Roasted Eggplant Ricotta Pasta Recipe (with Marinara)-Spaghetti is a classic and my ultimate craving! This dish is spaghetti but done up! A bed of whipped ricotta, savory marinara-coated spaghetti, and roasted cheesy eggplant on top. This dish is creamy, simple, fast to prepare, and vegetarian! Your family will LOVE this dish.
This eggplant ricotta pasta dish is so versatile! Serve this up at your next dinner party or fancy date night in! Or make this dish as a fast weeknight meal that is ready in about 30 minutes! This dish is tasty, easily customizable, and very comforting any time of the year!
For another fun dinner recipe, see my homemade chicken egg rolls recipe!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious eggplant ricotta pasta, you will need the following ingredients:
- Spaghetti pasta (Or your favorite pasta)
- Eggplant
- Mozzarella cheese
- Roasted red peppers
- Onion
- Garlic
- Basil (Fresh or dried)
- Oregano (Fresh or dried)
- Tomato paste
- White wine
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Ricotta
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities and recipe details.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For the full instructions and measurements for how to make this delicious recipe, please skip down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Use the following step-by-step instructions for how to make this delicious pasta dish:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice half the eggplant into ½ inch slices and toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
Heat a medium-sized pot to high heat until it boils. Then add your favorite spaghetti and boil until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Add olive oil, the other half of the eggplant (diced), roasted red peppers, and onion to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Add garlic, basil, oregano, and sauté for 1 minute. Then add tomato paste. Sauté for 1 minute.
Add wine and let reduce for 2-3 minutes. Then add the crushed tomatoes (fire roasted preferred). Cook down for 5-7 minutes until a sauce forms.
Meanwhile, add ricotta, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste) to stand mixer and pulse until whipped.
Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and toss. Add the whipped ricotta to the bottom of the plate, then pile on the spaghetti.
Take out the eggplant from the oven, add mozzarella and place back into the oven for another 2 minutes. Add the roasted sliced eggplant on top. Serve!
Substitutions
This pasta dish is extremely versatile and is easily made gluten-free, vegan, or with meat!
- Gluten-free – To make this gluten free, just swap out the regular pasta for your favorite gluten-free pasta!
- Vegan – To make this vegan, ensure you use egg-free pasta and vegan ricotta cheese/mozzarella!
- Meat – You could absolutely add ground beef, sausage, or chicken to the marinara sauce!
Variations
There are so many delicious variations to this comforting pasta recipe!
- Spicy – Make this dish spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes and pepperoncini’s to the pasta for all of the spice lovers in the family!
- Creamy-While this spaghetti is served on a bed of creamy whipped ricotta, you could mix the whipped ricotta in with the pasta and marinara to make an extra creamy red sauce!
- Kid friendly – Feel free to omit the whipped ricotta or the eggplant for the kids in your life. The marinara pasta on its own is still a huge hit!
Equipment
For this recipe you will need:
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Medium saucepan
Note: The food processor is optional. You can whip the ricotta by hand with a whisk for 2-3 minutes or you can choose to leave your ricotta unwhipped!
Storage
This pasta dish will stay good in an air tight container in your fridge for about 3-4 days!
The marinara sauce can be stored in the freezer for a later meal for up to 3 months.
Tip: The marinara sauce just gets better and better as it sits overnight in the fridge as well!
Top tips
Here are some top tips as always:
- Start with baking your eggplant slices with a little olive oil and salt and pepper for 15-20 minutes BEFORE adding cheese. This prevents your cheese from burning before the eggplant slices are cooked through.
- Use wine that you like to drink when adding it to your food recipes, white wine specifically for this recipe.
- Whipping the ricotta is a must in this recipe and takes this dish over the top!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Ricotta cheese, especially when whipped in a food processor, tastes very similar to mozzarella cheese but with a more spreadable, creamy texture.
Pasta goes great with ricotta cheese! Especially when whipped, you can toss your warm pasta in creamy ricotta for a cheesy, comforting pasta dish! Potatoes, bread, and warm veggies also go great with ricotta!
Eggplant skin is edible, so it is not required to remove the skin before baking or eating your eggplant. Especially when using smaller slices of eggplant, the skin should be tender and enjoyable. However, when cooking with thicker pieces of eggplant, you may want to remove the skin before eating as the skin could be a little tough.
Please tag me on Instagram and Pinterest with your delicious, timeless creations! As always, thank you for your support!
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Other Recipes
More delicious recipes that your family will love:
Roasted Eggplant Ricotta Pasta Recipe (with Marinara)
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Medium saucepan
Ingredients
Eggplant Pasta
- 1 Pound Spaghetti pasta (Or your favorite pasta)
- 1 Eggplant (Sliced in 1/2 inch thick circular slices)
- 1/2 Cup Mozzarella cheese (Shredded)
- 2 Roasted red peppers (Canned)
- 1 Medium Onion (Diced)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 1 Tablespoon Basil (Fresh or dried)
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano (Fresh or dried)
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1/4 Cup White wine (Choose a wine that you like to drink)
- 2 Cups Canned crushed tomatoes (Fire roasted preferred or any kind you have)
- 1 Cup Ricotta (Part skim or whole milk ricotta)
- 1/4 Cup Olive oil (Plus more for the whipped ricotta)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt (Plus more for the pasta water)
- 1 Teaspoon Ground black pepper
Instructions
Eggplant Pasta
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Prepare the Eggplant: Slice half the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices and toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Prepare the pasta: Heat a medium-sized pot to high heat until it boils. Then add your favorite spaghetti and boil until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Add olive oil, the other half of the eggplant (diced), roasted red peppers, and onion to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic, basil, oregano, and sauté for 1 minute. Then add tomato paste. Sauté for 1 minute. Add wine and let reduce for 2-3 minutes. Then add the crushed tomatoes (fire roasted preferred). Cook down for 5-7 minutes until a sauce forms.
- Prepare the whipped ricotta: Meanwhile, add ricotta, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste) to stand mixer and pulse until whipped.
- Assemble the dish: Take out the eggplant from the oven, add mozzarella and place back into the oven for another 2 minutes. Then take out of the oven and set aside. Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and toss. Add the whipped ricotta to the bottom of the plate, then pile on the spaghetti, and add the roasted sliced eggplant on top. Garnish with some basil (optional). Enjoy!
the whipped ricotta with this is SPECTACULAR!
Love the eggplant 🍆 delicious