One pan wonder meals are a lifesaver on busy nights, aren’t they? In the winter mine tend to be a little heaver and cheese laden for some comfort food. Now that spring is here and the weather is getting nicer, I wanted to make one that was a little lighter and veggie based. The eggplant is the star here with loads of gorgeous spices inspired by my Lebanese heritage. The mint at the end really freshens it up, and there is a little parmesan too since I couldn’t say no to cheese completely!
That was all there was to it! The pasta absorbed the sauce and all of its flavor, and the starchy pasta in turn flavored the sauce. It was a beautiful thing, let me tell you. I sprinkled the fresh mint on top, and then just plated it right from the pan. Marc went nuts for it and so did I. Hope you all enjoy it too! xoxo
The spiced eggplant pasta is such a simple and wonderful vegetarian one pan wonder! It all gets baked to perfection with parmesan and mint on top.
- 1 dash olive oil
- 1 whole eggplant diced small
- 1 whole onion diced small
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jar roasted red peppers drained and diced small
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 1 can diced tomatoes 28 ounces
- 2/3 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 pound medium shells
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint roughly chopped
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Pre-heat the oven to 350 and get out a large skillet with deep sides. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium high heat, then add the eggplant, onion, garlic and roasted red peppers. Let them soften for 5 minutes or so. While they cook, season it all with the salt, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and paprika. Stir it all well. Then stir in the tomato paste and red wine and let the wine cook off for a minute. Finally, pour in the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock. Let the sauce come to a low simmer and stir in the pasta. Sprinkle the parmesan on top and transfer the pan to the oven for it all to bake for about 20 minutes. Take it out and sprinkle the mint on top. Serve immediately right from the pan and enjoy!
I love eggplant, especially for a cozy Italian pasta dish. Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Thanks very much!!
Holy moly this sounds amazing!!! I agree, the cheese is a must-add, to pretty much every dish LOL!
Haha, yes cheese is life!!
Looks yummy and as I told you on FB I love the colours of this dish.
I appreciate that, thanks very much!!
I always struggle with how to cook eggplant – this is a great idea!
Thanks very much, Amanda!!
Hello I’m dying to try this! Do you cook the pasta first or just add it uncooked?
Hello! It’s a one pan wonder, you just add in the pasta and let it simmer in the sauce for a minute before everything gets transferred to the oven to bake!