Pasta alla Norma

5 from 1 vote

This pasta alla norma is a classic Italian pasta dish with roasted eggplant, a slightly spicy tomato sauce, fresh basil, and rigatoni that holds onto every bit of sauce. It's a simple, satisfying weeknight dinner that comes together in about 45 minutes — most of which is hands-off oven time.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: eggplant pasta, pasta alla norma

Servings: servings

Calories: 554kcal

Ingredients

Roasted Eggplant

1 ½ pounds eggplant cut into thick cubes or thick strips
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pasta

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ yellow onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves minced
2 14-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes crushed
½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces pasta
pasta water as needed
⅓ cup fresh basil leaves torn

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

First, preheat your oven to 450 °F (230 °C).
Next, place the cubed eggplant in a bowl. Add some olive oil and salt. Then toss until combined. Spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 30 minutes until browned. Optional (recommended): spray or brush the eggplant with additional or reserved olive oil.
1 ½ pounds eggplant, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
In the meantime, preheat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion turns translucent.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves
Then add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cover and let the sauce simmer over low heat.
½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, 2 14-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes
Now cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a pot filled with salted boiling water.
12 ounces pasta
Next, add the pasta water, pasta, eggplant, and fresh basil to the sauce. Gently toss and continue to sauté until the sauce clings to the pasta. Add more pasta water as needed.
pasta water, ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
Serve with more basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional) and enjoy!

Notes

It's best to cut the eggplant into thick pieces as it shrinks significantly when it is roasted in the oven. I recommend cutting it into thick slices and then chopping it up into cubes.

Nutrition