Eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta

Total Time: 25 minutes

4.57 from 149 votes

Eggplant and sun-dried tomato pasta with ricotta. Who can refuse a hot, creamy bowl of pasta, loaded with veggies and cheese?
This pasta with sautéed eggplant and sun dried tomatoes coated with a creamy sauce makes for a satisfying vegetarian dinner, and can be thrown together in about 20 minutes. A deliciously simple veggie pasta for a perfect weeknight meal.

Eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta

Why this recipe works

Ricotta cheese perfectly melts into the tomato sauce and coats every single pasta bite. It’s a fantastic alternative to the tomato sauce classic. It’s minimal. It’s light, loaded with veggies and with just the right balance of flavors and textures.

It is simplicity at its finest: just pasta, a deeply flavored tomato sauce with eggplant and sun dried tomatoes, and a creaminess that cuts the tang of tomato sauce.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.

eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta

Helpful tips

  • For the best result, dice the eggplant very finely. This way, you won’t end up with large uncooked chunks.
  • This dish can totally stand on its own as a meal. But if you’re looking for something to round this out into a more multi-dimensional meal or impress friends with a full blown dinner party, you could add a salad, grilled chicken, bread…
  • Or sauté the eggplant together with some ground pork or pancetta.

How to store pasta with ricotta sauce

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

Eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta

More easy pasta dishes, please!

eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta
4.6 from 149 votes

Eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta

Sautéed eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes in a luscious ricotta sauce with pasta. This satisfying vegetarian dinner is ready in about 20 minutes—a deliciously simple option for a perfect weeknight meal.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 25 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 672

Ingredients 
 

  • 9 ounces pasta
  • 1 eggplant - finely diced
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil - drained, oil reserved
  • 1 shallot - finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 cup puréed tomatoes
  • 5 ounces ricotta
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt - to taste
  • black pepper - to taste

Instructions 

  • Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
  • Heat 5 tbsp oil from the sun dried tomatoes in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add eggplant, sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes with their remaining oil. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomato puree and bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes. Season with chili flakes, paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the ricotta and pasta. If needed, add a big splash of the reserved cooking water. Stir so everything is well-coated, and cook until heated through and the flavors melt, for about 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt.
  • Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 672kcalCarbohydrates: 115gProtein: 28gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 966mgFiber: 12gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 862IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 209mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was below!


Comments

64 responses to “Eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta”

  1. 5 stars
    It’s very tasty!

    1. Thanks Violeta!

  2. ZOE Avatar
    ZOE

    5 stars
    This was delicious! A keeper!

    1. Thanks so much Zoe!

  3. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    5 stars
    So good! A new regular for us.

    1. So happy to hear this! Thanks Michael!

  4. Jackie Clonan Avatar
    Jackie Clonan

    5 stars
    Delicious❣️Love sun dried tomatoes & eggplant. Good combo. I used Penne. Only suggestion — I would have people cut the tomatoes up — a little too strong for in-Italian people like my hubby. I made my own last year growing Roma’s & putting in oil.

    1. Love hearing this! Thank you for making!

  5. Beth Avatar
    Beth

    Is that parsley or basil you’ve garnished with on top?

    Can’t wait to make!

    1. hi, it’s flat parsley. Hope you love it!

  6. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    5 stars
    Another keeper!

    1. Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for making it!

  7. Siya Avatar
    Siya

    5 stars
    my hsband says i wnt like it lol but i find it pretty cool to look at yummy wowowowowowoow

  8. Hatty Avatar
    Hatty

    Is that fresh pasta? 250g seems like a lot of dried pasta. Thanks in advance

    1. Hi, I used dry pasta, but you can easily use less. Hope you love this recipe!

    2. Lance Avatar
      Lance

      I would say that 250g dry pasta for two people is the correct amount for a main course dish.
      Naturally, if you are providing starters and sweet it can be reduced somewhat.

  9. Sami S Avatar
    Sami S

    5 stars
    FINALLY found a way to eat egg plant!!! Bury it in pasta and cheese 😂
    Made this last night and it is a keeper 🙌

    1. Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that Sami!

  10. notsoevil recepti Avatar
    notsoevil recepti

    5 stars
    Perfect recipe, thanks a lot! :)

    1. Excellent! Thanks!

  11. Liz B Avatar
    Liz B

    5 stars
    I swapped ricotta for torn up tofu to make this a vegan dish and my husband loved it! It was very mild and tasty!

    1. Amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  12. Marta Avatar
    Marta

    5 stars
    I just love, love, love your recipes!

    1. Thank you, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!

  13. Kajuana Hines Avatar
    Kajuana Hines

    5 stars
    Made this twice in the past 8 months. second time added chicken. Sooooo good.

    1. Yay!! Thanks so much Kajuana!

  14. Katya Avatar
    Katya

    5 stars
    So delicious!! Absolutely making this again… for company next time. 😊

    1. It makes me so happy to hear that. Thanks Katya!

  15. Catherine Portsmouth Avatar
    Catherine Portsmouth

    5 stars
    So delicious! I love eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes, and what a fantastic way to combine them. Regarding the 2 servings: I used 250g of rigatoni – which made WAY beyond what my daughter and I could eat in one sitting. It’s the only thing we had for dinner, and there’s easily 4 servings left. The leftovers filled a 2.2 qt dish to the brim!

  16. Catherine Portsmouth Avatar
    Catherine Portsmouth

    5 stars
    So delicious! I love eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes, and what a great way to combine them. Regarding the 2 servings: I used 250g of rigatoni – which made WAY beyond what my daughter and I could eat in one sitting. It’s the only thing we had for dinner, and there’s easily 4 servings left. The leftovers filled a 2.2 qt dish to the brim!

    1. Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! Enjoy the leftovers!

  17. Meri Schroeder Avatar
    Meri Schroeder

    4 stars
    I was given a few eggplants so used two to make and double this recipe. I’m primarily dairy free, and my daughter is plant based, so I didn’t use ricotta. I did add spinach, pine nuts and capers. Good recipe! This fed 8 people with doubling and there was still a ton left over. So one recipe would probably serve 6-8 people.

    1. Thank you Meri! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  18. Suzy Avatar
    Suzy

    5 stars
    I’m sorry, but how many ounces of pasta in this recipe? One conversion chart says 250 gr of dry pasta is 8 ozs., and another says it’s 20 ozs. Very confusing.

    1. Hi Suzy, it’s 9 ounces. Happy cooking!

  19. This looks so good! What a great weeknight comfort food dish!

  20. Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

    1. You can keep the leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Happy cooking!

  21. Jim Pirzas Avatar
    Jim Pirzas

    5 stars
    An easy to follow recipe. Shallots, garlic, sundried tomatoes ? Whole family loved it. I stuck to the recipe with no substitutions. Smoked paprika too. Making it right now for the second time.

    1. Thanks Jim! It makes me so happy to hear that!

  22. Bethany Young Avatar
    Bethany Young

    5 stars
    Made this several times – first time just for myself and then the second time for a group of 10 people! They all loved it and was quite easy to upscale! Quick and highly tasty, will definitely keep making!

    1. Thank you Bethany! I’m so happy to hear that!

  23. Dee Avatar
    Dee

    5 stars
    Delicious! I made this for a dinner party. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes. Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya

    1. You’re welcome Dee! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Greetings! x

  24. Alyssa Avatar
    Alyssa

    5 stars
    Absolutely, delicious! I cut the recipe in half and have plenty for at least three meals (it’s just me). I cut up the eggplant earlier and made the cook time a breeze!

    1. Hi Alyssa! Thank you for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!

  25. Cher Avatar
    Cher

    Do you peel the eggplant?

    1. Hi Cher, eggplant skin is edible and contains nutrients and fiber. There’s no need to peel the eggplant, it will become tender after sautéing. The skin will soften and blend into the sauce, adding a slightly chewy texture. However, if you prefer to peel the eggplant for a smoother sauce without any chewy bits, go for it! Enjoy the recipe!

  26. Amelie Avatar
    Amelie

    5 stars
    This was a fantastic dish for using up some leftover ingredients + fresh CSA veggies; it comes together so easy and will be one of my go-tos for eggplant season from now on. It’s great with a bit of fresh oregano added.

    1. Hi Amelie, thank you for your comment. It makes me so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!

  27. Katherine Richardson Avatar
    Katherine Richardson

    Can I replace the egg-Kant for zucchini instead? If so, how would I do this. I am not familiar with cooking with zucchini or eggplant. Thank you in advance. I’m looking forward to making this and adding a protein, maybe a sausage of sorts or even chicken not sure but your input would be greatly appreciated.

    1. Hi Katherine, you can easily substitute the eggplant with zucchini and prepare it following the same instructions as you would for the eggplant. Additionally, you can enhance the protein by including options such as chicken, rotisserie chicken, Italian sausage, or shrimp.
      Please let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy the recipe, and I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!

  28. Thandie Avatar
    Thandie

    5 stars
    Quick and easy recipe to follow. My family thoroughly enjoyed it!

    1. It makes me so happy to hear that Thandie!

  29. Christine Avatar
    Christine

    Look delish! What can i substitute with rigatoni?

    1. Hi Christine, you can try it with ziti, penne, any pasta with ridges or one that has a spiral shape. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy the recipe!

  30. Brigitte Avatar
    Brigitte

    4 stars
    In my family’s humble opinion – this was very average. The recipe was a little bland and it was a lot of work to cut the eggplant in tiny cubes. This is not one that we will make again.

    1. Hi Brigitte, I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your feedback! So sorry this took longer than expected to prepare.

  31. Caitlin J Avatar
    Caitlin J

    Any recommendations to make this vegan?

    1. Hi, you can use vegan ricotta, silky tofu or cashew cheese. Enjoy the recipe!

  32. nunu Avatar
    nunu

    5 stars
    I wouldn’t have normally made this, but I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand. I tossed in some fresh basil, oregano and parsley. Wow!

    1. So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for giving this recipe a try!

  33. Alicia Avatar
    Alicia

    2 stars
    I felt it was pretty bland, depended on the flavor of the sun dried tomatoes. Next time I will roast and season the eggplant beforehand to bring out that flavor- it was fairly under cooked per the recipe’s instructions and add additional seasoning in general- basically revamp the whole thing.

    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Alicia! I’m sorry it didn’t hit the flavor mark for you.

4.57 from 149 votes (124 ratings without comment)

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