Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers
Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers Recipe: Summer meets fall when roasted eggplants and peppers are tucked into cheesy baked ziti.
Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers Recipe: Summer meets fall when roasted eggplants and peppers are tucked into cheesy baked ziti.
Pasta feeds and pancake breakfasts – to me, the two used to go hand in hand, events of mass consumption, fundraising for a common goal. I remember volunteering at my grammar school when I was a little girl, curious at the crowds seated at the long tables in the school cafeteria, the ones that often gave us kids splinters if you weren’t careful, now topped with plastic tablecloths, and at the parents who were hustling in the kitchen, stirring vats of spaghetti or flipping pancake after pancake.
The pancake breakfasts were fun, but the pasta feeds were lost on me. I didn’t quite appreciate how runners actually relied on the carb loading before race day. I just thought they loved spaghetti. We lived in New York, after all – didn’t everyone love pasta?
The image of crowded church basements and metal folding chairs returned to me a few weeks ago when my husband asked if we could have pasta every Friday night. He’s training for a race, and the distances are getting longer and longer. Mile upon mile, he’s pounding the pavement, and he needs to fuel up as he approaches those long runs.
I’m happy to oblige. Like I said, doesn’t everyone love pasta?
It’s rather nice, looking forward to pasta night each week. The kids are content, and I can finally try my hand at some dishes that have been on my mind. Now that summer is segueing into fall, this Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers is a wonderful way to use the season’s offerings and add its roasted flavors into a cheesy baked ziti.
How to Make Baked Ziti with Eggplant
Roasting both the eggplant and the peppers mellows them in both flavor and texture (and makes them more palatable to pickier eaters!), melting into the cheese and the pasta with each bite.
Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers begins by chopping and roasting the eggplant in the oven and then roasting a whole bell pepper over a gas flame. Pancetta and garlic are sautéed and then the roasted veggies are added, along with tomato sauce and seasoning. Stir in cooked pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Place the pasta into a baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella to bake.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
25 Simple Pasta Recipes
Vegetarian Pasta Puttanesca
Tomato and Mozzarella Ravioli with Tomatoes, Baby Kale and Artichokes
Swiss Chard Walnut Pesto Pasta
Swiss Chard with Orzo, Cannellini Beans and Pancetta
Eat Seasonal
Join my friends and I who embrace eating seasonally! The bounty of September is here! Just look at all this #eatseasonal inspiration:
Get the delicious recipes:
Thai-Glazed Skillet Corn with Cotija Cheese by Climbing Grier Mountain
Apple Fritter Waffle Doughnuts by Completely Delicious
Roasted Grape Crostini with Brie and Thyme by Cookie and Kate
Crispy Eggplant Tacos with Cilantro Sauce by Mountain Mama Cooks
Pumpkin cake and Semifreddo Push Pops by Molly Yeh
Quinoa Pizza with Stone Fruit, Chiles, and Queso Fresco by Cafe Johnsonia
Honey-Sweetened Peach Lemonade by Simple Bites
How to Make Hatch Chile Salsa Verde by Foodie Crush
Green Onion & Chive Yogurt Dip by Project Domestication
Coconut Macaroon Filled Peaches by Vintage Mixer
Best Ever Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Lauren’s Latest
Check out the September produce guide on The Vintage Mixer.
Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants 1 lb each
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 oz pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tomato diced
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 3/4 lb ziti penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
- 1/2 lb mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly brush with olive oil.
- Peel the eggplant and trim the ends. Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise, then lengthwise into thirds again. Trying to keep the eggplant together to retain its shape, cut them across in 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet using a wide spatula, then drizzle the mounds of eggplant with about 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven to roast for about 45 minutes, or until very tender.
- Pierce the bell pepper with a fork and hold it over an open gas flame until the skin is black and blistered all over. Place in a brown paper bag or in a covered bowl and let it cool. Peel the skin (using a paper towel helps) and discard. Remove the stem and seeds, then slice the peppers into 1/4 inch pieces lengthwise.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a deep sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic, and cook until the pancetta and garlic begin to brown. Add the roasted eggplant, peppers, and tomato and cook for one minute. Add the tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta and stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Transfer the dressed pasta to a baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese has all melted and the sauce underneath is bubbling.
- Serve with additional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
I was wondering if this recipe would freeze well to bake for later?
Hi Ashley, yes, absolutely! Prepare the casserole and store tightly covered in the freezer until you’re ready to bake!
Looks like I already have my next cooking challenge already set! This looks delicious and interesting 1 hr 30 min challenge.
Thanks for the recipe Liren
Wow! what a tasty pasta, will cook this tonight for sure my husband will love it!
Hummmmmmm….i can not wait to try on this recipe, nice pasta, with cheese on surface and yummy tomato sauce….how wonderful :)
This is great recipe, I cannot wait to try it!
I will definitely try this! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you like it, Elizabeth! :)
I love eggplant, it is one of my favorite dish. I will try to combine the two in one dish this weekend. I can not wait to do it!
I’ll try it this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
This is great recipe, I cannot wait to try it!
PIZZA! I LOVE it! Thank you for sharing!
Great idea, wil keep it in the back of my mind for the next weekend
My favorite way of eating eggplant is to grill them w/ olive oil, lemon and Italian seasoning – on an open wood fire, if I can. YUM.
I love eggplant, it is one of my favorite dish. I will try to combine the two in one dish this weekend. I can not wait to do it!
I’m feeling hungry. It looks like very delicous !
I love everything about this dish. I am pregnant and cannot get enough baked pasta. I am sending this to my husband as a big HINT, HINT.
Love everything about this! A great weeknight family meal that’s going on my list!
I love pasta. I also love eggplant. I never thought to combine the two in a dish. Duh. This is so perfect for the coming months. I am jazzed with the new idea and recipe.
We have been seeing eggplants at our farmer’s market! What a delicious way to use it. And yes, everyone in my family loves loves pasta. This will be a hit for sure!
Liren, Tom is quite lucky to have you creating his carb loading dinners. Assuming he will run a great race, you certainly should get some of the credit. ;) This dish is the perfect comfort food for all pasta lovers. And like you said…doesn’t everyone love pasta.
Oh, this is my son’s favorite dish. I’ll try it this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Pizza night Friday’s sounds delicious! I want to dive right into all the cheesy goodness of this dish!
Bookmarked for a family dinner in the near future. I love eggplant!
pasta bake happens to be one of my favorite…and with eggplants it sounds wonderful.
This is my favorite childhood comfort dish! My mom never made it with eggplant but loads of melty, Italian cheese and fresh tomatoes. Great recipe, I’ll definitely be making it!
I love baked pasta, this looks so cozy and comforting!
I want to dive head first into that dish of gorgeous, cheesy pasta!! Baked ziti is my fav! This looks amazing!!