I've been dreaming of this pasta for a long time.
It's also no secret that Italian is my favorite food! If I can eat pasta every day, I would!
Whats not to love about roasted vegetables tossed with some garlicky spaghetti. This recipe is simple, fresh and vibrant.
The main ingredients of the recipe are the spaghetti, garlic, eggplant and cherry tomatoes. There is a hint of lemon to bring out the freshness of the vegetables. But really, the vegetables are the star of the show. The toasted panko crumbs are just an extra little step that ties this whole dish together. Because a little texture comes a long way.
It can be a main dish or a side dish! I'll be serving this for dinner as a side to grilled chicken. But, its amazing as it is :)
Enjoy!
Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomato Garlic Spaghetti with Toasted Breadcrumbs
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
1 eggplant, diced
2 packages 10 oz cherry tomatoes
1 lb spaghetti
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp garlic seasoning salt
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Panko bread crumb topping
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp butter
½ crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp garlic seasoning salt
fresh cracked pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggplant and cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil. In a separate mixing bowl, combine together the garlic seasoning salt, lemon zest and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables evenly. Toss the vegetables, so it’s coated entirely. Lightly add a pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes.
Panko Topping- Heat a medium size skillet to medium heat, melt the butter, add the panko, red pepper flakes, garlic seasoning salt and pepper. Stir for about 3 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
Once the vegetables have roasted half way through, add a good amount of salt to the boiling pot of water. Then, add the spaghetti and boil till al dente.
Heat a large wide skillet to medium low, add the garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, butter, and season with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Stir occasionally for about 2 minutes. *don’t burn garlic, you want it lightly golden. Once spaghetti is ready, using tongs, place the spaghetti in the skillet with the garlic. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and toss until combined. Turn the heat off. *You can add some reserved pasta water to loosen up the pasta.
Add the roasted vegetables to the spaghetti and toss together. Serve and top with toasted panko, grated parmesan and garnish with parsley.
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