This naturally gluten free harissa pesto aubergine, butternut and chickpea traybake is an easy and delicious one pan meal to make for lunch or dinner. You simply roast in the oven and then finish with a mint, lemon and garlic yoghurt drizzle and fresh basil leaves. Gorgeous warming flavours, minimal washing up and hearty yet healthy meal, what’s not to love!
It’s a naturally vegetarian dish too and can easily be made dairy free or vegan, if you simply use a plant based yoghurt instead of greek yoghurt in the yoghurt drizzle. Or batch cook as this make a great base for weekly meal prep, and you can enjoy it warm or cold.
I really love dishes like this, where the ingredients do all the work for you. Roasting butternut squash transforms it and it becomes soft and sweet, while roasted aubergine soaks up the delicious rose harissa and spices, making it all so delicious. The chickpeas bring texture and the tomatoes give an extra juiciness and punch of flavour to the final dish.
I Don’t Have Harissa Pesto, What Can I Use?
So I use the Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto for this traybake, as the flavours are amazing. But a great alternative would sundried tomato pesto plus a little harissa (I’ve detailed quantities below). Failing that, try blitzed sundried tomatoes or even regular pesto for a different flavour, yet still delicious dish.
Harissa Pesto Aubergine, Butternut & Chickpea Traybake Recipe
This traybake will make two generous portions. Simply double or triple the recipe if you are cooking for more people. Or if you want to stretch the recipe to serve 4 people, you could serve it with homemade gluten free garlic bread (or even a garlic pizza bread) and a big green salad. That would be one delicious lunch!
You’ll find a full method below, plus some photos to help guide you through the recipe. Feel free to email me any questions or comments you might have. You can contact me at [email protected] or message me on Instagram/Facebook @myglutenfreeguide.
Lastly, if you enjoy this aubergine, butternut squash and chickpea traybake, I would be really grateful if you could leave a star rating or review on the recipe card below. Thank you!
Laura xxx
Harissa Pesto Aubergine, Butternut & Chickpea Traybake (GF)
A warming traybake with aubergine, butternut squash, chickpeas and tomatoes flavoured with gorgeous rose harissa pesto, spices and herbs, Finish with a minted garlic yoghurt drizzle and fresh basil for one delicious meal.
Ingredients
- 1 large aubergine
- 400g butternut squash
- 1 red/yellow/orange bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp rose harissa pesto (I used Belazu) OR 2 tbsp sundried tomato pesto and 1 tbsp harissa
- 2 tsp paprika
- 0.5 tsp dried basil or oregano
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tin chickpeas (400g)
For the yoghurt drizzle:
- 3 tbsp greek yoghurt
- 0.5 tsp dried mint
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
To serve:
- 12 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (fan) and line an ove tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Chop the aubergine, butternut squash (skin-on) and pepper into bite-sized chunks. Add to the tray and pour/dollop/sprinkle the olive oil, rose harissa pesto, paprika and dried basil on top. Use your hands to mix everything together, ensure all the vegetables are well-coated with the pesto, oil and spices.
- Peel the onion and cut into quarters, then nestle the onion chunks in between the vegetables on the tray. Put the traybake into the oven to roast for 30 minutes.
- After roasting, add the cherry tomatoes and chickpeas to the tray, stirring well to get everything coated in the pesto/oil/spices. Now place the tray back into the oven for a final 10 minutes.
- While that's finishing cooking you can make the yoghurt drizzle. Mince the garlic and place into a small bowl with the lemon juice, dried mint and yoghurt. Stir well and set aside until you are ready to serve.
- Once the vegetables are ready, tip them onto a serving platter or into two bowls. Drizzle with a little of the minted garlic yoghurt (pop the rest on the table when serving, so you can add more as needed) and scatter with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!
For more easy one pan meals, why not try some of my other gluten free lunch and dinner recipes:
Enjoy! Laura xxx
