Vegan Eggplant Pasta Recipe

If you miss Bolognese, this meatless eggplant pasta is for you. It's rich, hearty, and loaded with flavor from garlic, chilies, and olives.

I received a complimentary copy of The First Mess Cookbook to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Nothing beats pasta when you're looking for a comforting meal. But you don't need meat to making it filling. Eggplant is a great substitute, and this dish showcases its versatility.

Ingredients

As you probably guessed, there's no ground beef in this vegan eggplant pasta recipe. Instead you will need the following ingredients that are easy to find at your local supermarket:

• Eggplant (for a meat substitute)
• Olive oil (the best oil to use on a Mediterranean diet)
• Garlic (for a sweet and earthy taste)
• Chili flakes (for heat)
• Dried oregano (for bold flavor)
• Canned crushed tomatoes (for the base of the sauce)
• Vegetable stock or water (to thin the sauce)
• Pasta (long pasta such as spaghetti or linguini works the best)
• Fresh basil (for a sweet, yet peppery taste)
• Kalamata olives (for wine-like flavor)

For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

While this is not a one-pot meal, the process for making this recipe can be broken down into 4 steps which are detailed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Roast the diced eggplant in the oven.
2. Prepare the sauce on the stove.
3. Cook the pasta.
4. Add the cooked eggplant and olives to the sauce and toss with the pasta.

The First Mess Cookbook

This recipe is from The First Mess Cookbook by Laura Wright. It's a gorgeous book which I would proudly display on my coffee table.

I love how the seasonal plant-based recipes are classified with symbols indicating whether the recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, no added sugar, and/or cane sugar-free. In addition, by trying the recipes in this cookbook, you'll learn a lot about cooking techniques.

For example, by making this Eggplant Bolognese Pasta, I learned how to prepare eggplant. And I feel confident using it in other eggplant recipes such as Roasted Ratatouille and Grilled Eggplant Salad.

Some of the other recipes that have caught by eye are the Matcha Chia Limeade, Crispy Avocado Tacos, and Pepperoncini Lentil Crunch Salad.

The First Mess Cookbook

• Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons
• More than 125 beautifully prepared seasonal whole-food recipes
• Beautiful photographs and enchanting storytelling

Buy from Amazon

Serving suggestions

While this pasta is delicious on its own, it's also wonderful served with a simple salad like one of the following:

Storing

Leftover pasta can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing it.

FAQ

More meatless pasta recipes

Looking for more ways to enjoy pasta? Try some of these vegan Mediterranean diet favorites:

And for even more delicious vegan recipes, join the Insider List and receive a FREE recipe ebook! You can also follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook Group.

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

📋 Recipe

Vegan Eggplant Pasta Recipe

If you miss Bolognese, this meatless eggplant pasta is for you. It's rich, hearty, and loaded with flavor from garlic, chilies, and olives.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Calories: 497kcal

Author: Amy Katz

Equipment

• ▢
  Sheet Pan
• ▢
  Kitchen Towels

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 large eggplant, diced into ½-inch cubes (1 cm)
• ▢ salt
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil, (+ 1 Tablespoon) 50 mL + 15 mL, divided
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon chili flakes, (2 mL)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, (1 mL)
• ▢ 1 can crushed tomatoes, (28 ounces/796 mL)
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable stock OR water, (250 mL)
• ▢ ¾ pound whole-grain or gluten-free long pasta of your choice, (341 g) such as spaghetti or linguini (I used gluten-free spaghetti)
• ▢ 6 whole fresh basil leaves, plus extra chopped, for garnish
• ▢ ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, (125 mL) finely chopped

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• ▢
  In a large bowl, toss the diced eggplant with a generous sprinkle of sea salt. Let the eggplant sit for 10 minutes to release some of its water. Pour the salted eggplant into a colander and rinse with fresh water. Dry the eggplant pieces as thoroughly as you can with a kitchen towel, and then lay them on the prepared baking sheet.
• ▢
  Toss the eggplant with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Spread the eggplant out into a single layer. Slide the baking sheet into the oven, and roast until the eggplant is tender and has browned slightly, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• ▢
  In a large, deep skillet (or braiser), heat the remaining ¼ cup (50 mL) of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, stir, and sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the chili flakes and oregano, and stir. Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock to the skillet, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.
• ▢
  Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• ▢
  Drop the basil leaves into the tomato sauce and submerge the leaves. Cover the sauce and let it continue to cook for 10 more minutes.
• ▢
  Remove the basil leaves from the sauce, and season it with salt and pepper. Add the roasted eggplant and chopped olives to the sauce, and stir to distribute. Carefully toss the cooked pasta in the sauce. After the noodles are coated in sauce, sprinkle the chopped basil on top. Serve the pasta hot.

Notes

Reprinted from The First Mess Cookbook by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, a Penguin Random House Company. Copyright 2017, Laura Wright

Leftover pasta can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Nutritional information is an estimation only.

Tried this recipe?Post a photo and tag @veggiessavetheday on Instagram!