Creamy Eggplant Pasta
This creamy eggplant pasta turns the humble eggplant into a rich, velvety sauce, with the entire dish coming together in about half an hour. And yet, it tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.
Having a baby made me realize how much I appreciate simple recipes. Ideally, something that doesn’t require a lot of chopping, cooks in one pan, and needs very little advance planning.
This creamy eggplant pasta fits the brief almost exactly. Okay, I’ll admit it’s a two-pan wonder, but that’s still super convenient! As always, this recipe is also fully plant-based and full of whole foods.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- How do you make a creamy pasta without using dairy? Believe it or not, this creamy eggplant pasta is proof that it’s possible to make an indulgent creamy pasta sauce while keeping the dish vegan.
- This recipe takes about half an hour including prep time because pasta and sauce cook side by side. And yet it tastes as though you slowly simmered the sauce for hours.
- A great way to use eggplant, even for people who don’t usually love it.
- Beetween eggplant, tomatoes, pasta, and seasonings, you get quite a variety of different plants in a single meal.
Key Ingredients
- Eggplant cooks until soft, creating the foundation of the sauce.
- Tomatoes add natural sweetness to balance the earthy eggplant flavor.
- Vegan cream cheese makes the sauce extra velvety and smooth.
- Garlic and herbs build layers of savory flavor with very little effort or expense.
- Nutritional yeast adds a subtle cheesy finish.
- Pasta (I recommend fettuccine) acts as the perfect vehicle to transport the sauce to your mouth.
Hack It!
- Use penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti instead of fettuccine if that’s what you have.
- Cooking veggies in the pan is quicker but you are welcome to roast them in the oven or air fryer for an even deeper flavor.
- Gluten-free? Swap wheat pasta for rice or lentil pasta.
- Add spinach or kale during the final minute of cooking to boost the nutrient count even more and add a splash of color.
- For extra protein, you can serve some crispy tofu cubes or edamame on the side.
- If you local stores don’t carry vegan cream cheese, whip up a batch of tofu cream. It’s delicious, I promise!
How to Make Creamy Eggplant Pasta
Step 1: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain it, reserving at least one cup of the pasta water.
Step 2: In the meantime, heat a large skillet with a lid over medium heat and drizzle olive oil across the bottom of the pan.
Once it’s hot, add the sliced eggplant cut side down, along with the whole tomatoes and garlic to the pan.
Step 3: Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and allow the eggplant and tomatoes to steam for 10 minutes. Once you remove the lid, you should be able to carefully peel the eggplant and tomatoes, discarding the skin.
Step 4: Once the skin is removed, carefully use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash the eggplant, tomatoes and garlic into a thick sauce. At this time, add the tomato paste, vegan cream cheese, and spices.
Step 5: Stir until combined and warmed through. Now add the pasta and the pasta water and toss.
Step 6: Finish with vegan parmesan and more salt and pepper as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The sauce actually develops even more flavor overnight. Store it separately from the pasta if possible and mix together when you reheat.
Yes. Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months, then cook fresh pasta when you’re ready to serve.
Ideally, yes. The steaming method makes the skin easy to remove, but if a few pieces remain, that’s perfectly fine.
Whatever you have access to is great!
More Plant-Based Pasta Recipes
- Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Orzo
- Vegan Pasta and Meatball Bake
- Spicy Pasta Salad
- Easy Vegan Alfredo Pasta
- One Pot Creamy Pasta
Whether you’re a parent, a full-time student, a workaholic, or just a reluctant cook, recipes like this are a life saver! And speaking of my third book, PlantYou Quickies is full of vegan recipes that are quick and convenient, with allergy swaps throughout. PRE-ORDER NOW and get access to amazing freebies as a thank you from me!
The Recipe: Creamy Eggplant Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 375 gram fettuccine
- 2 vine tomatoes
- 1 small eggplant, sliced in half
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5.5 oz tomato paste, one small can
- 1 heaping scoop vegan cream cheese
- pasta water, to thin
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Black pepper, to taste
- vegan parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving at least one cup of the pasta water.
- In the meantime, heat a large skillet with a lid over medium heat and drizzle olive oil across the bottom of the pan.
- Once the pan is warm, add the sliced eggplant cut side down, along with the whole tomatoes and garlic to the pan. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and allow the eggplant and tomatoes to steam for 10 minutes. Once you remove the lid, you should be able to carefully peel the eggplant and tomatoes, discarding the skin.
- Once the skin is removed, carefully use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash the eggplant, tomatoes and garlic into a thick sauce. At this time, add the tomato paste and spices. Stir until combined and warmed through.
- Now add the pasta and the pasta water and toss. Finish with vegan parmesan and more salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
- Use penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti instead of fettuccine if that’s what you have.
- Cooking veggies in the pan is quicker but you are welcome to roast them in the oven or air fryer for an even deeper flavor.
- Gluten-free? Swap wheat pasta for rice or lentil pasta.
- Add spinach or kale during the final minute of cooking to boost the nutrient count even more and add a splash of color.
- For extra protein, you can serve some crispy tofu cubes or edamame on the side.
- If you local stores don’t carry vegan cream cheese, whip up a batch of tofu cream. It’s delicious, I promise!
