Easy Penne Alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)
A plant-based spin on the classic Sicilian dish with tender eggplant and red peppers simmered in a homemade tomato sauce, then tossed with al dente pasta.
30 min4veganEggplantSweet PepperSpinachplant-basedItalianSicilianpastaweeknight dinnerbudget-friendly
What you need
- penne pasta
- 1 small eggplant
- red bell peppers
- onion
- garlic
- olive oil
- tomato sauce
- pinch sugar
- spinach
- salt
- black pepper
- pinch red chili flakes
How to make it
- In a large pot of salted water, begin to cook the pasta according to package instructions. Most pasta, regular or gluten-free, takes about 10-12 minutes to cook until al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a hot pan, start by frying the onions and garlic in some olive oil.
- In 2 to 3 minutes, add to the pan the eggplant and peppers. Season with salt and pepper and let them cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and some sugar to balance the acidity. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes and add the spinach.
- Once the penne pasta is cooked through, drain the pasta water and add the cooked pasta directly into the skillet with the eggplant pasta sauce. Toss until well combined.
- Serve penne alla norma immediately while hot and enjoy!
Adapted from plantbasedonabudget.com