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Eggplant pasta served in a white bowl and topped with parmesan cheese
5 from 9 votes

Pasta Alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)

This Eggplant Pasta is such a simple showstopper! It's creamy, hearty, and vegetarian with al dente pasta, tomato sauce, and crispy eggplant.
Author Diana
Servings 5 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1-2 eggplants cut into 1 inch cubes (around 1 ½ pounds, 680g total weight)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 10 ounces (280g) dried pasta any shape
  • parmesan cheese for serving, I use vegetarian parmesan
  • chopped fresh parsley chopped, for garnish (or basil)

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced (about ½ cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 15 ounce (400g) can tomato sauce or Italian passata
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
  • In a large bowl, toss the eggplant cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a half sheet sheet pan, and roast for 30 minutes flipping halfway through. Then brown under the broiler for 5 minutes. The eggplant cubes should be golden and crispy when they’re done.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water to al dente (According to the package instructions).
  • In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the onion until it’s soft and translucent (3 minutes).
  • Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the tomato sauce, then fill half of the empty can with water and add that to the sauce.
  • Season with oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together, then allow the sauce to simmer for 5-7 minutes or until it thickens a little. It will splatter so it’s better to cover with a lid.
  • Strain the cooked pasta from the cooking water, and add it to the sauce, and gently stir in the roasted eggplant.
  • Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Cook pasta until just al dente to avoid getting mushy pasta.
  • If the tomato sauce is acidic, add a teaspoon of granulated sugar.
  • Store the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 901mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 433IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/pasta-alla-norma-eggplant-pasta/