Roasted Eggplant (Aubergine) Pasta Bake

This eggplant pasta bake is a delicious vegetarian meal idea, easy to make and using simple ingredients. It's packed full of goodness, low in fat and a super tasty way of serving eggplant.

This eggplant and pasta bake consists of roasted eggplant chunks and pasta cooked together in a light tomato-based sauce. The delicious one-pot dish is finished off with a very moderate amount of cheese, which adds flavour without too many calories.

Eggplant pasta bake ingredients and substitutions

• Eggplant.
• Pasta: fusilli or penne work well.
• Tomatoes.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: add more depth of flavour. Use 1.5 tablespoons of sundried tomato pesto or sun-dried tomato puree instead if preferred.
• Red onion.
• Red bell pepper: adds sweetness.
• Garlic.
• Vegetable stock.
• Balsamic vinegar: adds more depth of flavour.
• Olive oil.
• Dried herbs: Italian/mixed herbs.
• Paprika: either sweet, hot or smoked, alternatively use a bit of each.
• Onion and garlic granules: add flavour to the roasted eggplant.
• Parmesan: or another Italian hard cheese. if you want to serve this dish vegan simply omit this ingredient or use vegan cheese instead.

Equipment

• Large baking sheet.
• Large shallow casserole dish with lid (31 cm/1 ft in diameter).

Top tip

If you do not have a dish that's suitable for all heat sources use a pan with a lid to make the sauce in then combine all the ingredients in your oven dish.

What is the healthiest way to cook eggplant

Roasting requires a minimal amount of oil and is by far the healthiest (and also easiest) way of cooking eggplant. It also produces great flavour and colour without too many calories. Eggplant is a nutritious vegetable, high in fibre, Vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and, importantly, low in calories. The problem with frying it is that it soaks up a lot of oil (and requires constant supervision) and can end up being a high-calorie food.

So to ensure your pasta eggplant bake is healthy I recommend roasting the eggplant rather than frying it.

How to prepare eggplant for pasta bake

The eggplant needs to be fully cooked before assembling this aubergine pasta bake. While the eggplant is roasting you'll have a chance to prepare the rest of the ingredients.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C/ gas mark 5. Cut each eggplant twice lengthwise to get 4 long strips (if using 2 eggplants you'll have 8 strips in total).
2. Place each strip skin side down on top of a large sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little oil (approx. 1 tbsp) or use cooking spray then season lightly and sprinkle with onion and garlic granules.
3. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and cut the eggplant into chunks. Stir into the casserole along with the pasta (as in Step 4 below).

Top tip

Leave the oven on after roasting the eggplant. You'll need it for baking your dish once assembled.

Step-by-step recipe instructions:

1.Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water, stir, bring to the boil then cook for 4 minutes (the pasta should only be partly cooked). Remove from the heat, pour into a strainer and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. In a large shallow pan heat up 1.5 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic, onion and bell pepper and fry gently for about 5 minutes stirring often.

3. Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, paprika, herbs and stock, stir, cover, bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat, add the precooked pasta, eggplant, several grinds of pepper and stir thoroughly.

5. Scatter the parmesan over the top of your eggplant and pasta casserole and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil (optional) and serve.

Serving suggestions

Serve this eggplant pasta bake with a garnish of fresh basil or parsley, green garden salad, roasted or steamed vegetables or grilled chicken. Also delicious with garlic bread.

Can I prepare this recipe ahead

As with many other pasta bakes assembling the entire recipe ahead is not a good idea. This is because the pasta would quickly absorb the sauce and become soggy.

You can, however, cook the pasta, roast the eggplant and make the sauce ahead. Once cooled cover and refrigerate these in separate containers overnight. The next day preheat the oven then assemble your pasta bake with eggplant and cook as per Instructions.

Top tips

• Use firm eggplants with healthy, glossy skin.
• You can either coat the eggplant with oil (1 tbsp) or use cooking spray before roasting.
• There is no need to turn the eggplant over as it roasts. Don't worry if becomes a little dry around the edges - it will rehydrate once you combine it with the other ingredients.
• To save time precook the pasta and prepare the sauce as you are waiting for the eggplant to roast.
• If using canned tomatoes with added ingredients, such as herbs or garlic, lower the proportions of these ingredients in the recipe (if applicable).
• Adjust the amount of cheese to your taste.
• Bake this pasta with eggplant as soon as you’ve assembled it.
• Best served immediately. Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days.
• Not suitable for freezing (the pasta would absorb too much moisture as it cools and may become soggy).

What else can you do with roasted eggplant

• Add to another tomato-based pasta dish - such as meatballs in tomato sauce or red pepper pasta.
• Turn into a dip.
• Serve cold with other roasted vegetables (such as peppers, zucchini and tomatoes) as a salad.
• Make vegetarian moussaka.

Other recipes to try

• Roasted Eggplant Tomato Pasta Sauce
• Pasta Bake with Fennel
• Bean Pasta Bake with Tomatoes

Check out also these other easy vegetarian dinner ideas including this collection of healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

Keep in touch!

If you've made this roasted eggplant pasta bake recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you.  Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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