Eggplant Tomato Pasta (Viral Instagram Recipe)
-
Prep Time5 mins.
-
Cook Time30 mins.
-
Serving6
-
Ready In35 mins.
Eggplant Tomato Pasta is a simple, creamy, and delicious vegetarian pasta recipe that I first came across on Instagram, where it was being shared by several creators and had completely gone viral. I believe it may have originally been shared by a Turkish creator, but I’m not sure who the original creator was, so I don’t want to incorrectly credit someone.
What I do know is that I’ve made this pasta five times now, and my family absolutely loves it! Even my brother, who normally does not like eggplant, ate an entire bowl without realizing there was eggplant in it.
That’s probably my favorite thing about this recipe, that it doesn’t have a strong eggplant flavor. The eggplant becomes incredibly soft and creamy and blends right into the tomatoes, garlic, and sauce. My children love it, my baby loves it, and it has quickly become one of those easy vegetarian family meals that I know everyone will eat.
I’ve made a few changes to the viral version and put my own spin on it based on how my family likes to eat.
What Makes This Eggplant Tomato Pasta So Good?
This recipe actually reminds me a little of Pasta alla Norma, the classic Sicilian pasta dish made with eggplant and tomato. While the preparation and flavors are different, both recipes turn simple eggplant and tomatoes into a delicious pasta sauce.
For my version, I start by adding a generous drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet. I place halved eggplant and tomatoes face-down in the skillet. This time, I also had some very soft cherry tomatoes on hand, so I threw those in too.
We love garlic in our house, so I add quite a lot of fresh garlic. I let everything sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes before adding a little water. The water creates steam, which helps cook the eggplant all the way through and makes it incredibly soft.
I cover the skillet and let everything steam for about 10–15 minutes, checking on it occasionally and adding a little more water if needed.
Once the eggplant and tomatoes are completely soft, I season everything with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a little chili powder or chili flakes if you like some heat.
Then I peel the skins off the tomatoes and eggplant and mash everything together right in the skillet. I add tomato paste, then half-and-half and a little pasta water to create a creamy, silky sauce.
A Flexible Eggplant Pasta: Make It Vegan or Add Protein
Add your favorite pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce. This time I used fettuccine, but you can really use whatever pasta you have on hand.
The original viral version I saw used mozzarella, but this time I used Parmesan and absolutely loved it. You can use whichever cheese you prefer.
You can also easily make this recipe vegan by leaving out the cream and cheese and simply using pasta water to loosen the sauce. It’s still delicious!
And if you want to add some protein, grilled chicken is delicious with it. I’ve made it with grilled chicken thighs, chopped them up, and tossed them into the pasta, and it was so good. You can also use your favorite protein or enjoy it as a simple vegetarian pasta on its own.
This creamy eggplant pasta is packed with vegetables, and makes such an easy family-friendly meal. And if you have someone in your family who insists they “don’t like eggplant,” this might just be the recipe that changes their mind.
STEP 1
STEP 2
Slice the eggplant and tomatoes in half length wise.
Add the garlic and optional chili pepper. Let everything sauté for about 5 minutes.
STEP 3
Add a splash of water to the skillet and cover.
Let the vegetables steam for about 10–15 minutes, checking occasionally and adding a little more water if needed. The eggplant should be very soft and easily pierced with a fork.
STEP 4
Mash the vegetables directly in the skillet until you reach your desired texture. You can leave it a little chunky or mash it until smooth and creamy.
STEP 5
Season with the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. If you like a little heat, add chili pepper or chili flakes to taste.
STEP 6
Stir in the tomato paste, then add the half-and-half and 1 cup of reserved pasta water.
STEP 7
Stir in the Parmesan cheese, or use mozzarella if you prefer. Toss everything together until creamy and well combined.
STEP 8
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss well, making sure the sauce coats every strand. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
STEP 9
Taste one last time and adjust the salt, pepper, or chili to your liking. Serve warm with extra Parmesan on top if desired.
Eggplant Tomato Pasta (Viral Instagram Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 med eggplants
- 3 med tomatoes (or 2 cups cherry tomatoes)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 chili pepper *optional
- 3 tb. olive oil
- 2 tsp. salt (divided)
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¾ cup half n half cream
- 1 lb. pasta
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (or mozzarella)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water, then cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve some of pasta water and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice the eggplant and tomatoes in half length wise.Place the halved eggplants and tomatoes cut-side down in the skillet. Add the garlic and optional chili pepper. Let everything sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add a splash of water to the skillet and cover. Let the vegetables steam for about 10–15 minutes, checking occasionally and adding a little more water if needed. The eggplant should be very soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Carefully peel the skins from the tomatoes and eggplants. Mash the vegetables directly in the skillet until you reach your desired texture. You can leave it a little chunky or mash it until smooth and creamy.
- Season with the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. If you like a little heat, add chili pepper or chili flakes to taste.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add the half-and-half and 1 cup of reserved pasta water. Mix everything together until you have a creamy, flavorful sauce.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese, or use mozzarella if you prefer. Toss everything together until creamy and well combined.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss well, making sure the sauce coats every strand. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Taste one last time and adjust the salt, pepper, or chili to your liking. Serve warm with extra Parmesan on top if desired.
Nutrition
Leave a Review