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Eggplant Sausage Pasta is a hearty, tomato-based ragu made with roasted eggplant, Italian sausage, lots of aromatics, white wine, fresh herbs and a unique blend of spices. It’s earthy, hearty and ultra-satisfying!
Even though this Eggplant Sausage Ragu was inspired by the abundant eggplant from this summer’s backyard garden harvest, it’s a recipe that I plan on making all year-long!
As in my eggplant polpette, roasted eggplant spread and beef and eggplant meatballs recipes, the eggplants here are roasted whole, then their tender flesh is scooped out and combined with browned Italian sausage in a hearty, tomato- based sauce.
Lots of aromatics, white wine and a unique blend of spices that include fennel seed and smoked paprika make this one of the most delicious eggplant pasta recipes out there!
For more hearty pasta recipes with sausage, check out creamy pasta norcina, rigatoni boscaiola with mushrooms and artichoke sausage pasta with lemon and basil.
Though optional, I’ll often top this recipe off with a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese and savory pesto–and you should too. It’s amazing!
I love that you can make this eggplant sausage sauce in advance, hold it in the fridge or freezer, and heat it up when you’re ready for some pasta. And, since the recipe makes enough sauce to dress at least 2 pounds of pasta, it has built in leftovers.
Great Italian comfort food–robust, warming and full of big flavors and aromas. Plus, it uses up lots of summer eggplant, to boot. Hope you and your family give it a try. Mangia bene!
More Eggplant Recipes: Roasted Hasselback Eggplant, Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant, Fried Eggplant Cutlets, Roasted Mini-Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs, Sicilian Caponata Relish, Creamy Eggplant Soup and Italian-Style Grilled Eggplant.
Table of Contents
Main Ingredient Notes
- Eggplant: Almost any variety of eggplant can be used successfully in this recipe. I used medium-sized “Italian” eggplant from my garden here, but large (globe) and Sicilian eggplant are perfect! When selecting eggplant, look for a slightly firm, but not hard, texture and choose an eggplant that feels heavy for its size.
- Italian Sausage: The Italian sausage pairs so beautifully with all of the other flavors in this recipe. Use sweet or hot Italian sausage. Italian chicken or turkey sausage can also be used.
- Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic and Spices: These aromatics are all important flavor builders that complement and enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Red Bell Pepper: This optional ingredient adds great color, texture and a hint of veggie sweetness to the finished sauce and pasta.
- White Wine: The wine adds depth and complexity, brings a layer of acidity to the dish, rounds out the overall flavor of the sauce and creates a beautiful aroma to boot! If you prefer to not use alcohol, though, you can use (low- or no-sodium) vegetable or chicken broth or stock.
- Tomatoes: The base for this hearty sauce. Use whole tomatoes that are hand-crushed or already crushed or diced tomatoes.
- Tomato Paste: Adds umami, tomato-ness and acid to the sauce. Caramelize it for a few minutes in the hot pan before adding other ingredients.
- Pasta: I used rigatoni here but this ragu works well with all sorts of short and long shapes of pasta. I would stick with a hearty shape pappardelle, fettuccine, gnocchi, ziti, penne rigate or paccheri.
- Olive Oil: I use a heat-friendly extra virgin olive oil to sauté the aromatics and a high quality extra-virgin olive oil to add richness to the finished pasta.
- Butter (optional): Add a small amount to the finished pasta for increased richness and silkiness, restaurant-style.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: The incredible sharpness and savoriness of Pecorino Romano cheese is just what the sauce needs to round out its flavors. But, Parmigiano-Reggiano would be just as delicious here!
- Basil: Fragrant fresh basil goes so well with eggplant and adds some brightness and freshness to the pasta. If all you have on hand is dried, add it to the sauce along with the other spices so it can hydrate properly.
How to Make Eggplant Sausage Pasta
- Using a fork or the tip of a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 slits in each eggplant. Then place eggplants on a wire rack, set atop a sheet pan and roast in 375°F preheated oven until eggplants are very tender and their skin is wrinkly.
- Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut off and discard its stem and slice eggplant in half. Use a large spoon to carefully scoop out all the cooked eggplant pulp.
- Lightly chop the cooked eggplant flesh and discard any excess liquid. Set this aside.
Pro-Tip
– Piercing the eggplant will prevent the eggplant from bursting in the oven.
– You can roast the eggplant and prep the pulp one to two days in advance and hold it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Next, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage and olive oil and brown the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break it into bite-sized pieces. Once the sausage has browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and crushed red pepper to the pan and stir. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium, move the vegetables over to one side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Caramelize it for about 2 minutes.
- Then, pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.
- Next, stir in the canned tomatoes and spices. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the sauce doesn’t burn.
- After 30 minutes, stir in the reserved cooked eggplant flesh and browned sausage. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will be quite thick at this point.
- Then, taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Fold in the diced red bell pepper, if including, and turn off the heat.
Pro-Tip
At this point, you can either use the ragu immediately or cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or freezer for up to three months.
- When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil and reheat the ragu in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Cook pasta for about 2 minutes before you think it is al dente, then transfer to the ragu. Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the wonderful flavors of the sauce.
- Add pasta water for additional moisture, about ½ cup at a time.
- Once pasta is al dente, turn off heat. Then gently stir in the fresh basil, pecorino cheese and butter and drizzle with a good glug of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately and enjoy!
More Hearty Pasta Recipes
- Braised Beef Brisket Ragu
- Pork Country Rib Ragu
- Wild Boar Bolognese
- Slow-Cooked Lamb Ragu
- Pasta Norcina (Creamy Pasta With Sausage)
- Vodka Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
- Rigatoni Boscaiola with Mushrooms and Sausage
- Creamy Vegetable Lasagna with Bechamel
- Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Mozzarella
- Spinach and Beef Lasagna
- Stuffed Shells with Meat and Ricotta
Check out my answer to “How Much Salt Should You Add to Pasta Water?”, as featured in Appetito’s online Italian Food and Drink Magazine.
How Far in Advance Can I Make this Sauce?
The ragu can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or freezer for up to three months.
I generally make this sauce 2 to 3 days in advance of when I’m serving it. The flavors develop well and any excess fat rises to the top and can be skimmed off before reheating.
When ready to serve the eggplant sausage pasta, defrost the ragu in the refrigerator (if frozen). Then, reheat it in a covered skillet, thinned with a little bit of water as needed to reach desired consistency.
Love pasta with eggplant? Check out Sicilian pasta alla norma with ricotta salata and bucatini with ricotta, roasted eggplant and tomato.
Substitutions and Variations
- Basil: If all you have on hand is dried basil, use 1 tablespoon and add it to the eggplant sausage ragu along with the other spices so it can hydrate properly.
- Use a Different Meat: Italian chicken or turkey sausage, ground beef and ground pork can all be used in place of the Italian pork sausage, each adding their own unique flavors and richness/fat level. Keep in mind that you may need to increase the seasonings if you use a plain ground meat.
- Wine: If you prefer to not cook with wine, just sub in the same amount of low- or no-sodium vegetable or chicken stock or broth for the wine.
- Substitute Pasta: I’ve paired this rich, aromatic eggplant sausage sauce with pasta. But, if you’re a polenta fan, consider serving this recipe over a big puddle of buttery, cheesy, creamy polenta. Yum!
TOP TIPS for Eggplant Sausage Pasta
- Eggplant: Any medium-to-large variety of eggplant will work for this recipe. Choose one that feels heavy for its size with a slightly firm, but not hard, texture.
- You can roast and make the cooked eggplant pulp one to two days in advance and hold it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Pasta Water: The pasta water is key! Add it to the sauce along with the pasta for the additional moisture needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- Serving: This is a hearty, main course pasta recipe.
- For sides, a simple green salad is perfect accompaniment and my go-to. It provides the perfect crispness and freshness to complement the rich ragu and pasta.
- Try serving this recipe with broccoli rabe or sautéed escarole–both are great veggies sides.
- Don’t forget to serve this eggplant pasta recipe with a little homemade Italian chili oil for a final kick of heat–so worth it!
- Storage:
- The ragu itself can be held in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. (It freezes beautifully!)
- Leftover sausage ragu with pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it, covered, in a small skillet over medium low heat with a little bit of water until heated through.
Eggplant Sausage Pasta (Ragu)
Eggplant Sausage Pasta is a hearty, tomato-based ragu made with roasted eggplant, Italian sausage, lots of aromatics, white wine, fresh herbs and a unique blend of spices. It’s earthy, hearty and ultra-satisfying!
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large braiser
Ingredients
For the Eggplant Sausage Ragu:
- About 3 pounds eggplant, (See Notes.)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed, in chunks
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup finely chopped carrot
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, (optional; see Notes.)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup small diced red bell pepper, (optional; see Notes.)
For the Pasta:
- 1 pound pasta, + salt for pasta water
- 3-4 cups eggplant sausage ragu
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup chopped or hand-torn fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tbsp butter, at room temperature (optional; see Notes.)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Ricotta cheese, (optional for serving)
- Basil pesto, (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Arrange a rack on the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Use the convection option on your oven if you have it.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Prep and Roast the Eggplant:Using the tip of a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 slits in each eggplant. This will prevent the eggplant from bursting in the oven. Then place eggplants on a wire rack, set atop a sheet pan. (You can also bake them directly on a parchment-lined sheet pan.)About 3 pounds eggplant
- Place sheet pan on lower oven rack in 375°F preheated oven and bake until eggplants are very tender and their skin is wrinkly. The larger the eggplants, the longer this will take. It could take anywhere from 45 to 100 minutes or so. (See Notes below for an alternative method.) Turn the eggplants over after about 30 minutes. Test if eggplant is done by inserting a knife through its thickest part; it should not meet with any resistance in its center.
- Once the eggplant is done cooking, let it rest until it is cool enough to handle. Then cut off and discard its stem and slice eggplant in half. Use a large spoon to carefully scoop out all the cooked eggplant pulp. Discard eggplant skins. You should have roughly 1¼ pounds(or about 2+ cups) cooked eggplant pulp.
- Lightly chop the cooked eggplant flesh and discard any excess liquid. Set the eggplant flesh aside.NOTE: You can roast the eggplant and prep the pulp one to two days in advance and hold it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make the Ragu:Next, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage and 2 Tbsp olive oil and brown the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break it into bite-sized pieces. Once the sausage has browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.1 pound Italian sausage
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil plus the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and crushed red pepper to the pan and stir. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.1 cup finely chopped yellow onion, ½ cup finely chopped celery, ½ cup finely chopped carrot, 2 Tbsp chopped garlic, ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- Increase the heat to medium, move the vegetables over to one side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Caramelize it for about 2 minutes.2 Tbsp tomato paste
- Then, pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.1½ cups dry white wine
- Next, stir in the canned tomatoes and spices. Cover and bring mixture up to a simmer. Adjust the heat if necessary to maintain a light simmer and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the sauce doesn’t burn. Make sure that the carrots are tender before going to the next step.1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes, 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp black pepper
- After 30 minutes, stir in the reserved cooked eggplant flesh and browned sausage. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will be quite thick at this point.
- Then, taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Fold in the diced red bell pepper, if including, and turn off the heat.¾ cup small diced red bell pepper
- At this point, you can either use the ragu immediately or cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or freezer for up to three months. (I generally make this sauce 2 to 3 days in advance of when I am serving it. The flavors develop well and any excess fat rises to the top and can be skimmed off before reheating.)
- Make the Finished Pasta Dish:When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil and reheat the ragu in a large skillet over medium-low heat.3-4 cups eggplant sausage ragu
- Add salt, then the pasta, to the boiling water, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, or about 2 minutes before you think it is al dente. Be sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.1 pound pasta
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan with the ragu, increase the heat to medium and toss well. Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the wonderful flavors of the sauce. Add pasta water for additional moisture, about ½ cup at a time. (You can also add some pasta water to the sauce before the pasta is added, if moisture is needed.)
- Once the pasta is al dente, turn off heat. Then gently stir in the pecorino cheese, fresh basil and butter and drizzle with a good glug of extra virgin olive oil.⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, ½ cup chopped or hand-torn fresh basil leaves, 2 Tbsp butter
- Transfer to a serving platter. Either top the pasta with the some ricotta and pesto, if including, on the serving platter or serve it on the side to be dolloped onto plates individually. Serve immediately. Buon Appetito!
Video
Notes
- The above recipe makes approximately 8 cups eggplant sausage ragu, which is enough to dress about 2 pounds pasta. You can certainly cut the recipe in half if you want a smaller yield.
- Recipe “Prep Time” includes roasting the eggplant.
- If you’re only making one pound pasta, I suggest freezing the remaining ragu in an airtight container for up to three months. This way, you can have a delicious eggplant sausage ragu when desired any night of the week! Defrost the ragu in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy. Then, reheat it in a covered skillet, thinned with a little bit of water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Also, the ragu can 100% be made in advance and served with pasta 1 to 2 days later. In fact, it actually tastes better as it sits a bit and the flavors meld.
- Eggplant:
- Any medium-to-large variety of eggplant will work for this recipe.
- If you’re sensitive to eggplant seeds, remove those as best as possible after cooking the eggplant. They don’t bother most people, but some (older) eggplants have more (and larger) seeds than others, and they often do not break down. The round and smaller eggplant varieties have fewer seeds.
- I prefer to roast the eggplant whole until soft, then scoop out the pulp because it is the easiest and least messy way to do so. But, there are other ways that you can achieve the same result, such as peeling, cubing and roasting large pieces of eggplant, or blanching large pieces of peeled eggplant in boiling water. Whichever you decide to do, be sure that you have strained and “pulpy” eggplant as the starting point for the ragu.
- Make In Advance: You can roast and make the cooked eggplant pulp one to two days in advance and hold it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Note that you will likely have to drain the eggplant pulp if it’s been sitting for a while or refrigerated.
- Italian Sausage: Either sweet or hot Italian sausage will work here–your choice!
- Smoked Paprika: An optional spice that adds a light hint of smokiness to the eggplant ragu. Increase it to your liking and taste level.
- Red Bell Pepper: This optional ingredient adds great color, texture and a hint of veggie sweetness to the finished sauce and pasta.
- Basil: If all you have on hand is dried basil, use 1 tablespoon and add it to the sauce along with the other spices so it can hydrate properly.
- Pasta: I used rigatoni here but this ragu works well with all sorts of short and long shapes of pasta. I would stick with a hearty shape pappardelle, fettuccine, gnocchi, ziti, penne rigate or paccheri.
- Butter: The butter is “mounted” on the finished pasta at the end for additional richness and silkiness. This is optional and can be left out.
Tried this recipe?Mention @mangiawithmichele or tag #mangiawithmichele!
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I made the Eggplant Sausage pasta and it was delicious. Time consuming but worth it. The only thing different was I used vegetable stock instead of wIne and eliminated the fennel.
I made this the other day. Followed the recipe almost exactly. 😊. I only had Moscato which is way too sweet so I substituted with vegetable stock. I have to say it was really time consuming but it was freaking worth it. Had my Bestie try it and I thought she was going to cry as she licked her dish 😅. I used mini riggies which are perfect for this dish.The sauce filled the pasta. I plan on making this again very soon. My garden is giving me great eggplant. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks for this keeper !!!!
Susan, I am SOOOO happy that you loved this recipe and made it your own! It is truly unique and special! And, here’s a tip to make it go a bit quicker–roast the eggplant pulp in advance and hold it up to two days prior to making the rest of the sauce. During the summer when I’m growing eggplant or find great deals on local eggplant, I will roast A LOT of eggplant this way and freeze the pulp in measured portions to use in recipes like this one or my eggplant polpette or other like it on my site. Thanks so much for your kind comment. 🙂
Inspired by summer but enjoyed year-round. Love eggplant and love this dish so much!