The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Aubergine & spiced red pesto pasta
It might get second billing, but the tangy pesto sauce – made with grilled red peppers and tomatoes, harissa, sun-dried tomato paste, garlic and herbs – is the star of this dish. Add sizzled chunks of aubergine, penne and a scattering of basil and it’s lights, camera… pasta!
SWK: Source of fibre
Plants 5
SWK: Source of protein
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Serving size
Ingredients
- 200g baby tomatoes
- 1 aubergine
- 1 shallot
- 200g pasta (Wheat) (Durum Wheat Semolina (Wheat Gluten))
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (Water, Sun Dried Tomato (Sun dried tomatoes, Salt), Tomato Paste, White Wine Vinegar 12%, Salt, Ground Oregano, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid)
- 2 garlic clove
- 2 pepper
- 2 tbsp garlic, basil & parsley paste (Garlic, Basil, Parsley, Sea Salt, Citric Acid.)
- 1 vegetable stock cube (use half) (Celery) (Sea salt, potato starch*, sustainable palm oil*, sugar*, vegetables*(6,8%) [celery*, onion*, carrot*, parsnip*, tomato*], sunflower oil*, yeast extract, caramelised sugar*, herbs* & spices* ( lovage*, turmeric*, parsley*, black pepper*) *Organic ingredients)
- 1 handful of fresh basil
- 2 tbsp harissa paste (use half) (Red Chilli, Garlic, Tomato Puree, Sea Salt, Coriander, Acetic Acid, Paprika, Cumin, Caraway, Mint)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 471
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 90g
Fat: 4.2g
Ingredients
- 2 aubergine
- 2 shallot
- 2 pepper
- 400g baby tomatoes
- 400g pasta (Wheat) (Durum Wheat Semolina (Wheat Gluten))
- 4 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp harissa paste (Red Chilli, Garlic, Tomato Puree, Sea Salt, Coriander, Acetic Acid, Paprika, Cumin, Caraway, Mint)
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (Water, Sun Dried Tomato (Sun dried tomatoes, Salt), Tomato Paste, White Wine Vinegar 12%, Salt, Ground Oregano, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid)
- 4 tbsp garlic, basil & parsley paste (Garlic, Basil, Parsley, Sea Salt, Citric Acid.)
- 1 vegetable stock cube (Celery) (Sea salt, potato starch*, sustainable palm oil*, sugar*, vegetables*(6,8%) [celery*, onion*, carrot*, parsnip*, tomato*], sunflower oil*, yeast extract, caramelised sugar*, herbs* & spices* ( lovage*, turmeric*, parsley*, black pepper*) *Organic ingredients)
- 2 x of fresh basil
Nutritional Information
Calories: 456
Protein: 19g
Carbs: 87g
Fat: 4.1g
Aubergine & spiced red pesto pasta
It might get second billing, but the tangy pesto sauce – made with grilled red peppers and tomatoes, harissa, sun-dried tomato paste, garlic and herbs – is the star of this dish. Add sizzled chunks of aubergine, penne and a scattering of basil and it’s lights, camera… pasta!
Cook time:
30 mins
Cuisine:
Italian
Food group:
Vegan
Allergens: Wheat, Celery
Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- 1x large frying pan
- 1x baking tray lined with foil
- 1x medium saucepan
Get frying
- Heat your grill to high.
- Dice the aubergines into 2cm chunks, and peel and finely dice the shallots.
- Spritz a large non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and put it over a medium heat. Fry the aubergines and shallots for 5-7 mins.
Grill the peppers & toms
- Meanwhile, deseed the peppers and dice into 2cm squares.
- Put the peppers and tomatoes on a baking tray lined with foil, spritz with cooking spray and grill for 6-8 mins.
Boil the pasta
- Cook the pasta in boiling water for 8-9 mins, then drain.
Make your pesto
- Peel and crush the garlic.
- Add the grilled peppers and tomatoes to the same chopping board. Squeeze half the harissa paste (all of it for 4 portions) and all the sundried tomato and garlic & herb pastes over the veg and garlic, and finely chop everything together into a rough pesto-like consistency.
Add your finishing touches
- Add the pesto to the frying pan, crumble in half the stock cube (all of it for 4 portions) and pour in 200ml water (300ml for 4 portions). Simmer for 3-4 mins, then add the pasta and stir to coat.
- Chop half the basil leaves.
- Stir the chopped basil into the pasta, then scatter over the remaining leaves.