Aubergine Spaghetti
This aubergine spaghetti is impossible to stop eating: the aubergines cook down into a creamy sauce with garlic, Parmesan, and dried tomatoes.
- 1 lb aubergines (/eggplants)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs thyme (/oregano or a generous pinch of dried herbs works as well)
- 1 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- 2 tablespoons dried tomatoes (, chopped, Note 1)
- 1 lb spaghetti
- basil leaves
- grated Parmesan (to serve)
- Cut the aubergines into chunky cubes, sprinkle them with some salt, and let them sit for 20 minutes. Dry them off with kitchen paper, pressing lightly.1 lb aubergines + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Saute: Peel the garlic cloves, smash them slightly, but leave them whole. Heat the olive oil in a wide, non-stick pan and add the garlic cloves. Turn the heat to low and fry the garlic, stirring often, until it starts to sizzle and smell. Don't let it burn.3 garlic cloves + 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the aubergines, stir to coat them in oil, and cook on medium heat until translucent and soft.
- Simmer: Add the chopped dried tomatoes, herbs, and stock. Bring everything to a boil, cover the pan, leaving a crack open, and let cook for about 20 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the aubergines are very soft. If there is too much liquid left in the pan by the time the aubergines are soft, just take away the lid and let the sauce bubble for a little while longer.2 tablespoons dried tomatoes + 2 sprigs thyme + 1 cup vegetable stock
- Cook pasta: While the sauce is cooking, start cooking the spaghetti.1 lb spaghetti
- Mix: Mash the aubergines with a fork, add the sliced basil leaves, season to taste, and mix with the spaghetti. Serve with some grated Parmesan if desired.basil leaves + grated Parmesan
This aubergine spaghetti recipe is the best way of eating aubergines I could possibly imagine. I love aubergines, or eggplants, and eat them in many different ways, but this simple aubergine sauce with garlic is incredible. Unctuous and creamy, slightly garlicky, and with a touch of sharpness from the dried tomatoes, this aubergine spaghetti will certainly become one of your favorite ways to eat aubergines.
Try this Eggplant Chicken or Air Fryer Eggplants next! Ingredients: 8 + oil & salt | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Ingredients
If using another kind of pasta, try some smaller/thinner shapes, not something large and sturdy like penne.
Aubergines or eggplants: Regular Italian aubergines/eggplants. 450 g/ 1 lbs of aubergines are about 2 medium around here; a little more or less would be fine. If you have a glut of aubergines, make Romanian Zacusca; it's the best bread spread ever!
Dried tomatoes: I use whatever I happen to have: either dried tomatoes in oil or dried tomatoes sold in a bag. If using dried tomatoes in oil, you can replace about half of the olive oil with oil from the tomatoes.
If using dried tomatoes from a bag, chop them finely and add them to the sauce from the beginning; they will need time to get nice and soft. Olive oil: You will need 6 tablespoons, which is a bit more than I would normally use for one recipe, but the aubergine needs it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities. How to make aubergine spaghetti?
- Cube, salt, toss, and dry the aubergines.
- Cook the garlic briefly, then add the aubergines until translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes, herbs, and stock.
- Bring everything to a boil, cover the pan, leaving a crack open, and let cook for about 20 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the aubergines are very soft.
- Mash with a fork, add basil, season, and mix with the spaghetti.
Tips
You will need a nice amount of olive oil to make the aubergine spaghetti. It is more than I usually would use in cooking a regular sauce, but the aubergines just need it.
I've tried making the sauce with only 2 tablespoons of olive oil once, and it just wasn't the same...
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheating works best in the microwave.
I found the recipe for the eggplant pasta on The Wednesday Chef many years ago. It was one of the first blog recipes I've ever cooked, and I've cooked it dozens of times ever since.
Notes
- Dried tomatoes: You can use either dried tomatoes packed in oil or those sold in a bag. If using oil-packed tomatoes, replace about half of the olive oil with oil from the jar. If using dry-packed tomatoes, chop them finely and add them at the beginning so they have enough time to soften.