Description
A vibrant pasta dish featuring sautéed eggplant, garlic, and a spicy kick from crushed red pepper, perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium eggplant, cubed
- 8 ounces spaghetti or penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 can (28 ounces) San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cube the eggplant into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse away the salt and pat the eggplant dry.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant in batches and cook until golden brown and tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Lower the heat, add minced garlic and crushed red pepper, sautéing until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and allow to thicken for about 10 minutes.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and toss it into the skillet with the eggplant mixture. Add a splash of pasta water if needed.
- Finish with fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
For gluten-free options, substitute pasta with gluten-free pasta and eggplant can be replaced with tofu.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: eggplant, pasta, spicy, vegetarian, Italian, summer dish