Recipe: Summer Pasta with Sautéed Eggplant & Zucchini

Summer Pasta w/ Sautéed Eggplant & Zucchini

Hello everyone,

It might still be warm out, but that doesn’t stop me from cooking my one true love—pasta! My garden has been producing such nice squash, that I’m a bit tired of sautéing it and eating it “plain.” This week, I decided to use zucchini to make a chunky pasta sauce. Plus, I harvested the most beautiful Japanese eggplants. They are thin, sweet, and have the perfect texture! I combined these magical ingredients and made the best Summer Pasta with Sautéed Eggplant & Zucchini.

This hearty pasta dish comes together in under 30 minutes, but it looks like it would take much longer! It’s quick and easy—warm and inviting. It’s simply the perfect dish for a post-work date night. What’s your favorite date night dish? Let me know!

Cheers & happy eating!

Jocelyn

PS – Like this recipe? Check out my homemade gnocchi!

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Summer Pasta w/ Sautéed Eggplant & Zucchini

Summer Pasta with Sautéed Eggplant & Zucchini

***Please feel free to share widely, just give me some credit or a link back

Prep Time: ~10 minutes; Cook Time: 15-20 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 medium Japanese eggplants
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1 pound dry pasta, whole wheat fusilli
  • 6 cloves, garlic, finely minced
  • 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
  • 4 tablespoons Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme)
  • 2 tbs, nutritional yeast
  • red pepper flakes, to taste (I used 2 teaspoons)
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 3-4 basil leaves per dish, hand torn
  • Follow Your Heart “parmesan,” garnish
  • Daiya Mozzerella shreds, garnish
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Heat water in a large soup pot with a pinch of salt until boiling.
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, peel the eggplant and slice the zucchini and eggplant into small bite size pieces.
    • Note, there is no need to salt/ weep the vegetables.
  3. Sauté the eggplant and zucchini in a sauce pan with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until slightly tender and golden brown. Approximately 5 minutes.
  4. Mince the garlic, and add it to the sauce pan. Stir well.
    • Add the pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper, to taste.
    • Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. When the water starts boiling, add the whole wheat fusilli pasta, and cook according to package instructions.
    • Drain the pasta and reserve some liquid to help thin the sauce.
  6. Put the pasta back in the pot, add the reserved liquid and the sauce mixture.
  7. Garnish with fresh basil and your favorite vegan cheese.
  8. Serve warm and enjoy!


18 thoughts on “Recipe: Summer Pasta with Sautéed Eggplant & Zucchini”

  1. Love dishes like this when all I have to do is head out to the garden and gather what I need. I will make the pasta from wheat we grow. Going be delicious.

  2. This looks super tasty! I think I need to make a run to the store…I know what I’m making for dinner tonight!

  3. The pasta looks absolutely delicious, I like that it can be prepared under 30 minutes and the eggplants just made it even more delicious for me

  7. Ooh! Pasta with eggplant! Zucchini and eggplant are two of my favs so to put them in your pasta is just genious! 🙂
    Thanks for sharing!

  8. I love dishes with fresh eggplant and zucchini during the summer and fall months. These are some great suggestions for some tasty meals!

  9. Yum this looks really good. I’ve never used Eggplant or Zucchini in any of my pasta, this looks awesome!

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