This 30-minute Eggplant Tomato Pasta is the best meatless pasta recipe for the summer. Make this recipe as a main dish or side dish for effortless entertaining, or a veggie-packed weeknight meal.
It's packed with fresh flavors and only uses 13 ingredients from the pantry and fridge.
As a professional recipe developer, I’m always looking for ways to turn seasonal produce into pasta dishes that feel effortless AND flavorful. Italian-style homemade pasta is easier to make than you think.
In recipes like my Ravioli with Fresh Tomatoes and Spinach and Herbed Vegetable Pasta with Artichokes all you need are fresh vegetables, a simple sauce, and pasta!
Why you'll love this recipe
This Eggplant Tomato Pasta recipe came to life during one of those summer months when eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and shallots were practically tumbling off farmers market tables.
I quickly sautéed the veggies in a nonstick skillet to build rich, savory depth without hours of simmering.
Then, using my cooking know-how, I blended half the sautéed vegetables with olive oil and lemon juice to create a silky, flavor-packed sauce that clings to the pasta and lets every ingredient shine.
It’s the kind of stovetop dinner I find myself craving when the weather is warm and the produce is too good to pass up.
More reasons you'll fall in love with this summer pasta:
- Minimal ingredients: This veggie-packed pasta dish only needs a few seasonings, fresh veggies, ricotta cheese, and pasta. It's really easy to make.
- Versatile: No need to rush out to buy a specific type of pasta -- you can use whatever noodles you have on hand. I used casarecce (it has an artisanal rolled shape), but conchiglie, orecchiette, fusilli, and cavatappi all work well.
- Easy clean up: You'll only need two pans to make this naturally vegetarian dish: a pot for the pasta and a non-stick skillet for the veggies and sauce. Easy-peasy!
- Great main dish or side dish: This meatless pasta makes a lot and can be used as a main dish or side. It's a real crowd-pleaser!
Jump to:
I'm usually not crazy about eggplant but now I'm eating my words...or eggplant! This truly is a fantastic one-pot dinner and is so easy. I like the fact that I can use a variety of veggies!
- Mary
Ingredients and Substitutions
Let's get started! Here's what you should know about the ingredients. See recipe card for quantities.
- Whole milk ricotta: you can use part-skim if you'd like.
- Chopped fresh basil: This recipe benefits from fresh herbs. If you can't find fresh basil, use parsley.
- Ground black pepper
- Uncooked pasta: Use a pasta that holds sauce well. I'd recommend casarecce, conchiglie, orecchiette, fusilli, and cavatappi.
- Olive oil
- Shallots: Make sure to peel the shallots and slice them from root to tip in thin slices. You can use red onion in place of the shallots if you'd like.
- Minced garlic
- Diced eggplant: You'll need about 3 cups of diced eggplant. Usually, 1 large eggplant is all you'll need.
- Kosher salt
- Cherry tomatoes: Add just a bit of sweetness to the sauce. It's best to slice them in half.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens all the flavors in the sauce.
- Fresh, cut green beans: For some tender crunch.
- Fresh oregano: For serving. Skip if you don't have it.
How to make eggplant and tomato pasta
Ready to get dinner on the table in the next 30 minutes? Check out these step-by-step instructions to learn how to make this pasta. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Chop, mince, and slice the ingredients you'll need for the sauce. Set aside.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, chopped basil, and ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Step 3: Cook pasta according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Step 4: Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic, cooking until just soft, 2 minutes.
- Step 5: Add eggplant, half of the tomatoes, salt, and olive oil.
- Step 6: Cook and stir occasionally until eggplant browns and softens, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Step 7: Transfer half the veggie mix to a blender with remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
- Step 8: Blend until smooth.
- Step 9: Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet.
- Step 10: Turn heat to medium, add remaining tomatoes and green beans, and cook veggies to desired tenderness, at least 1 minute.
Tara's top tips
- Cook pasta to al dente: The phrase al dente is Italian for "to the teeth". It's a cooking term that defines the texture of perfectly cooked pasta. It means that the pasta should be soft enough to bite into but still retain firmness (not mushy). Al dente pasta will absorb some of the tomato sauce, making it flavorful as well.
- Make homemade veggie marinara: You don't have to make a separate sauce for eggplant pasta. Just blend some of the cooked veggies to make your own sauce from scratch! You won't believe the flavor.
- Brown the eggplant: To prevent watery eggplant, its important to sauté it long enough for the outside to start browning. This cooking process allows some of the excess water to cook off so that the eggplant retains a soft bite without becoming mushy.
Variations
This recipe is naturally vegetarian, but you can change it up to meet your personal preferences. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Gluten-free - Use a gluten-free pasta to fit your dietary needs!
- Other veggies - Try swapping zucchini for the eggplant for a delicious variation. Or add some summer squash and peas.
- Different cheese: I like serving this pasta with a creamy cheese on top. If you don't like ricotta, you could replace it with cottage cheese. Or, make this recipe dairy-free by using your favorite vegan ricotta cheese.
- Add protein - Mix in your favorite protein like grilled chicken or chopped ham to make the pasta more filling.
Equipment
Blender: I use my Vitamix blender to get the sauce extra smooth, but you can also use a food processor or your regular blender.
Nonstick cookware: I love Circulon pans because the raised circles allow food to release from the bottom of the pan much easier than a flat, smooth surface. This is a great skillet for this pasta recipe.
Large stockpot: This is a fantastic stockpot for cooking pasta, soups, and stews.
Make-ahead and storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store the ricotta cream separately if you'd like.
Reheat chilled pasta with a little water to add moisture to the sauce and top with ricotta.
If you want to make this ahead, just prep the ingredients. You can cook the pasta ahead, and cut up all the vegetables.
FAQ
I say just about any veggie! Well, let's be honest, tomatoes are a shoe in. The soft nuttiness of eggplant with acidic tomatoes is just perfect. I also like green beans with eggplant because they offer a nice contrast in texture. I'd also recommend pairing eggplant with zucchini, summer squash, and peas.
When it comes to seasoning, basil and oregano pair beautifully with eggplant.
You might feel intimidated about making a homemade marinara sauce, but it's much easier than you'd expect. It's also a great way to add extra veggies to your diet. You can make a quick tomato and eggplant sauce by cooking shallots, garlic, tomatoes and eggplant until just soft, then blending with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice for a rich and savory veggie marinara!
In this recipe we sauté the eggplant until it starts to turn golden brown in parts. This cooking process allows excess moisture to cook out and evaporate quickly so the diced eggplant is no longer watery in the pasta.
More easy pasta recipes
Looking for more flavorful pasta dishes? Try these beloved classics:
Rate this recipe! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scroll to the bottom of the page to rate and comment on this recipe. Leaving comments, questions, and ratings helps other too!
📖 Recipe
Eggplant Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ pound uncooked pasta
- 5 tablespoons olive oil (DIVIDED)
- 2 shallots (peeled and sliced root to tip)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups diced eggplant (from 1 large eggplant)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (DIVIDED)
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)
- 1½ cups fresh green beans (cut into bite-size pieces)
- Fresh oregano (for garnish)
Instructions
- Mix together ricotta, chopped basil, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Cook pasta in a stockpot covered with salted water until just al dente. Drain; set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallots and garlic, and cook until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add eggplant, half the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is browning and getting soft, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Transfer half the veggie mixture to a blender with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt, and blend until smooth. Transfer back to the skillet.
- Turn heat to medium, add green beans and remaining fresh tomatoes, and cook until just heated through, about 2 minutes. (Let cook longer for softer green beans.) Serve immediately, topped with ricotta and garnished with extra basil and oregano.
Notes
Nutrition
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Mary Bench says
I'm usually not crazy about eggplant but now I'm eating my words...or eggplant! This truly is a fantastic one-pot dinner and is so easy. I like the fact that I can use a variety of veggies!
Tara says
Yay! A convert! It's not overpowering and so healthy!
Kiki Johnson says
I love me some eggplants and in this recipes I'm sure even my hubby would eat them without complaints! he's obsessed with Italian food! This dish looks perfect for end of summer and I cannot wait to try it once my garden tomatoes are ripe!
Martyn says
I don't really eat pasta much but I think i'll have to give this recipe a go. I really like the look of it and the instructions are nice and detailed. Thank you!
Brittany Smart says
Okay this looks AMAZING. Wow. Substitute some gluten free noodles and I think this just became my dinner for tonight!
Kelly Anthony says
We have homegrown eggplant in the fridge that is just begging to go in this pasta dish! Can't wait to try 🙂 Looks spectacular!!!
aditi bahl says
I really like eggplant and look forward to trying new recipes to have more of it on my menu. Your recipe sounds so perfect and looks delicious.Thanks for sharing . I will try this soon.
Jenni LeBaron says
This dish is so gorgeous! I wouldn't miss any leat given that there are such gorgeous tomatoes and eggplant in this pasta dish.
Sri Mallya says
This looks fantastic. I am totally in love with combo you have used. Just can't wait to try this out!
Pearl Rodrigues says
Eggplant, ricotta, tomatoes... so many good things in one dish has to make this pasta super delicious
It's definitely a dish my family would enjoy !!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
I have never made anything with eggplant before, but this looks SO GOOD!! I have got to buy some sometime!
Sharon says
This is a lovely side dish for summer. I love the ricotta topping and fresh basil.
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
This sounds delicious and I'm absolutely in love with your photos! That blue background is the perfect backdrop for those bright tomatoes. Love it!
Jessica Pinney says
Wow, what a BEAUTIFUL dish! Looks like the perfect Summer dinner to me!
Tessa says
I love me some vegetable pasta dishes! I've never thought to throw in ricotta!
Wells Montague says
I tried and after cooking eggplant for just three minutes it was very hard. I had to cook for upwards of 20 minutes. Also, fresh green beans for only one minute left them non edible. I am assuming there is some additional prep for the veggies that was not mentioned in. The recipe?
Tara Teaspoon says
There are a lot of variables with this. I tested this recipe over a gas stove using a large 12" skillet. If you have an electric stove, you would need to cook the ingredients for longer since the heat isn't as intense. If you used a smaller skillet, there would not be as much heat distribution, so that would require a longer cooking time. My diced eggplant pieces were 1/2" to 1" in size, if yours were bigger they would also need more cooking time as well. If you like your green beans softer, you made the right choice in cooking them longer. I like mine with a little snap. Thanks for trying the recipe, I hope you enjoyed the flavors.
Tara