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    Cucina by Elena » Recipes » Classic Italian » Eggplant and Tomato Pasta Sauce

    Eggplant and Tomato Pasta Sauce

    Published: Aug 27, 2021 · Modified: May 17, 2022 by Elena · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This light and easy summery eggplant and fresh tomato pasta sauce is one filling vegetarian meal you will crave and make again!

    The stars of the dish are the delicious, in season, eggplant and tomatoes. They are browned to perfection in olive oil with onion, and garlic then tossed with pasta and fresh mozzarella cheese. You can also serve it on top of Easy Polenta Recipe Authentic Italian Style.

    I love light and easy pasta sauces in the summer such as: Pasta with Salsa Fresca (fresh tomato sauce) , Easy Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad, Panzanella Stuffed Mozzarella. Complete these summer meals with Frozen Lemon Dessert (Creamy Lemony Treat).

    Ingredients

    • Pasta variety of choice
    • Eggplants, cut into cubes
    • Fresh Heirloom tomatoes (or, cherry tomatoes, even canned tomatoes)
    • Onion (or half a large onion), diced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, keep on stem (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    • Optional: freshly grated parmigiano for serving

    How to Make

    Start by taking some of the liquid out of the eggplant, so it doesn't absorb too much oil (see cooking eggplant tip below). After the eggplant and tomatoes are soft and caramelized in texture and flavor simply season with rosemary and toss with hot pasta.

    Lastly, we add globs of fresh mozzarella, torn by hand, to create the perfect cheese pockets in the sauce. This is a marriage made in summer veggie pasta heaven!

    pan or eggplant and tomato pasta in a pan

    TIPS: Cooking with Eggplant

    If you've ever prepared a dish involving eggplant, then you've probably had to salt it before sautéing, baking, or frying it. You know, to remove all the excess moisture you don't want to seep into your meal and make everything a watery mess.

    But apparently there's a better trick than laying out slices of the vegetable and dousing it in salt. According to the Kitchn, you can just as easily microwave eggplant to pre-cook it and remove excess water without the added sodium and extra waiting time for it to "sweat" it out.

    Here's the process: Slice or cube the eggplant, place it on a plate with a couple of sheets of paper towels and cook on high for five minutes. Voila—you're done. No more waiting around and eating super salty veggie dishes again.

    Source : Delish

    pan or eggplant and tomato pasta in a pan

    Summer Produce

    Summer is meant for fresh produce and easy meals. I don't like to add too many ingredients to the eggplant and tomatoes sauce in order to let their flavors shine.

    Eggplant

    Eggplant is a high-fiber, low-calorie food that is rich in nutrients and comes with many potential health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease to helping with blood sugar control and weight loss, eggplants are a simple and delicious addition to any healthy diet.

    Tomato

    If you have gorgeous and fresh garden tomatoes- use them! If you don't you can also use a good variety of canned tomatoes. They will produce a delicious sauce as well.

    Pasta

    I love the fun texture and shape of the rigatoni pasta. The word rigatoni, which comes from the word “rigato” meaning ridged, are short, wide tubes of pasta that have ridges on the outside, but are smooth on the inside Italian. Tubular pasta, especially big tubes, work best with a chunkier veggie pairing.

    You can certainly use any pasta variety you like! If you don’t have rigatoni on hand, such as farfalle (bow tie) or penne. I like that the rigatoni are about the same size as the cut eggplant, so you get the perfect bite with all the components of the dish.

    A short pasta shape such as the rigatoni variety allows me to get that bite I desire with a little bit of eggplant, tomato, cheese and pasta all in one BITE.

    VARIATIONS

    • Use this sauce in place of Sugo al Pomodoro (Classic Italian Tomato Sauce) sauce to make baked ziti, it comes out delicious!
    • If you’re not a fan of eggplant skin, you can peel it before cooking.
    • If you prefer canned tomatoes use those!

    From my cucina to your table, Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)

    Made with Amore, Elena

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    pan or eggplant and tomato pasta in a pan

    Tasty eggplant and tomato sauce tossed with pasta and topped with fresh mozzarella cheese is the best summertime meal!

    Print
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    pan or eggplant and tomato pasta in a pan

    Pasta with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Elena Davis
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 20 min
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
    • Category: Savory
    • Method: Italian
    • Cuisine: Italian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This easy summery pasta is just as much about the vegetables as it is about the pasta. The stars of the dish are the delicious, in season, eggplant and tomatoes. They are browned in pan with olive oil, onion, and garlic. Once the eggplant and tomatoes are soft and caramelized in texture and flavor simply season with rosemary and toss with hot pasta. This is a marriage made in summer veggie pasta heaven!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 lb (454 g) short pasta variety of choice
    • 2 large eggplants, cut into cubes
    • 1 large/ 2 small ripe heirloom tomatoes, diced (or 4 small Roma tomatoes, diced)
    • 1 small onion (or half a large onion), diced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, keep on stem (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    • Optional: freshly grated parmigiano for serving

    Instructions

    1.  Place eggplant in a microwave safe dish and cover with three paper towels. Cook on high for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
    2.  In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and rosemary. Cook one minute to release fragrance. Add eggplant and tomatoes. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly golden brown and soft. Remove rosemary sprig and discard.
    3.  Meanwhile boil a large pot of water. Add salt to season water and cook pasta until 'al dente' directions. Before straining the pasta reserve ¼ cup pasta water and set aside.
    4.  As soon as eggplant mixture is done cooking turn off heat, season with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. If needed add a little of the pasta water to make more of a sauce. Add a drizzle of olive oil on top and serve hot or room temperature. Optional: freshly grated parmigiano. Great as leftovers.

    Keywords: eggplant, tomatoes, main dish, main meal, pasta, Italian recipe, vegetarian, rosemary, easy dinner, easy recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cucinabyelena on Instagram when you make the recipe! I would love to see it. Don't forget to leave a STAR RATING and REVIEW on this post. Thank you!

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    Comments

    1. Elena says

      February 16, 2022 at 4:50 pm

      We make this recipe often and the kids love it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Profile photo of Elena Davis in her kitchen leaning on the kitchen counter. She is wearing a blue button up shirt and her Cucina By Elena apron counter

    Ciao! I'm Elena. Welcome to my cucina (kitchen). I was born in Italy and grew up spending my summers on the beaches of Sardegna cooking, eating, and sharing tasty Italian meals. Here you will find trusted, achievable, and delicious Italian (and more) recipes that highlight fresh ingredients with a simple process.

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