Eggplant Tomato Pasta with Bacon

Total Time: 40 minutes

5 from 5 votes

Eggplant tomato pasta with bacon. A straightforward pasta dish with sautéed eggplant, smoked bacon and tomato sauce. Topped with halloumi breadcrumbs to wow it up. It might seem trivial, but don’t skip them, they add a crunchy texture and transform this weeknight meal into a real treat.  So grab your knife, this pasta is dead-simple and can be thrown together in about 40 minutes.

Eggplant Tomato Pasta with Bacon

This is how we do it. First we make the halloumi breadcrumbs, then we fry the bacon until golden. We use its rendered fat to start the dish and create a rich, smoky flavor. Next we sauté the eggplant and make the sauce with crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic and smoked paprika. Let everything simmer for no more than 10 minutes, while we cook the pasta.

Just before serving, the pasta and Parmesan are tossed together with some cooking water until melty and delicious. It’s relaxed, easy cooking, but the result is flavorful, hearty, and exactly what you want to cook mid-week.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.

Eggplant Tomato Pasta with Bacon

RECIPE NOTES

  • for the pasta, you can use tortiglioni, gemelli, penne, rigatoni or any other pasta that will hold the sauce
  • if you want to make this sauce vegetarian, just leave out the bacon
  • you can leave out the halloumi breadcrumbs, the pasta will still be delicious

Eggplant Tomato Pasta with Bacon

More pasta, please! 

eggplant tomato pasta with bacon
5 from 5 votes

Eggplant Tomato Pasta with Bacon

Pasta with eggplant, bacon, and tomato sauce, upgraded with halloumi breadcrumbs. This simple yet delicious meal gets a crunchy twist from the breadcrumbs, elevating a basic dish to a delightful treat. Ready in 40 minutes, it's a perfect weeknight indulgence.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 587

Ingredients 
 

  • 7 ounces rigatoni
  • 7 ounces smoked bacon bits
  • 1 eggplant - finely chopped
  • olive oil
  • 1 onion - finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 can (400g/14 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 ounce grated Parmesan
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt - to taste
  • black pepper - to taste
  • 1 ounce grated halloumi
  • 1 ounce panko breadcrumbs

Instructions 

  • Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling generously salted water, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking water.
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Then the panko. Cook, stirring occasionally until the breadcrumbs are toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in halloumi and cook for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer the breadcrumbs onto a plate.
  • In the same pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Add bacon, cook until crispy and golden brown, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan.
  • Add eggplant, cook until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the eggplant starts to get dark brown and add 2 tbsp oil. Stir in garlic and onion, cook for 3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and stir in spices. Season with salt and black pepper. Add parsley, simmer for 10 minutes.
  • When the sauce is ready, stir in bacon and parmesan. Toss with pasta and add ¼ cup cooking water. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  • Serve topped with halloumi breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcalCarbohydrates: 110gProtein: 23gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 501mgPotassium: 1093mgFiber: 13gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1062IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 223mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was below!


Comments

6 responses to “Eggplant Tomato Pasta with Bacon”

  1. Question are your receipts low fat? Or for people who are trying to lose weight?

    1. Hi Kay, my recipes are not specific for a diet, but I always try to include alternatives, suggestions or tips for healthy options. Please let me know if you have any more questions, Anna

  2. Lynn Motloung Avatar
    Lynn Motloung

    5 stars
    My family loved it but I used Chorizo instead of bacon it was the best..

    1. So glad you enjoyed Lynn!

  3. le Chef Ian Avatar
    le Chef Ian

    5 stars
    Hi Anna
    This is brilliant dish.. I left out the halloumi (because I didn’t have any…). A bit long to make. The toasted breadcrumbs make the dish something special.
    le Chef Ian

    1. I am thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a try!

5 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating