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    Home » Recipes » Entrées

    Published: Aug 26, 2022 · Modified: Jan 31, 2023 by Gus · This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

    Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce

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    creamy eggplant pasta with tomato ricotta sauce pin 2.
    creamy eggplant pasta with tomato ricotta sauce pin.
    creamy eggplant pasta with tomato ricotta sauce pin 2.
    VNFGF

    Looking for a delicious and easy weeknight meal? This Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce is the perfect solution! The eggplant pairs perfectly with the creamy ricotta sauce and make for a hearty and satisfying dish. Plus, it's ready in 30 minutes - perfect for busy weeknights. Give this recipe a try today!

    creamy eggplant pastta with tomato ricotta sauce folded into curly pasta.
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    We always keep eggplants in our fridge; that's a given. We consume eggplants in all forms, as it is a staple of Italian cuisine. This delicious tomato ricotta pasta is served in almost any Italian restaurant, and everyone loves it for its simplicity; However, eggplant is at its peak during springtime; this dish is consumed year-round. Same thing with the simple asparagus pasta.

    This was inspired by my 3-ingredients pasta sauce on this site and pairs well with this homemade focaccia or Pagnotta bread (Italian bread loaf) and spicy baby onions.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍶 Substitutions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥢 How to serve
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🥡 Storage
    • 💡Top tip
    • 🍝 More pasta recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 🌡️ Food safety
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    🧾 Ingredients

    • Tomato sauce
    • Eggplants
    • Fresh basil
    • Garlic
    • Vegan ricotta cheese (recipe)
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Dry gluten-free pasta

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    🔪 Instructions

    sliced eggplants grilled in the oven of parchment paper.

    Slice the eggplants into about ¼" (½ cm) slices. Drizzle olive oil and salt on top, and place them on parchment paper. Bake them for 15 minutes.

    tomato sauce with garlic and basil in a saucepan.

    Make the sauce by adding a garlic clove, tomato puree, and basil leaves on top of the fresh tomato sauce into a large pot on medium heat. Stir constantly and top with a lid.

    grilled eggplant slices and vegan ricotta added into the tomato sauce in the saucepan.

    Add the grilled eggplant slices and vegan ricotta into the tomato sauce, and start boiling pasta.

    Thick red sauce made with blended tomato and ricotta sauce with vegan ricotta and grilled eggplant.

    Blend the vegetables and ricotta into the pasta sauce with an immersion blender while the pasta cooks for extra creaminess.

    Adjust and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed.

    plate served with plain curly pasta and creamy tomato ricotta sauce on top and garnished with grilled eggplant slices and basil leave.

    Boil the pasta of choice until it is al dente, then strain it reserving some of the starchy pasta water. Then add the pasta into the saucepan if preferred.

    Serve the pasta topped with vegan parmesan cheese.

    Hint: if you want to serve the creamy sauce already mixed with the fresh pasta, use some of the pasta water, adding it ¼ cup at a time while folding in the tomato ricotta sauce.

    🍶 Substitutions

    • Fresh basil - add 2 tablespoons of basil vegan pesto.
    • Tomato sauce - use homemade marinara sauce leftovers, canned tomatoes, or fresh chopped tomatoes. You will have to cook the pasta sauce with ricotta cheese for longer until the tomatoes burst and wait for the sauce to thicken.
    • Vegetarian - use regular ricotta cheese instead of the tofu ricotta. Be aware that tofu is not gluten-free, so you might want to use almond-based ricotta if your dish is 100% gluten-free.
    • Pasta - we use campanelle pasta because we love how the eggplant sauce folds into all its creases, but fusilli, penne, or any other short pasta are great options. Use gluten-free pasta if you have gluten intolerance.

    📖 Variations

    • Spicy - add chili flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish or pepperoncini.
    • Chunky - don't blend the eggplant slices; simply cook them in a skillet or the oven, cut in chunks until goldern-brown, and add them to the sauce halfway.

    Check the ricotta-less version of this recipe on my website! (placeholder for in-content link)

    🥢 How to serve

    You can decide to serve this veganized Sicilian eggplant recipe with the tomato ricotta pasta sauce on top or fold the sauce with the pasta before serving.

    to plates of pasta served, one with the tomato sauce mixed in, and the other one with the tomato sauce on top.

    We usually serve this baked eggplant pasta with ricotta topped with extra grilled, charred eggplant slices, homemade parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil and pair it with focaccia topped with spiced baby onions.

    🍽 Equipment

    Use a non-stick saucepan or large pot to make the sauce.

    To blend the eggplants and vegan ricotta, you can also use a regular blender. I like to use my immersion blender (affiliate link) to do the job directly on the saucepan.

    If using a regular blender (affiliate link), either let the sauce cool down a bit, or hold the top of the blender with a kitchen rag, to prevent the sauce from spilling out of the jar. Use caution.

    🥡 Storage

    Store the tomato ricotta sauce in the fridge for 2-3 days or frozen for several months. Then thaw overnight when ready to use.

    Alternatively, use the microwave or a saucepan in low heat and add a small amount of water to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.

    💡Top tip

    Only stir in the sauce you plan to use for the pasta and store the rest. It is better to add pasta sauce at the moment to the freshly boiled pasta.

    🍝 More pasta recipes

    Try out the pasta puttanesca, a delicious Italian pasta made in only 15 minutes with black olives and capers, our sun-dried tomato pesto pasta, or the super simple Italian lemon pasta.

    Have you ever tried making your own homemade pasta or noodles, it is not as difficult as it seems, and it is extremely rewarding!

    If you love simple Italian recipes with eggplant, don't forget to try the traditional 4-ingredient eggplant stew.

    If you try this Sicilian pasta recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    📋 Recipe

    creamy eggplant pasta with tomato ricotta sauce.

    Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce

    Gus
    This simple but fantastic Sicilian eggplant recipe is packed with intense flavors, although only requires a few ingredients.
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Sauces & Dressings
    Cuisine Italian-Inspired
    Servings 5 Servings
    Calories 489 kcal

    Equipment

    cuisine art large casserole with a lid.
    (affiliate link)
    Large saucepan (affiliate link)
    my favorite immersion blender cuisine art brand.
    (affiliate link)
    Immersion blender (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 eggplants large and diced (medium dices)
    • 24 ounces tomato puree no additives such as Italian passata, or 3 lbs of ripe tomatoes blended
    • 1 garlic cloves whole
    • 8.8 ounces vegan ricotta
    • 10 basil leaves highly recommended
    • 1 lb campanelle pasta (like a Bran Rigati)
    • black pepper to taste
    • 1 tablespoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin , optional (skip if you are on a low-fat diet or WFPB diet)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 400 º F (200 ºC).
    • Slice the eggplants into about ¼" (½ cm) slices. Drizzle olive oil and salt on top, and place them on parchment paper. Bake them for 15 minutes.
    • Make the sauce by adding a garlic clove, tomato puree, and basil leaves on top of the fresh tomato sauce into a large pot on medium heat. Stir constantly and top with a lid. Let the sauce cook for about 20 minutes; then remove the garlic clove.
    • Add the baked eggplant slices and vegan ricotta into the tomato sauce, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Start boiling the salted water for pasta. Reserve a couple of eggplant slices to garnish.
    • Cook the pasta according to the packaging directions.
    • Blend the vegetables and ricotta into the pasta sauce with an immersion blender right in the deep saucepan while the pasta cooks.
      If using a regular blender (affiliate link), either let the sauce cool down a bit or hold the top of the blender with a kitchen rag while blending, to prevent the sauce from spilling out of the jar. Use caution.
    • Adjust and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed.
    • Strain the pasta, reserving some of the starchy pasta water. Then add the pasta into the saucepan if preferred, mixing with the water ¼ cup at a time.
      Otherwise, serve the tomato ricotta sauce on top and sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese.
      Garnish with the reserved baked eggplant slices.

    Notes

    If you like Parmesan Cheese, try to sprinkle with our 5 mins Vegan Parmesan "Cheese"
    Wine Pairing by our Sommelier Ramón Barreiro @pejo_barreiro
    • Italy - Red - Lacryma Christi (Campania)
    • Spain - Red - Grenache (Sierra de Gredos)
    • United States - Red - Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara)

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 20gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 1474mgPotassium: 1306mgFiber: 11gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 778IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    489
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    6
    g
    9
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Sodium
     
    1474
    mg
    64
    %
    Potassium
     
    1306
    mg
    37
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    92
    g
    31
    %
    Fiber
     
    11
    g
    46
    %
    Sugar
     
    16
    g
    18
    %
    Protein
     
    20
    g
    40
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    778
    IU
    16
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    19
    mg
    23
    %
    Calcium
     
    81
    mg
    8
    %
    Iron
     
    5
    mg
    28
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
     
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    🌡️ Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

    Affiliate Disclaimer

    Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Katie says

      September 18, 2022 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      This pasta is so delicious! It's full of flavor and the eggplant is amazing!

      Reply
    2. Holly says

      September 17, 2022 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      I really should cook with eggplant more often! This was easy and very satisfying. I would definitely make it again. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        September 18, 2022 at 9:42 am

        Thanks for your comment, Holly! Eggplants are super versatile and can make up for so many textures and complex flavors! It is definitely a good idea to try them more often!

        Reply
    3. Rachel says

      August 29, 2022 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      Love how quick and easy this eggplant pasta is yet feels so fancy and is absolutely delicious! Definitely going to make often!

      Reply
    4. Nancy says

      August 27, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this pasta is so creamy. I love the addition of eggplants. Awesome

      Reply
    5. Andrea says

      August 27, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      5 stars
      This eggplant pasta turned out so delicious for dinner last week! So easy and tasty!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        August 27, 2022 at 3:44 pm

        I am glad to hear you liked the recipe, Andrea! Thanks for your review!

        Reply
    6. Sharon says

      August 26, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      I love adding eggplant to vegetarian dishes because it adds a nice hearty flavor. This dish is so creamy and delicious.

      Reply

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