get out of my comfort zone, and to explore pasta as a vehicle for more diverse flavors. I'm having such fun with them!
Mariela Marrero
December 13, 2022
This salad is so gorgeous, refreshing and comforting!! The best combination. I love your creativity and the way you incorporate seasonal flavors in healthy ways.