Pasta alla norma is a traditional Italian pasta with eggplant in a tomato sauce. It’s an excellent, meaty-like but vegetarian main dish that’s everything you want in a pasta – comforting, satisfying, and slurp-worthy good!
Pasta alla norma: Eggplant pasta
When it comes to vegetables-as-the-main, eggplant rates very highly in my books because it’s meaty and easy to prepare. It’s a sponge for flavour, silky and delicious in texture, good value most of the year round and extremely versatile.
This pasta is Sicilian, and as with many traditional Italian eggplant dishes, the slices are traditionally fried in a hefty amount of oil. I prefer roasting the eggplant – it’s healthier, plus the eggplant cubes hold their shape better rather than turning into unidentifiable mush when tossed in the pasta sauce!
I like to make Pasta alla Norma using tomato passata instead of crushed tomatoes because it makes it saucier. I love how the pasta sauce clings to the pasta strands as well as the plump roasted eggplant.
Roasting the eggplant
The key to making Pasta alla Norma well is to cook the eggplant so it’s caramelised on the outside and soft inside, but mostly holds its shape when tossed in the tomato pasta sauce rather than turning into mush.
To do this, you just need salt, pepper and olive oil, and 25 minutes in a hot 240°C / 450°F oven to get some nice colour on the outside of the eggplant as well as creating a crust so the eggplant cubes hold their shape.
I cut the eggplant cubes a little bit smaller than when I roast eggplant cubes to serve as a simple side dish or to use in salads (like this Eggplant Lentil Salad – it’s very, very good!). I find a slightly smaller size is more suitable for pasta – for dispersion and how it eats.
What goes in the eggplant pasta sauce
And here are the other ingredients in Pasta alla Norma. Basil is a key ingredient that really adds a fresh touch to the finished dish but if you don’t have it, don’t worry, I have solutions for you. Read on!
(PS. And no, you don’t have to tie your spaghetti with a ribbon 😂)
Pasta – any kind will work here except really tiny ones like risoni or those tiny alphabet or other novelty pastas. Traditionally, macaroni is used but these days it’s made with all sorts of pastas – short (like rigatoni, penne, ziti, casarecce) and long (spaghetti, fettuccine, bucatini). I really like serving it with long pasta – especially with the smooth pasta sauce I use in this recipe;
Tomato passata – aka tomato puree: This is strained, plain, pureed tomato which is thick and smooth, so it’s brilliant for quick pasta sauces. Normal crushed or diced canned tomato will also work but you will need to simmer for around 20 minutes until the tomato starts to break down to create a nice thick pasta sauce. You’ll find passata in the pasta section of regular supermarkets nowadays, and it doesn’t cost much more than canned tomato. More on Tomato Passata here;
White wine – optional ingredient, just a splash to add extra flavour to the sauce. Good trick for when you are making quick sauces! Any white wine that’s not too sweet or woody will do here. I use sauvignon blanc and pinot gris because that’s what I drink;
Garlic and onion (or Eschallots) – essential for flavour base for simple pasta sauces, without which the sauce is too bland!
Italian herb mix or oregano – to add a touch of extra flavour into this quick sauce;
Chilli flakes – aka red pepper flakes, for a touch of warmth. 100% optional; and
Basil – as my brother sternly told me, “it’s not Pasta alla Norma without basil!”. Having said that though, I have made it many times using fresh thyme, which goes so well with eggplant. Also you can increase the amount of dried herbs in the pasta sauce instead and it is still 100% delicious. it’s just not true, traditional Pasta alla Norma that’s all!
Here it is with thyme instead of basil. And it’s still absolutely delicious!
How to make Pasta alla Norma pasta sauce
This is a nice quick recipe because we’re using Tomato Passata. It’s already smooth compared with crushed tomato, which needs at least 20 minutes to break down to thicken the sauce.
We start by sautéing the onion and garlic, add the white wine and let it simmer rapidly to cook out the harsh winey smell, leaving behind its tasty flavour base which adds an extra something-something to our pasta sauce!
Then just add the Tomato Passata, dried herbs, salt and pepper and simmer for just 5 minutes. Finally, fold through the roasted eggplant, toss through pasta, throw in some basil and you’re done!
Traditionally in Sicily, Pasta alla Norma is served topped with grated ricotta salata, a firm, salted version of ricotta. However ricotta salata is difficult to source outside of real Italian delis, so I use grated parmesan cheese or pecorino instead.
What to serve with Pasta alla Norma
The other great benefit of this eggplant pasta dish is that it’s loaded with a good amount of vegetables from both the tomato and eggplant, so you really don’t even need to add a side salad to supplement your daily vegetable intake! It really is a complete meal.
However, if you did want to add a side salad, a classic Italian Rocket Salad with Shaved Parmesan would be ideal. The balsamic dressing in that salad really complements the flavour in this pasta. Otherwise, put together your own salad with a Balsamic Vinegar Dressing.
For a big Italian night in, add a side of proper Italian focaccia or garlic bread. Or if you want to go all the way, upgrade to Cheesy Garlic Bread and finish with a classic Tiramisu. And don’t forget to invite me over for dinner! 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Pasta alla Norma (Eggplant pasta)
Ingredients
- 800g / 1.6 lb eggplant , cut into 2.5cm/1" cubes (2 medium/large ones)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Pasta Sauce:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 small onion , very finely chopped (or 2 eschallots)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine , anything not too sweet or woody (Note 1)
- 700g / 24 oz tomato passata (aka tomato puree, Note 2)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs or oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes , optional (for a hint of heat)
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 300g / 10 oz spaghetti or other pasta, long or short (macaroni, rigatoni, penne, ziti, fettucini, bucatini)
Serving:
- 1/2 cup basil leaves , roughly chopped (Note 3)
- Parmesan cheese , grated (or ricotta salata if you have it – more traditional)
Instructions
Roasted eggplant:
- Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with baking / parchment paper.
- Toss eggplant with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and roast for 20 minutes.
- Flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes. Cool on tray (this helps the eggplant hold its shape when tossing).
Cooking pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Start cooking the pasta a couple of minutes after you start making the sauce (next section), until al dente or to your liking.
Sauce:
- Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 20 seconds until golden, then add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and cooked through.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, if using. Let it simmer, scraping the base of the pan to deglaze, until the wine mostly evaporates.
- Add tomato passata. Now pour the water into the passata bottle, screw on the lid, shake, and pour that in too (waste nothing!)
- Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
- Stir in eggplant, then add cooked and drained pasta. GENTLY toss until pasta is coated in the sauce (so the eggplant doesn't turn into complete mush!).
- Serve immediately, garnished with a good pinch of fresh basil and parmesan.
Recipe Notes:
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves – this is really good, it’s my favourite when I don’t have basil!
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano – extra, added into the sauce
Nutrition Information:
More exuberant eggplant
Life of Dozer
Not quite the sweet and innocent fluff ball you thought he was, hmm….??
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 👻🎃
So simple and so yummy. I splurged and used the Mutti and it was a phenomenally thick, delicious sauce. Very similar to a pasta sauce I make that takes an hour to cook, but better and much quicker. I used one eggplant but it definitely needs two (however the sauce is yummy on its own so you could actually go without) so I am looking forward to eggplant season this year so I can make this properly again and again. My 8 month old ate two bowls and fussy 5 year old gobbled it down. Didn’t add cheese as dairy free, nor wine, but still very yummy. Another recipe of yours added to our family cookbook. Thank you!
Delicious thank you!
BEYOND Delicious! I only had red wine, and topped each bowl with Parmesan and pesto, because that’s what I had. Amazing and impressive enough to serve to guests!
Delicious and easy. Thank you, Nagi.
This is surprisingly delicious for how low effort it is! It also freezes very well without the pasta.
The family LOVED this meal. I made it exactly as per the recipe and it’s perfect! It has subtle layers of flavor. Thank you, Nagi, for another delicious recipe.
Made this for Valentine’s dinner. It was a big hit, thank you! The roasted, cubed eggplant WILL be appearing in my dishes more often.
I did tweak it to use what I had on hand so I’m aware it might not have tasted exactly like the original.
Delicious, best pasta I’ve ever made. I also added a few pinches of sugar. Great tip on how to cool eggplant, and liked the addition of a bit of heat.
Hi Nagi. This is a longtime favourite I hadn’t cooked for quite a while, and it went down superbly again. Even better was that I doubled up the quantities and it was two nights of a wonderful dish. I have to confess my red red hot hot backyard chili bush made an appearance in my Plate 2. Very successful, too. Thank you and keep up the brilliant work.
John
I followed this recipe exactly and loved it. It is perfect for Meatless Monday and so easy to make.
Yo this pasta was b9mb af!!! I think this is the first time I’ve ever cooked eggplant. I’ve had it before and it’s delicious, it’s so damn good but I’ve never cooked it. It’s like idk creamy and yeah like it’s just so damn good. Anyways, I made this tonight and it’s bomb af. I over cooked the eggplant and. Even then it’s still so good. Creamy like I said and goes well with all the other flavors. Simple, easy to make yet a DELICIOUS recipe I will be mak8ng again and again! Thank you 💞
This pasta alla Norma was one of my favorite dishes I have ever cooked. The flavors were fantastic. This was so easy to make and came together fairly quickly. The eggplant was so buttery. It’s amazing that such simple ingredients made a lovely meal. I added fresh basil at the end which made all the flavors pop. Thank you Nagi for another delicious recipe!
This was absolutely delicious. Thank you! I finally found a way to use up the eggplants from our CSA. I loved it so much I would buy an eggplant just to make this dish.
So delicious! I added a pinch of sugar to the sauce and used fresh thyme and a dollop of pesto. OMG. I can’t believe the flavour!
So delicious! I added a pinch of sugar to the sauce and used great thyme and a dollop of pesto. OMG. I can’t believe the flavour!
*fresh thyme (it was great!)
Another delicious recipe, thank you Nagi!
I have made this recipe several times and it’s always sooo good. It’s so simple and easy to make but has so much flavor. Hit with the whole family.
Hello Nagi,
Would I be able to freeze this sauce if there are leftovers or as a makeahead (quite ahead)?
I have leftover pasta with tomato sauce and cooked cubed eggplant. How can I put this together.
I don’t recommend using pasta that has already been cooked and sauced for this dish, Rosemary…sorry! N x
This was a delicious recipe. I also added roasted zucchini, as well as 1/2 tsp of sugar, 1/3 cup of basil pesto, and about a tablespoon of capers. Thank you for always providing awesome recipes
I am happy that you liked it Jaslyn! N x
I made this recipe with fresh oregano , chilli . Then added the basil at the end per the recipe and used ver juice instead of white wine – it tasted amazing !!