This Baked Eggplant and Pasta dish is excellent as a main or side dish to grilled or fried meat. With eggplants and tomato sauce, this baked pasta is delicious and filling --- but still light enough for a second serving!
If you're looking for a lighter version of baked penne with sausage, then this is what you should try.
Baked pasta and eggplant will still tick all the boxes for comfort food --- without the meat.
Roasting the eggplants first will give you a deeper flavor without using too much oil (compared to frying).
Yes, the eggplants will absorb the flavor of the tomato-based sauce, but you will still get that hint of sweetness and earthiness from roasting them.
Plus, the two types of cheese added to pasta and eggplant bake? Absolute perfection in every bite! 🙂
FOR MORE EASY MAIN DISHES, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES!
Ingredients
- Eggplants - no need to peel them for making this baked pasta and eggplant recipe; just rinse and cut them into small cubes, then season for roasting.
- Pasta - I typically use penne pasta, but rigatoni is also excellent.
- Oil - I suggest using extra virgin olive oil for making eggplant and pasta bake.
- Garlic - minced, grated, or sliced thinly.
- Crushed Tomatoes - canned ones are absolutely fine.
- Passata - if you are unfamiliar with passata, it's typically in bottles, with more concentrated tomato sauce and without bits of chopped or crushed tomatoes.
- Milk - to tamper with the acidity of the sauce.
- Cheese - you need mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano (or parmesan) for this eggplant and pasta bake recipe.
- Seasoning & herb - oregano, bay leaf, salt, ground black pepper, and chili flakes; just go for your favorite brand.
Preparations
Start preparing your baked pasta and eggplant by preheating the oven to 220°C (about 400°F).
Place the chopped eggplant on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Mix and try to make them fit in the tray.
Cook in the oven for twenty-five minutes or until they soften --- set aside to cool.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium to large pan.
Once ready, add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes, passata, milk, oregano, chili flakes, salt, ground black pepper, and bay leaf.
Cover with a lid, adjust heat to medium-low, and simmer for twenty minutes.
Start cooking the pasta as per package instructions --- then drain.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Add the roasted eggplants.
Mix to combine and continue simmering for about five minutes.
Add the drained pasta.
Mix, then add most of the Parmigiano cheese (leave about two tablespoons for later).
Combine, then remove the pan from the heat.
Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
Transfer the prepared pasta and eggplant into a baking dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmigiano cheese.
Top with the mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven for about thirty minutes or until the top turns golden.
Remove from the oven and set aside for at least fifteen minutes.
Your baked eggplant and pasta casserole is now ready for serving ---- enjoy!
Helpful tips
- Make sure the eggplants are not too soft when you roast them --- otherwise, they will completely disintegrate when you mix them with the sauce.
- Do not skip resting your baked eggplant and pasta casserole once they're out of the oven. The inside of the casserole is still cooking, so let it sit for fifteen to twenty minutes before serving.
- It's okay to skip transferring your pasta and eggplant into a dish for baking. If your pan is ovenproof, you can top it directly with the two kinds of cheese and place it straight into the oven.
Recipe variation
- Sugar - you can use sugar to help balance the sauce's acidity.
- Herbs - feel free to use other herbs when making pasta and eggplant bake; dried parsley and basil are great options.
- Chili - add more chili flakes if you prefer a stronger kick in the sauce. I usually do. 🙂
So, try this baked eggplant and pasta recipe this weekend- you will not regret it! 🙂
OR GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF EASY PASTA RECIPES!
📖 Recipe
Baked Eggplant and Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Colander
- Box grater
- Large pan (or skillet)
- Rectangular baking dish (10.5x7.5 inches)
- Parchment paper/Baking paper
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants (about 750 grams or 27 ounces), chopped into small cubes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 200 grams penne (7 ounces, about 2 & 1/2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 & 1/4 cups passata
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 piece bay leaf, dried
- 2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 125 grams mozzarella (about 4 to 4.5 ounces), drained and grated
- pinch chili flakes
- salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (about 400°F).
- Place the chopped eggplants on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then mix.
- Cook in the oven for twenty-five minutes or until they soften, then set aside.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium to large pan.
- Add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, passata, milk, oregano, chili flakes, salt, ground black pepper, and bay leaf.
- Cover with a lid, adjust heat to medium-low, and simmer for twenty minutes.
- Start cooking the pasta as per package instructions --- then drain.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Add the roasted eggplant, combine, and continue simmering for about five minutes.
- Add pasta, mix, then add most of the Parmigiano cheese. (NOTE: Leave about two tablespoons for topping.)
- Combine everything evenly, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Transfer the prepared eggplant and pasta into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmigiano cheese, and top with the mozzarella cheese.
- Place in the oven for about thirty minutes or until it's golden.
- Remove from the oven and set aside for at least fifteen minutes.
- Your baked eggplant and pasta casserole is now ready for serving!
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: Do not overcook the eggplants when roasting. They will fall apart when mixed with the sauce if they're too soft.
- Cook's Tip #2: Remember to rest your baked eggplant and pasta casserole once they're out of the oven because they're still cooking in the middle.
- Refer to the post's 'Recipe variation' section for substitutions.
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