Sausage Eggplant Pasta Recipes

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE & EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Toss the eggplant with the 2 teaspoons of salt and place in a colander.
• Let sit 20 minutes, then squeeze dry.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat and add the onion and sausage meat.
• Cook, using two forks to break up the meat as it cooks until it is no longer pink.
• Add the eggplant, and continue to cook until the eggplant has softened, about 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook an additional minute or two.
• Add the tomatoes, paste, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Add a small cup of water if sauce thickens too much).
• Stir in the parsley and basil.
• Taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
• While the sauce is finishing cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot of lightly salted water until it is "al dente", following manufacturers instructions.
• Drain, and return the pasta to the pot.
• Add a large scoop or two of sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.
• Serve the pasta in individual bowls with an additional spoonful or two of sauce on top.
• Pass the grated cheese at the table, and enjoy!

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT ONE POT PASTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large, shallow pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sausage. Cook, breaking the sausage up with a spoon, until the sausage is browned and cooked though - 5-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate.
• Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the zucchini and eggplant. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Add the pasta and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 11-12 minutes, or until pasta is cooked al dente and most of the water is evaporated.
• Add the sausage, spinach, and parmesan. Stir until the spinach is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, drizzle with 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.
• Turn the heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.
• Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes.
• By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain in a colander and let cool a bit before transferring the pasta to a large bowl. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix to combine.
• Add the eggplant to the prepared baking sheet; drizzle with the 1/4 cup olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss it all together. Roast until golden, tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and saute until cooked through, using the back of a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook until heated through and starting to soften a bit, 1 minute. Add the sausage mixture to the pasta bowl. Add the lemon juice, basil, parsley, olives and roasted eggplant to the bowl and toss together. Top with the feta cheese. Serve at room temperature.

SWEET SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT PENNE

Steps:

• Peel half the skin from the eggplant and then chop into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt, and drain a few minutes on paper towels.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat, and add the sausage. Crumble the sausage and cook until brown. Add the garlic, celery and onions to the sausage. Pat the moisture off of the eggplant and stir the pieces into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, partially covered, to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil. Bring to a bubble and simmer the sauce to combine the flavors.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat. If the sauce is too thick add a little water or chicken stock if using to thin it out.
• To serve, bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to al dente. Add about 1 cup of starchy water to the sauce. Then drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Adjust the seasoning, then serve in shallow bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of EVOO.

EGGPLANT SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Set sausage aside., In the same skillet, saute eggplant and onion in oil. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, basil and paprika; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain pasta; stir into eggplant mixture. Add sausage., Spread half of the sausage mixture in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Spread with ricotta cheese. Top with half of the cheese and remaining sausage mixture., Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, EGGPLANT AND BASIL

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in large colander. Place over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant; saut until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and chilies; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs, broth and cream. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant and simmer 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
• Toss pasta with sauce and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in basil and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, passing additional Parmesan cheese separately.

EGGPLANT PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggplant; cook, stirring constantly, until eggplant is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Pour sauce over pasta.

SAUSAGE EGGPLANT PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a colander, toss the eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.
• Remove the casings from the sausage.
• In a large, shallow Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat.
• Brown the sausage, breaking up any large chunks.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Drain the fat from the pan.
• Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat.
• Cook the onion, celery, garlic, oregano, pepper, eggplant and remaining salt, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft, about 15 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, breaking up with a spoon.
• Return the sausage to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 35 minutes.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE WITH LINGUINE

Steps:

• Lightly drizzle the cut eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Place on a roasting pan and put in 400 degree oven. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until eggplant is tender and begins to brown.
• Warm a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onions over medium low heat until they begin to brown slightly, stir in sausage and garlic. Cook until sausage is cooked through. Add in the tomatoes, crushing slightly with a potato masher. Season with oregano, pepper flakes, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken.
• Put on a pot of water to boil. Add in linguine and cook according to package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.
• To the meat mixture, add in the raisins, capers and wine vinegar. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in eggplant and parsley. Turn off heat and add in drained pasta. While tossing with tongs add in enough of the reserved pasta water to help sauce coat the cooked pasta.
• Divide the mixture into fourths and crumble feta over all. Sprinkle with additional parsley if desired and serve.

PASTA, EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut sausage diagonally into 1" wide pieces. In large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
• While sausage browns, cut eggplant into 1/2" cubes. Add eggplant, onon and garlic to sausage in skillet; cook 5 minutes longer until eggplant is tender; stirring frequently. Stir in paprika; cook 1 minute longer.
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and 1 tsp salt to eggplant mixture; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover pot and simmer 35 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 350. In large saucepan, cook pasta according to package. Drain; stir into sauce.
• Spread half of the epplant-pasta mixture in a shallow 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Top mixture with ricotta cheese, spreading the cheese evenly. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining eggplant-pasta mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake on center rack for 40 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE & EGGPLANT PASTA

Steps:

• Cook and stir eggplant in 2 Tbsp. dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 5 min. Add sausage; cook 4 min. or until evenly browned, stirring frequently and adding garlic for the last minute. Stir in pasta sauce and crushed pepper. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Drain pasta; place in large bowl. Add sauce, basil and remaining dressing; mix lightly.
• Sprinkle with cheese.