Baked eggplant pasta combines roasted eggplant, ricotta, mozzarella, and rigatoni tossed in a tomato sauce and baked until golden and bubbly. While you can make this dish all year long, it’s an especially great way to use up all that summer eggplant.
Eggplant is one of our favorite ingredients, so it made sense to do a baked eggplant pasta.
Ingredients-wise, it’s similar to pasta Siciliana, but the baking process yields so much goodness, especially from the crispy baked rigatoni noodles.
This baked pasta with roasted eggplant is filling, thanks to the cheese, so it would pair perfectly with a side of Italian broccoli salad, or a simple salad with Italian vinaigrette.
Baked pastas are excellent in the cooler months, but this is one that we’ll make in the summer when the eggplant is abundant!
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 425 and set the rack to the middle. Dice 1 medium onion and slice 4 cloves of garlic. Shred 1 pound of mozzarella and grate a 1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano. Chop 1/4 cup of basil leaves and cut 2 medium-sized 1-inch eggplants into cubes. Toss the cubes with 3/4 cup of olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Spread the eggplant out onto a baking tray (or two to prevent crowding) and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes turning the eggplant at the halfway point. The eggplant is done when soft enough to pierce with a knife and well-browned. Note: We love the skin on eggplant so we leave it on, but if you prefer to peel them, do so prior to cubing.
- While the eggplant is roasting, heat a large saucepan over medium-low and add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and the onion. Saute until the onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes, then add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, if using, and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add 3 ounces of tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 2 28-ounce cans of hand-crushed or blender-pulsed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a lively simmer, then bring to a low simmer and cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Reduce the oven temp to 375f. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook 1 pound of rigatoni or other tubular pasta until 2 minutes less than al dente, then add it to a large bowl with 3 1/2 cups of the sauce, the basil, and all of the ricotta, Pecorino, and 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese. Mix until smooth and creamy, then add 3/4 of the roasted eggplant and gently fold in.
- Coat a 9×13″ baking dish with 1 cup of sauce.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the dish and distribute evenly.
- Add the remaining eggplant to the top.
- Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of sauce.
- Bake the eggplant pasta in the oven for 25 minutes or until browned on the top. If you’d like extra color, broil for another 1-2 minutes but watch carefully to avoid burning. Wait at least 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the pasta to settle. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Eggplant. Select eggplants that are firm and shiny. The myth about male vs. female eggplants has been debunked. For more on that, listen to our podcast where we discuss popular food myths and whether or not they are accurate. When roasting the eggplant initially, be sure to cook it through so there is no resistance when pierced with a fork or a knife.
- Pasta. We used rigatoni but this would be great with ziti, penne, tortiglioni, or any other tubular pasta. Be sure to undercook it to 2 minutes less than al dente. We do this to prevent mushy pasta as it will continue to cook as it’s baked in the oven.
- Sauce. This recipe makes enough sauce for the baked eggplant pasta. Note: If you desire more sauce on the side, add an extra can of crushed tomatoes to the sauce. You can add a bit more onion and garlic, but it’s not necessary.
More eggplant recipes
Eggplant really is the star of this dish! If you love eggplant as much as we do, you’ll enjoy these other recipes.
- Pasta alla Norma – eggplant, ricotta salata, fresh basil, and tomato.
- Stuffed eggplant – roasted and stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts, raisins, cheese, mint, and basil.
- Baba ganoush – charred eggplant, tahini, and fresh lemon juice.
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Baked Eggplant Pasta
Baked eggplant pasta combines roasted eggplant, mozzarella, ricotta, basil, and rigatoni tossed with a tomato sauce and baked until golden and bubbly.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes optional
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 2 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- salt and pepper to taste
For the baked pasta
- 2 medium eggplants cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound rigatoni or ziti, tortiglioni, penne, etc
- 1/4 packed cup basil leaves chopped
- 1 pound mozzarella shredded, divided
- 1 pound ricotta
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425f and set the racks near the middle level.
- Toss the cubed eggplant with a 3/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the eggplant out onto baking trays (probably will need 2 trays) and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Turn the eggplant at halfway point. The eggplant is done when it is well browned and soft when pierced with a knife.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat a large saucepan to medium-low heat and add the extra virgin olive oil and the onion. Saute until soft (5-7 minutes) then add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more or until fragrant. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a lively simmer.
- Cook for at least 15 minutes uncovered at a low simmer, stirring frequently to avoid any sticking. Taste-test the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if required.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until 2 minutes less than al dente.
- In a very large bowl mix the pasta with 3 1/2 cups of sauce, chopped basil, all of the ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add 3/4 of the roasted eggplant and fold it in gently.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375f and coat a 9x13" baking dish with 1 cup of sauce. Pour the pasta into the dish and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and roasted eggplant. Add another 1/2 cup of sauce on top as well.
- Bake the pasta for 25 minutes or until browned on top. For extra color broil for 1-2 more minutes but watch carefully! Wait at least 10-15 minutes before eating so that the pasta settles. Enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 8 moderate-sized or 4-6 large portions.
- Undercook the pasta! Fully boiled pasta will become mushy after baking for another 25 minutes, so shoot for a bit firmer than al dente or about 2 minutes less than the box instructions.
- Bake the pasta until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top. For extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch very carefully to avoid burning.
- Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 1041kcal | Carbohydrates: 87.5g | Protein: 41.6g | Fat: 61.9g | Saturated Fat: 21.6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1130mg | Potassium: 1158mg | Fiber: 11.9g | Sugar: 19.3g | Calcium: 726mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can this be made ahead of time and baked when needed?
Hi Fred, yes, you can make ahead.
Delicious!!!!!
I made this last night
This recipe is the bomb, guys. It’s my childhood in a baking dish!! While we do have Costco, we don’t have the Polly-O brand here in the west. Nothing like it, in my opinion. Oh well…. It’s still delicious. Eggplant is completely underrated and I would love to see more of what you do with it. Thanks!
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Deb! We have a bunch of eggplant recipes here on the website – just type eggplant in the search function. We love it too!
How long should i cook if im making this for 2?
The cook time would be the same.
I usually use the tubes of either double or triple concentrated tomato paste. Can I literally use half of the amount suggested if using double concentrated tomato paste from a tube? Is your three ounces a liquid or dry measure?
Hi Bill, I assume you are not in America or are using one of the few brands now sold in America offering tomato paste in different concentrations. Most canned paste brands, which is what I always recommend since it is so much more economical, is very concentrated. Canned paste, really no matter which brand you buy, is comparable to double or triple concentrate Mutti tubes. Tubes have to be thinner so that you can squeeze it out. I would use the amount recommended since I am always using either Cento or Kirkland paste cans which are equivalent to very thick paste not the thin stuff that sometimes comes out of tubes. Not to belabor the point, but you can buy 12 6-ounce cans of very thick paste at Costco for about $6-8 making it magnitudes less expensive than tubes.
James, thanks for the quick reply. I am actually not too far away from you in Vermont and still have family down toward NY and NJ. I always opted for the tubes because, once opened, they lasted far longer and I was always throwing away half cans of tomato paste. But, after reading your reply, I did a quick investigation and I guess it’s not very difficult to just freeze left over tomato paste. I’ve also always found the tubed paste better tasting than the canned since it was a comparison of salt and citric acid as preservatives, respectively. Regardless, I will be making this recipe tonight and will reconsider my choice of tubed paste. Thanks!!!
just reporting back after making this last night:
1. your suggestion of two minutes pre-al dente was perfect! my rigatoni was wonderfully cooked in the dish after 30-40 minutes in the oven.
2. my tried and true Pyrex 9×13 glass baking dish is too shallow! looks like you used the Le Creuset lasagna pan, which is closer to three inches deep. fortunately, no catastrophe!
3. the sauce was wonderfully tasty.
4. i am a bit OCD so was literally measuring the sauce to put in the baking dish, etc. i need to loosen up and bit as your recipe has a lot of leeway.
5. after making mine, I watched your video and was amused to see you using the tubed paste 😉 but the updated recipe where things are mixed together before going in the baking dish is great.
6. i really cut my eggplant cubes too small. fortunately, i watched them closely so they didn’t burn but i think they would have had more body had i cut them larger.
ultimately, this was a delicious dish. i can’t thank you enough for sharing your expertise and recipes.
Hi Bill, thanks for taking the time to report back to us! We’re so happy this was a success for you!
Love this recipe and want to try it soon. Can I freeze it and should I freeze after or before baking
Hi Marie, so happy you love the recipe. You can freeze it. We recommend baking it first, allowing it to cool, then freezing.
Can this recipe the day before. If so do I do all the steps or don’t bake ?
Hi Lisa, yes and you can do it either way.
Can you use fresh tomatoes for this recipe?
Hi Tammy, yes, you can use fresh tomatoes to make the sauce for the pasta. Just be sure to cook enough of the water out of the sauce before using. Hope you enjoy!