This eggplant cherry tomato pasta is a spin of the Italian classic “Pasta alla Norma”. It is one of my favourite ways to cook eggplant and even eggplant skeptics will love this dish! Enjoy as an easy and healthy weeknight dinner, and see notes for making this eggplant tomato pasta dish oil-free.
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1 tbsp olive oil (+ more for frying)
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 onion
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- Large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp Italian spice blend
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 220-250g pasta (or gluten-free pasta)
- Fresh parsley and/or basil
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Pot
- Baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Cut the eggplant into 3/4 inch thick slices, then cubes. Add to a mixing bowl with 1/2 tsp salt and olive oil and mix well, then toss onto a lined baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden (but not brown!).
- Add water to a pot and boil for pasta.
- Dice an onion then add to a large frying pan with olive oil on medium heat. Stir occasionally, until translucent. Add minced garlic then halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Once the cherry tomatoes have cooked down a bit, add tomato paste, water and wine. Bring up to medium-high heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add in Italian spice blend and fresh herbs, then taste and add more salt if needed.
- Once the eggplant is done, mix into the sauce.
- Mix in the cooked pasta, top with more fresh parsley/basil and enjoy!
Notes
*For an oil-free version, simply roast the eggplant without olive oil. When frying onions, use a non-stick frying pan and fry in a little bit of water or vegetable stock.
