The key to cooking eggplant is to pre-salt and let your eggplant sweat before cooking it. Doing this extra step results in perfectly tender delicious eggplant every time.
Inspired by iconic Sicilian Pasta alla Norma, this Spicy Eggplant Pasta recipe is especially foolproof thanks to 2 flavor-boosting shortcuts: Eggplant: Rather than sautéing eggplant on the stovetop to build the spicy eggplant pasta sauce, I prefer to roast it in a super hot oven, a completely hands-off approach that results in perfectly crispy & browned eggplant. Sauce: While pasta alla Norma’s spicy tomato sauce is traditionally made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, chilies, & oregano, I like to start with my favorite light & fresh jarred marinara sauce, quickly zhuzhing it up with garlic & red pepper flake-infused olive oil. This semi-homemade approach gives you the best of both worlds – the convenience of store-bought sauce + a good punch of fresh aromatic flavor! Simply toss it all together with your favorite pasta, fresh basil, & grated parmesan cheese for a meatless pasta dinner that's light & fresh but also super satisfying. Everything there is to love about pasta alla Norma, in 45 minutes or less! ♡ Happy cooking!
The key to cooking eggplant is to pre-salt and let your eggplant sweat before cooking it. Doing this extra step results in perfectly tender delicious eggplant every time.
At first, whenever someone says vegan food all I can picture is a bowl of oatmeal. Lots of peanut butter, seeds and chopped fruits. It then expands to mashed avocadoes on slices of 12-grain (or some other - who’s counting?) bread. Add sprouts to that. Maybe cheese made of cashew and nutritional yeast. Perhaps tofu - the whole shebang. It rarely translates itself to me as a normal bowl of pasta, with lots of flavourful, easy to get fresh vegetables. For someone who lives in a third world country where vegan products barely make it to the shelves, recipes like this are pretty much Godsend. If you’re a student trying to live off a budget, this one should be calling out to you too. Have no worries if you don’t have an oven, you can just pat the eggplant slices dry and use a bit of oil in a skillet to pan-roast them. I’m also including a recipe for homemade vegan linguine, just in case. SPICY VEGAN EGGPLANT PASTA (recipe from Food52, serves 4) [ 2 medium eggplants + 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided + 1 medium onion or 4 shallots,chopped + 2 cloves garlic, minced + 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes or one 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes + 1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano + 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus extra for finishing + 1/4 cup fresh, chopped basil, plus extra for finishing + 1 pound (vegan) linguine pasta ] Cut the eggplants crosswise into 1-inch thick slices. Lay the slices on a baking sheet, salt them well on both sides, and set aside for half an hour or so. Preheat the oven to 425° Farenheit. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil over the eggplant, tossing the slices to coat them. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheets and roast them until they’re tender and browning, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, heat the oil in a skillet and fry the eggplants. If you’re working in two batches, use 1 tablespoon per batch. While the eggplant roasts, heat remaining tablespoon of the olive oil on low heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions and the minced garlic and sautée them until onions are soft. Add the tomatoes, oregano, pepper flakes, and basil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, till the sauce has thickened up. When the eggplant is ready, remove it from the oven, chop it into 1-inch pieces, and add it to the sauce. Continue to simmer gently on very low heat. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and gently fold in the sauce. Top the pasta with additional chopped basil and red pepper flakes to taste. Enjoy!
Pasta Night – Best Night! Heartwarming Pasta Alla Norma from @dennistheprescott, features San Marzano-Style Tomatoes, spicy sausage, and eggplant with cavatappi pasta. Super easy and crazy delicious!
The spicy eggplant recipe is hearty, satisfying, and easy to whip up–even on a weeknight. It's as crowd pleasing as it is vegetarian friendly.
Spicy Jamaican jerk spiced grilled eggplant! Ready in 30 minutes, incredibly flavorful, and the perfect plant-based side dish!
This spicy eggplant gratin is similar to Eggplant Parmesan, but the eggplant is baked, not fried. Made with a spicy tomato sauce and smoked mozzarella, this spicy eggplant gratin is a perfect side dish for any main course. Of course, this could even be the main course!
A quick and easy weeknight tomato sauce recipe for pasta, pizza, lasagna, eggplant parm, with garlic and spicy chile flakes from Heidi Swanson.
Rich and comforting, this orecchiette with pork ragu is layered with lots of flavor and texture—it's everything one craves in a bowl of homemade pasta!
This spicy eggplant stir fry is an easy, flavorful side dish that is great for dinner. Feel free to adjust the amount of spice specified below to suit your taste. This recipe uses doubanjiang, which is a fermented bean sauce made with fava beans. There is a style of doubanjiang called Pixian doubanjiang, which is usually fermented for a longer period. That style of doubanjiang can be a bit more salty, so salt the dish according to your tastes. For pan-frying or air-frying directions, see notes.
My garden is overflowing with fresh tomatoes and eggplant toward the end of summer, so I was thinking of ways that those ingredients were used in the old country. A hearty gravy (what it's called in Sicily) for pasta is just the ticket. You can add meat or sprinkle it with Parmesan if you'd like, but it is good on its own. It also freezes well. —Teri Schloessmann, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Just as indulgent as the original, our un-fried eggplant is smothered in layers of sauce and cheese. If you’re not a fan of heat, omit or reduce the red pepper flakes.
Looking for a quick and easy dish that's packed with flavor? Try this spicy stir-fried eggplant noodles recipe for a satisfying weeknight meal
An eggplant biryani with chunks of eggplant (brinjal or aubergine) and potato simmered in a spicy, creamy sauce with fresh herbs like dill, cilantro and mint, then smothered with aromatic grains of basmati rice. It's an easy recipe that's also gluten-free, soy-free and vegan, and it can easily be made nut-free. Serve with a vegan cucumber raita on the side for an exquisite Indian themed dinner.
Looking for a super quick and comforting dinner? A quickie pasta with all the freshness is a great way to eat your veggies!
This rich, spicy chickpea stew with tender eggplant and tomatoes is infused with harissa, smoked paprika, citrus, and fresh mint!