Roasted Tomato And Garlic Pasta with Barilla® Red Lentil Spaghetti

This post is sponsored by Barilla®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This pasta is so simple to put together and wonderful for a quick weeknight meal, all thanks to the star of this dish – Barilla® Red Lentil Spaghetti! This sauce is made with delicious flavors of deep roasted tomatoes and garlic for a flavor-packed dish that everyone in the family will enjoy.

Pasta is nearly a guaranteed win with everyone. I mean, it’s pasta – who doesn’t love it?! One of my favorite little health hacks and mom tips is making the switch to legume pasta. Barilla® has two varieties of legume pasta that come in several different pasta cuts. Red Lentil Spaghetti and Chickpea – both of which are a simple way to add some nutritional goodness and variety to our meals. Made with only one ingredient, chickpea or red lentil flour, they provide a wonderful source of plant-based protein and fiber. I absolutely love that it cooks perfectly “al dente” every time for the most satisfying dish. FYI, Barilla® Red Lentil Spaghetti is the 2021 People Food Awards Winner too!

With fall coming up, one of my absolute favorite things about this time of year is all of the fresh produce. Whether I’m plucking tomatoes from the garden, or staring heart eyed at the farmers market stand, I absolutely love the bountiful amount of fresh vegetables this time of year. Cooking seasonally is a must in our home as I love to take advantage of shopping locally and using ingredients when they are at their prime.

This simple and oh-so-delicious roasted tomato and garlic pasta is absolutely mouth-watering good! During the last summer and early fall months, this is a weeknight staple as it requires little time to prep and can be on the table in about 35 minutes. Our weeknights are already crazy enough with everyone coming home from school and work (and the occasional soccer practice), so having a meal that can be on the table quickly and with little planning is always appreciated.

For this roasted tomato and garlic pasta, I use Barilla® Red Lentil Spaghetti. This pasta is certified gluten-free, non-GMO Project Verified and made with one simple ingredient: red lentil flour. The red lentil pasta is a great choice for simple tomato, chunky vegetable or meaty sauce pasta recipes. Barilla® Red Lentil Spaghetti is wonderful for this dish as the pasta is enveloped in the flavors for a perfect bite every single time. You can find Barilla® Legume Pasta at Meijer in the pasta aisle.

This Mediterranean-inspired light sauce is made with roasted tomatoes and garlic with a generous drizzle of olive oil and topped with fresh parmesan and ribboned basil. Roasting tomatoes is a great technique for bringing out a depth of flavors, and the ease of cooking makes it one of my top ways to enjoy the bountiful supply of tomatoes this time of year. If you desire, you can add grilled chicken, baked tofu or shrimp to the dish upon completion. This pasta dish is pretty flexible so don’t be afraid to customize and add other seasonal veggies (roasted zucchini or red peppers would be wonderful too).

How To Roast Tomatoes & Garlic

Roasting tomatoes and garlic for this recipe is so incredibly easy and once you give it a try, you’ll be craving it over and over.

To roast, make sure to cook at a high temperature. I find 425º about perfect to allow them to roast properly for a deep flavor without burning or cooking off too many juices. For tomatoes, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up and add your tomatoes. I prefer cherry tomatoes, but if I have others that need to be used, I’ll slice them in half (cut side up) and use them as well. Generously drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 30-35 minutes until roasted well.

You can prepare the garlic at the same time. This recipe calls for 2 garlic heads, but you can always do more to use for recipes later in the week too. To roast garlic, cut the top off of your garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap garlic heads in aluminum foil (or parchment paper tied with twice) and bake 30-35 minutes until soft and roasted thoroughly. Be careful opening as there may be steam. Roasting gives them a deep flavor without any bitterness for absolute garlic perfection.

Once your pasta has been prepared and garlic has had a moment to cool, add all ingredients together in a large bowl or pan. For garlic, gently squeeze cloves into your pasta dish. They should easily slide out and become almost a paste which easily mixes into the dish.