This Eggplant Pasta Bake is a flavorful, filling Italian dinner, tender eggplant and a quick homemade tomato sauce layered with pasta and melty mozzarella, then baked until bubbly. It's total comfort food, easy to make, and naturally vegan (I use dairy-free mozzarella shreds that melt just like the real thing), though regular mozzarella works too if that's not a concern.
If you like this recipe, you'll also love my Paccheri alla Norma or my Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Zucchini Pasta.
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Jump To
- Ingredient Notes
- How to find the real San Marzano canned tomatoes?
- What San Marzano brands should I buy?
- Equipment you need to make this recipe
- 🍽️ How to make this baked pasta recipe?
- What to serve with baked pasta with eggplant?
- Recipe Tips
- Storage and Freezing
- Some other eggplant recipes you'll love:
- 📖 Recipe
- Baked Pasta with Eggplants and Tomatoes
- FAQs
An eggplant pasta bake is essentially baked ziti's rustic cousin, chunks of eggplant are sautéed until tender and caramelized, tossed with pasta and a rich San Marzano tomato sauce, layered with mozzarella, and baked until golden and bubbly.
It's simple enough for a weeknight, but satisfying enough for a casual gathering too.
See the full recipe below, including my top tips and recipe notes.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta-I like to use penne. Rigatoni also works fine for this recipe. Or use whatever short pasta you have on hand.
- Extra-virgin olive oil-I can't emphasize enough how important it is to use a great quality olive oil.
- Eggplant-I used a Japanese eggplant (use a regular eggplant if you prefer). It gets chopped into small pieces to cook up easily and evenly.
- Canned tomatoes- Use whole Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP, as it is truly the best quality. The flavor surpasses any other tomatoes.
- Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Fresh basil -Lots of fresh basil to stir into the sauce. I have a little plant.
- Mozzarella-I used my favorite brand of dairy-free mozzarella shreds, but you could use regular shredded mozzarella (if you're not vegan or dairy-free).
How to find the real San Marzano canned tomatoes?
Truly, the best tomatoes to buy are the Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP. They are the only authentic San Marzano tomatoes. It is a really long name, but it is the only way to know you're getting the real deal.
The tomatoes are given two seals of approval, which guarantees the highest quality tomatoes. When you're buying San Marzano, look for the cans to also say "pomodori pelati", which means "Italian peeled tomatoes".
What San Marzano brands should I buy?
- Ciao
- Carmelina
- Fontanella
- Mutti (I really love their purée in glass jars)
- La Doria
- La Valle
Equipment you need to make this recipe
- Cutting board: I really like to use my bamboo cutting boards, but feel free to use whatever type of cutting board you have on hand.
- Sharp knife: It's important to have a sharp knife to make sure you evenly slice the vegetables.
- Large skillet: A 10.25″ skillet will work fine. I do like my Le Creuset Skillet in white.
- Casserole: You'll need an oven-proof casserole to bake up the pasta dish. Whatever kind you have on hand that you cook with will work fine.
🍽️ How to make this baked pasta recipe?
Here is how to make this pasta (the full recipe is below!):
- Step 1: It all starts with the eggplants and tomatoes. I cut the eggplant into cubes. Heat the oil in your skillet and once it's shimmering, add in the eggplants. As soon as they soften a little, add in the onion.
- Step 2: Once the onions soften up and become translucent, add in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the fresh basil and stir together. Let the sauce simmer while you cook the pasta.
- San Marzano Dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP Tomatoes are truly the best quality tomatoes.
- The tomatoes are so delicate and so naturally sweet. I used my hands to break them up and they are silky smooth.
It truly smells heavenly while it's all simmering together. While the sauce is cooking, you prep the pasta. You will be cooking it a few minutes under al dente (it will still be cooking up while it bakes in the oven).
- Step 3: Once the pasta is cooked (it will be chewy), add it to a bowl and stir in the eggplant sauce. You may have some extra leftover. I used a whole pound of pasta. We did have leftovers.
- Step 4: Add in some of the cheese (I used a vegan mozzarella shredded cheese). Add the pasta and sauce to your baking dish.
- Step 5: Sprinkle some more cheese on top and bake according to the recipe below.
📃 NOTE: Recipe card with detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!
What to serve with baked pasta with eggplant?
The pasta is very filling on its own. You could serve it also with roasted vegetable, side dish, salad, or bread.
- Insalata mista >>> A simple Italian salad like this one goes great with this baked pasta!
- Panzanella Toscana >>> A really flavorful dish is this delectable Tuscan salad! So easy to make!
- Crusty bread >>> A really great homemade bread that has the best crust. Or try this super easy psomi spitiko Greek bread. It goes very nicely with a simple salad.
- Rosemary and caramelized onion focaccia recipe: An easy focaccia like this one is also very nice to serve with the pasta.
- If you want a twist on one-dish meals, check out this Ninja Foodi Pasta Bake for a different yet easy dinner
- If you want another baked pasta recipe, try this Baked Spaghetti recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Don't forget to salt the pasta water. About 1½ tablespoons of salt per pound of pasta in 3-4 quarts of water, adjust for smaller batches and remember the sauce adds salt too.
- Cook the pasta under al dente. It finishes cooking in the oven, so pulling it 2-3 minutes early keeps it from turning mushy.
- Splurge on good olive oil. You only use a little, so it's worth using a great one, you'll taste the difference.
- Don't skip resting before serving. 10 minutes lets the layers set so it slices cleanly instead of falling apart.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet, or in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, until heated through.
To freeze, let the baked pasta cool completely, then freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months (you can freeze the whole dish or individual portions). You can also assemble the casserole ahead and freeze it unbaked, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed. Thaw baked leftovers in the fridge overnight, then reheat covered in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Some other eggplant recipes you'll love:
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📖 Recipe
Baked Pasta with Eggplants and Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or another short pasta
- 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium eggplant diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1-28 ounce can San Marzano Dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP Tomatoes
- fresh basil leaves to taste, chopped
- 2 cups mozzarella shreds I used vegan shreds
- Nonstick cooking spray for the baking dish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it well, and add the pasta. Cook about 2 minutes less than the package directions, until very al dente, it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the oven: preheat to 400°F.
- Cook the eggplant: in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the eggplant, season with salt, and cook until it starts to soften. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent.
- Add the tomato sauce: stir in the tomatoes and basil. Season with the remaining salt and pepper and stir to combine. Let simmer while you finish the pasta.
- Prep the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or a little olive oil.
- Combine the pasta and sauce in a large bowl, then stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella.
- Spoon the pasta into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and drizzle with the last of the olive oil.
- Set the casserole on a baking sheet (makes it much easier to move in and out of the oven). Cover with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling and the mozzarella is melting.
- Remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes, until lightly crusty on top. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
-
- Pasta: penne or whatever short pasta you have on hand; cook it under al dente since it finishes in the oven.
- Salt the pasta water, about 1½ tablespoons per pound of pasta, adjusting to taste.
- Tomatoes: San Marzano Dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP are ideal, but any good quality brand you have on hand works.
- Olive oil: use the best quality you're willing to splurge on, it makes a real difference in the final flavor.
- Storage: fridge up to 3-4 days, or freeze up to 3 months (see Storage and Freezing above).
Nutrition
FAQs
What is eggplant pasta bake?
It's a baked pasta casserole made with sautéed eggplant, a tomato-based sauce, and pasta, layered with mozzarella and baked until bubbly and golden, similar in spirit to baked ziti, but built around eggplant instead of just meat sauce.
Does eggplant need to be soaked before baking?
No, it's not necessary. Some prefer to salt (not soak) it to draw out bitterness and moisture, which can improve the texture, but it's an optional step, not a required one.
Do I need to salt or peel eggplant before cooking it?
Not for this recipe. Japanese eggplant, used here, is naturally a little sweeter and doesn't need salting. You can leave the skin on, it helps the pieces hold their shape as they cook, though you can peel it if you prefer the texture without it.
How do you cook eggplant without it getting soggy?
Salt the pieces beforehand if you're worried about moisture, cook over fairly high heat, and avoid overcrowding the pan, giving the eggplant room to caramelize instead of steam.
Do you cover baked pasta while it bakes?
Yes, typically for most of the bake, to keep it from drying out or burning on top. Removing the foil for the last 10-15 minutes lets the top turn golden and a little crisp.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes, the sauce itself is naturally gluten-free, just swap in your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Can you freeze baked eggplant pasta?
Yes. Freeze it baked and fully cooled for up to 3 months, or assemble it unbaked and freeze before cooking, thawing overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
How much salt should I use for pasta water?
About 1½ tablespoons per pound of pasta in 3-4 quarts of water, scale down proportionally for a smaller batch, and keep in mind the sauce will add more salt too.
Wonderful baked pasta recipe. Really enjoyed the flavors in the sauce!