Ingredients

• 1 firm ripe pink, black, or white eggplant
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Two (14-ounce) cans good-quality plum tomatoes (or substitute chopped homegrown tomatoes and their juices)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 to 2 fresh or dried chiles, chopped or crumbled (optional, for a hint of heat)
• 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves ripped, sprigs sliced
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta
• 7 ounces cow’s-milk mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 1 piece Parmesan cheese, for grating

Instructions

1. Trim both ends of the eggplant, then slice it into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Dice these rounds into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat and generously drizzle in 4 to 5 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the diced eggplant. Stir immediately and continuously with a wooden spoon to ensure the pieces are delicately coated with oil on all sides, rather than soaking on just one. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften.
3. Add the sliced garlic and finely chopped onion to the pan with the eggplant. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic and onion soften and take on a light golden color, adding depth to the sauce base.
4. Stir in the canned plum tomatoes (or fresh chopped tomatoes with their juices) and the balsamic vinegar. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you desire a touch of heat, now is the time to add the chopped fresh or crumbled dried chile, adjusting the amount to your preference. Add the basil sprigs to the sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. During this time, the eggplant will break down and meld into a rich, creamy, tomato-infused pulp—absolutely delicious! If desired, carefully remove the basil sprigs before the next step. Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated, creating a luscious sauce.
5. Meanwhile, as the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rigatoni or penne pasta and cook according to the package directions, or until it is al dente (soft yet still firm to the bite). Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. For an extra layer of flavor and to prevent sticking, you may return the drained pasta to its pot, add a tiny splash of the reserved cooking water and a drizzle of olive oil, and gently toss to coat.
6. Once the pasta is ready, add the delightful tomato and eggplant sauce directly to the pot with the pasta. Toss everything together thoroughly, ensuring every piece of pasta is coated in the rich sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. For the ultimate serving experience, gather your guests around the table. Bring the pot of pasta and sauce directly to the table. Tear the cow’s-milk mozzarella into rustic pieces and sprinkle them over the pasta, along with the fresh basil leaves. Gently fold and toss the pasta for about 30 seconds. The heat from the pasta will begin to melt the mozzarella, creating wonderfully stringy, milky, and glorious bites that perfectly complement the sweet tomatoes and tender eggplant. Quickly spoon generous portions into bowls. Finally, present a block of Parmesan cheese and a grater at the table, allowing everyone to grate their own fresh cheese over their serving.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Jennifer V.

Jennifer found this rigatoni with sweet tomatoes, eggplant, and mozzarella “lovely and very easy to put together.” While acknowledging the need for some stove time, especially in warmer months, she affirms that “the payoff is definitely worth it.” She particularly enjoyed how “the eggplant becomes all soft and mushy, mixed in with the tomatoes,” and the joy of “gooey mozzarella strewn throughout to bring it together.”

Her recommendations include adding the optional dried chiles—she used one dried chile de arbol but suggested two for more heat. Jennifer also likes to add “a touch of sugar to the tomatoes,” noting this is a personal preference for her tomato-based sauces. She also suggested that while the cream imparts a “nice mouthfeel,” it isn’t “absolutely necessary,” allowing for a slightly lighter version if preferred.

Linda Pacchiano

Linda praised the dish for being “very easy to prepare” and noted its resemblance to one of her favorite Sicilian dishes, pasta alla Norma, with the simple swap of ricotta salata for mozzarella. She highlights Italy’s tradition of regional variations, emphasizing that this dish is “every bit as good as its Sicilian counterpart.”

Linda offered a specific tip: “I suggest using mezzi rigatoni for this dish.” These smaller rigatoni allow “the sauce and eggplant to have a good chance of finding their way into the interior of the rigatoni, which makes each bite a lovely combination of pasta, sauce, and veg.” She also considered using shredded mozzarella next time, finding that her “large pieces of sliced mozzarella tended to clump together,” and smaller pieces would likely melt faster and distribute more evenly. Overall, she found it a “delicious dish that is easy to put together, especially with those homegrown Jersey cherry tomatoes and fresh basil in such great abundance.”

Erin Bloys

Erin described the dish as “really, really soul-satisfying.” She noted that after simmering the sauce and adding the heavy cream, mozzarella, and basil leaves, “the flavors totally coalesced.” She personally used “super ripe homegrown plum tomatoes (peeled and seeded with the strained juices added back in),” believing they “added bright flavor and made this rigatoni with sweet tomatoes, eggplant, and mozzarella really sing.”

Erin admitted, “Now I just have to stop myself from going back and eating the whole pan!” She also made an interesting seasonal observation: “As an aside, I did use fresh summer tomatoes, but to me this really feels more like a winter dish. It’s so hearty and warming.” She plans to make it “with canned San Marzano tomatoes throughout the fall and winter,” suggesting its year-round appeal.

Joanne Richard

Joanne enthusiastically declared, “Tomatoes, eggplant, and basil is my summer mantra.” She found that “this recipe covers all the bases and then some.” A practical tip she shared was making a “second batch of sauce, bagged it, and added it to my freezer stash, ready for a reminder of summer in the depth of Ottawa’s winter.” This highlights the sauce’s freezability and versatility.

She emphasized the importance of not rushing the cooking process: “This recipe comes together quickly but don’t rush it either. The eggplant needs to get to the soft and silky stage.” Joanne beautifully summarized the dish’s complexity of flavor, noting “layers of flavour here: garlic, balsamic vinegar, garden fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, melting mozzarella, and salty parmesan simmered in a creamy sauce.” She also mentioned her Roman friend Gabby’s technique of adding al dente pasta directly to the sauce and stirring briefly to “meld” the flavors, a method she employed with the fresh mozzarella, enjoying the “cheesy strings.” She concluded that “there will definitely be a next time,” especially with “homegrown vegetables.”

Adrienne Lee

Adrienne found the flavor “good” and appreciated its adaptability, suggesting that one “could adapt it (both by adding more of the current ingredients and by adding/subbing others that you like).” Her personal preference was for “definitely more fresh mozzarella.” She confirmed that the rigatoni with sweet tomatoes, eggplant, and mozzarella “was not a hard recipe to make,” making it accessible for cooks of all levels.

Pat Francis

Pat, who often defaults to pasta for dinner, found this recipe to be “both in my pasta wheelhouse—just the kind of meal I like to make—and expands my fairly limited repertoire of eggplant dishes.” She declared it “a winning combination.”

She highlighted key flavor elements: “The balsamic vinegar really brought out the sweetness in the tomatoes and was also a nice complement to the eggplant. The cream smoothed out the sauce with some luscious fat. The basil and mozzarella added at the end provided a fresh (and gooey) finish.” While she initially thought the eggplant had softened sufficiently, upon eating, she found it “not as mushy and thoroughly cooked as I had thought.” Her learning? “I’ll go longer with the simmer the next time,” a useful tip for achieving that perfect silky eggplant texture.

L. Mitchell

L. Mitchell summed up the dish by saying it “ticks all the boxes for a great weeknight dinner for me—quick (under 1 hour start to finish), economical, and most importantly—delicious!” She detailed her ingredient choices: “I used a standard purple eggplant, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and a ball of fresh mozzarella that I picked up at a local Italian bakery.” She also added “two generous pinches of red pepper flakes” for an extra kick.

The result was “a perfectly balanced sauce—creamy and earthy from the eggplant, with some brightness and acidity from the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. The pepper brought just a little heat at the very end.” She confidently stated that “served with a good loaf of bread and a green salad, I think this recipe would easily serve 4 hearty eaters—and could certainly be stretched to feed 6,” making it a flexible option for various group sizes.

Trisha T.

Trisha knew she had a winner when “my partner declared that he could not wait for lunch the next day when he could eat the leftovers.” This “easy to put together” dish “tasted delicious.”

She noted a minor issue with the mozzarella “sticking together in big clumps as we stirred it around,” but they easily broke them up when serving. Trisha also recommended using “the dried pepper as it helps break up the sweetness a bit, but didn’t make the dish too spicy overall,” reinforcing the versatility of adding a hint of heat.

Merlyn Cafaro

Merlyn’s review was short and sweet, proclaiming the recipe “Delicious, great recipe.” She particularly enjoyed using “eggplant & peppers from the garden,” highlighting the appeal of fresh, seasonal produce. She found it “Special enough Sunday dinner, easy enough to make weeknights,” concluding with the clear intention: “Will make again.”