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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian/Vegan Meals

    Roasted Eggplant Tomato Pasta Sauce

    April 17, 2020 By Monika Last Updated May 5, 2022 18 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This simple eggplant tomato sauce is rich, low in fat, deliciously tangy and sweet and easy to make. It' satisfying, with a 'meaty' texture, perfect to serve with your favourite pasta. 

    You might also like roasted red pepper pasta.

    Chunky eggplant tomato sauce with spaghetti in white bowl with fork.

    Eggplant tomato sauce is a simple Mediterranean-style dish popular in a number of countries. Tomatoes and eggplants are the most quintessential ingredients in Mediterranean cuisine in general and can be cooked in different ways. They form the basis of Turkish 'soslu patlican', Sicilian 'pasta alla norma' and many other dishes.

    My version of this sauce also contains red pepper for added sweetness and complexity and is low in calories.

    Eggplant tomato sauce ingredients and substitutions

    • Eggplant: ensure it's firm and without greyish spots.
    • Tomatoes: use very ripe tomatoes for maximum flavour.
    • Canned tomatoes: use tomato passata instead (and omit the tomato puree), if desired.
    • Tomato puree: adds richness of flavour.
    • Red bell pepper: adds sweetness.
    • Red onion.
    • Garlic: adjust the amount to your taste.
    • White wine: if you prefer to omit it you could add a little balsamic vinegar into the sauce instead (approx. 2 tsp).
    • Paprika: use either sweet, smoked or hot. Alternatively use a bit of each.
    • Olive oil: use any.
    • Sea salt and pepper to taste.

    Optional ingredients

    • Red pepper flakes.
    • Dried Italian herbs/mixed herbs.

    Can I add eggplant into pasta sauce

    Yes, you can, but you need to pre-cook it first. This is because cooking with acidic ingredients (i.e. tomatoes) keeps other vegetables firm. Eggplant, which requires quite a bit of time to soften anyway, would take a long time to fully cook in the sauce.

    So it's best to pre-cook the eggplant first and then combine with the sauce and cook for several minutes to allow the flavours to develop.

    Why is it a good idea to roast the ingredients

    I did this for 2 reasons. One was to avoid using too much oil and the other, to add flavour. Eggplant can be fried, but this usually involves using copious amounts of oil, which I wanted to avoid. Roasting eggplant softens as well as adds flavour to the eggplant. This also applies to other vegetables, which is why I decided to also roast the red pepper as well as the garlic.

    Top tip

    Roasted garlic is more mellow than fresh so your eggplant pasta sauce won't be too garlicky.

    Eggplant tomato sauce ingredients in individual dishes.
    Eggplant tomato sauce ingredients.

    Step-by-step recipe instructions

    Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ gas mark 6.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

    1.Place the eggplant halves, cut side up, whole garlic cloves and pepper halves, skin side up, on top of the baking sheet. Brush the eggplant with a little oil (approx. 1 tsp) and season lightly.  Roast in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes until softened.

    Halved eggplant, red pepper and 4 garlic cloves on top of parchment.

    2. Remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes to cool. In the meantime start making the sauce.

    Top down view of roasted eggplant and red pepper with 4 garlic cloves on parchment.

    3. In a pot heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onions and fry gently for 2 minutes.  Add the wine and continue cooking for another minute.

    Chopped red onion in large pot with spoon.

    4. Chop the eggplant and add into the pot along with the chopped tomatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes stirring occasionally.

    Chopped eggplant and tomato in pot with spoon.

    5. Peel the pepper and garlic and puree together.  Add into the sauce along with the canned tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes stirring often.

    Chopped eggplant, tomatoes and pepper puree in pot with spoon.

    6. Remove from the heat and serve this roasted aubergine sauce with your favourite pasta and freshly chopped basil leaves.

    Top down view of eggplant and tomato sauce in large pot with spoon.

    What pasta goes well with tomato eggplant sauce

    Robust, rich tomato-based sauces generally pair well with large pasta shapes and this recipe is no exception. You could serve it with fusilli, penne or rigatoni, but it also works well with long pasta shapes such as tagliatelle, linguine and spaghetti. I do not recommend small pasta shapes as these work better in soups.

    Serving

    This healthy eggplant tomato pasta sauce is delicious with a drizzle of oil or simply on its own. You can also enjoy it with a handful of freshly chopped basil leaves and grated parmesan (if you don't need it to be vegan, though make sure it's vegetarian).

    What to make ahead

    • Roasted vegetables: once cooled cover and refrigerate overnight. Make the sauce and assemble the recipe the following day.
    • Entire sauce from start to finish: once cooled cover and refrigerate. Serve with freshly boiled pasta over the next 3 days.
    Eggplant tomato sauce with spaghetti in white bowl with fork.

    Top tips

    • Use firm eggplant without any greyish spots.
    • This recipe contains a lot of tomato sauce, but you can change the proportions by adding more eggplant.
    • I recommend using very ripe, quality tomatoes (such as beef tomatoes) for maximum flavour.
    • Use either sweet, hot or smoked paprika (or a bit of each). 
    • Best served hot with your favourite pasta (large or long pasta shapes work well).
    • Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce then combine with freshly cooked pasta.
    • Freeze this eggplant and tomato sauce for up to 3 months.

    More easy eggplant recipes to try

    • Easy Eggplant Pasta Bake
    • Vegan Eggplant Casserole Recipe with Beans
    • Vegan Stuffed Eggplant with Quinoa in Tomato Sauce
    • Roasted Eggplant (Aubergine) Dip
    • Vegetarian Moussaka (Mushrooms & Lentils)

    Check out also these other easy plant-based meal ideas including this collection of vegetarian pasta meals.

    Keep in touch!

    If you make this eggplant tomato sauce recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you make any substitutions? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

    Recipe

    Chunky eggplant tomato sauce with spaghetti in white bowl with fork.

    Roasted Eggplant Tomato Pasta Sauce

    This simple eggplant tomato sauce is rich, low in fat, deliciously tangy and sweet and easy to make. It' satisfying, with a 'meaty' texture, perfect to serve with your favourite pasta.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: Mediterranean fusion, vegan
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 154kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium eggplant cut in half lengthwise
    • 1 red bell pepper cut in half, seeds removed
    • 4 garlic cloves unpeeled
    • 1 red onion finely chopped
    • 2 tomatoes large, ripe
    • 1x14.11oz can (400 g) tomatoes
    • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
    • 3 tablespoons white wine
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon paprika sweet, hot or smoked
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ gas mark 6.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
      Place the eggplant halves, cut side up, whole garlic cloves and pepper halves, skin side up, on top of the baking sheet. Brush the eggplant with a little oil (approx. 1 tsp).  Roast in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes until softened. Remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes to cool. In the meantime start making the sauce.
    • In a pot heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onions and fry gently for 2 minutes.  Add the wine and continue cooking for another minute.
    • Chop the eggplant and add into the pot along with the chopped tomatoes. Fry for a couple of minutes stirring occasionally.
    • Peel the pepper and garlic and puree together.  Add into the sauce along with the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes stirring often.
      Remove from the heat and serve!

    Notes

    • Use firm eggplant without any greyish spots.
    • This recipe contains a lot of tomato sauce, but you can change the proportions by adding more eggplant.
    • Use very ripe quality tomatoes (such as beef tomatoes) for maximum flavour.
    • Use either sweet, hot or smoked paprika (or a bit of each). 
    • Serve over pasta of your choice (large or long pasta shapes) with a drizzle of oil, freshly chopped basil leaves or grated parmesan (ensure it's vegetarian).
    • Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce and serve with freshly boiled pasta.
    • Freeze for up to 3 months.
    • Preparation time includes the time needed to roast the vegetables.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 577mg | Potassium: 575mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1197IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!

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    1. Dave W says

      October 12, 2020 at 7:00 pm

      Gorgeous.... went heavy on the garlic, paprika and fresh basil ...... really tasty.... thank you ,,

      Reply
      • Monika says

        October 13, 2020 at 7:27 am

        You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback:)

        Reply
    2. Eb Gargano says

      May 20, 2016 at 1:02 pm

      Oooh, I really like this idea. We do a similar thing, but with the aubergines fried (in lots of oil!), but I love your healthy version. And the addition of paprika sounds like a great idea! Definitely pinning this on my 'Must Make' board 🙂 Eb x

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 20, 2016 at 3:40 pm

        Thanks Eb :O)

        Reply
    3. Mandy Mazliah says

      May 19, 2016 at 6:39 pm

      This looks gorgeous, I make a similar recipe with black olives which my kids love. Thanks for adding to #CookBlogShare

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 19, 2016 at 9:02 pm

        Thanks Mandy, I love black olives in anything, I can imagine they would taste great in a sauce too:)

        Reply
    4. Basement Bakehouse says

      May 19, 2016 at 11:42 am

      YUM! This looks fab, great way to incorporate aubergines into something a bit different than just roasted veg! #CookBlogShare

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 19, 2016 at 3:28 pm

        Thanks Cliona:)

        Reply
    5. Corina says

      May 18, 2016 at 1:39 pm

      I really love aubergines and this sounds like a great sauce - I'd be tempted to add a few cubes of roasted aubergine to my potion and then leave them out for those who aren't keen on aubergines!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 18, 2016 at 1:43 pm

        I know lots of people who don't like aubergines (my 3 children for example) but with this sauce you can't really taste the aubergines - my boys didn't know what they were eating:O)

        Reply
        • Corina says

          May 26, 2016 at 6:56 pm

          I love it when that happens and I wished it happened more often as well! Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice as well.

          Reply
          • [email protected] says

            May 26, 2016 at 7:01 pm

            Thanks Corina!

            Reply
    6. Chris @thinlyspread says

      May 18, 2016 at 1:32 pm

      I love smoked paprika with aubergine, it's a marriage made in heaven!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 18, 2016 at 1:39 pm

        Thanks Chris:)

        Reply
    7. Emma - meandbmaketea says

      May 17, 2016 at 6:30 pm

      looks delicious! I want to try more things with aubergine so thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 17, 2016 at 9:10 pm

        Thanks Emma:O)

        Reply

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.

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