Eggplant Bolognese
Eggplant and mushrooms come together in place of ground beef in this hearty vegetarian pasta that delivers the depth of a more traditional Bolognese sauce. Use Italian eggplant, which is widely available and has silky, sweet flesh. Peeling the eggplant helps it brown and cook more quickly, and encourages it to partially melt into the sauce as it simmers. Earthy mushroom broth fortifies the vegetable-rich sauce with deeper savory flavor. Serve the pasta with a simple green salad and crusty bread.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1pound Italian eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (4 packed cups)
- 6ounces cremini (or white button) mushrooms, finely chopped (2 cups)
- ½cup finely chopped white onion
- ½cup finely chopped carrot
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 3cups mushroom broth (or vegetable stock)
- 1cup canned whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- 1basil sprig, plus chopped basil for garnishing
- 1pound rigatoni, fusilli or other short pasta
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.Step 2
In a large Dutch oven or other heavy lidded pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high. Add half of the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 5 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a plate. Adjust heat to medium and repeat with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the remaining eggplant, transferring the eggplant to the plate.Step 3
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the mushrooms to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up any browned bits, until golden, 5 minutes. Add onion and carrot, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 3 minutes. Adjust heat to low, add garlic and tomato paste and stir until caramelized, about 2 minutes.Step 4
Stir in broth, tomatoes, oregano, basil sprig and the browned eggplant, then bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover, adjust heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender, 15 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring and mashing half of the eggplant, until sauce is thickened, 2 minutes.Step 5
While the sauce comes to a boil, drop pasta in the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.Step 6
Add pasta, butter and 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the eggplant mixture and cook, stirring vigorously, until pasta is nicely coated and mixture is saucy, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.Step 7
Divide pasta among bowls. Top with chopped basil and cheese; serve warm.