This Baked Pasta with Eggplant is an easy, family-friendly pasta casserole dish with added veggies. It’s vegetarian and can easily be made gluten free and dairy-free.

Baked Pasta with Eggplant  in the baking dish topped with chopped spinach and a spoon has takes a serving out of it.

Baked Pasta with Eggplant

Can I tell you all a little secret?

I don’t like eggplant. Nope nope nope. Totally not my jam. And this fact is much to my husband’s disappointment since he adores that purple plant.

However, eggplants kept showing up week after week in our CSA (which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. This site can help you find one near you) and I simply couldn’t:

  1. give it away (apparently I am not the only one having a hard time loving it)!
  2. let it go to waste!

So, I set out to make an eggplant-loaded recipe that me, the pickiest of eggplant eaters, enjoyed. And, boy oh boy, did I ever do that when I made this Baked Pasta with Eggplant!

TNNers, not only did I find a way to ENJOY eating eggplant, but I found a new recipe that the whole family loves! Not only do I go back for seconds when this dish is on the table, but so does my whole family! Total win.

And I’m betting your family is going to love this eggplant pasta just as much, too!

A 4 step image of how to make baked pasta with eggplant. The first image shows the eggplant and onions and garlic in pan, before roasting. The second shows the addition of cooked pasta and spinach. Third image shows the addition of sauce and cheese. The fourth image shows the baked pasta completed and ready to be enjoyed.

Why this vegetarian pasta bake with eggplant is so good!

  • Easy! It takes 35 minutes to cook up to perfection, but almost all of it is hands off! You can throw this together and get other stuff done (or relax!) while this delicious dinner cooks up.
  • Perfect as leftovers. Reheats easily and makes a nice big batch so that your can use it to feed a crowd or enjoy on a night when cooking isn’t going to happen!
  • Is easily adaptable. We all have different needs, preferences and/or eating styles…and this baked pasta with eggplant is easy to add protein to, make gluten free or dairy-free. Check the suggested adaptations section below for ideas of how to tweak this recipe to fit your needs.
  • Veggie-loaded. Eggplant + spinach are already in this yummy vegetarian pasta casserole, but you could add even more if you wanted by using my kid-friendly vegetable tomato sauce instead of jarred sauce!
  • It is family-friendly. This baked pasta is comforting and full of lots of familiar flavors your crew will love!
A bowl of baked pasta with eggplant topped with fresh spinach. There is a fork in the bowl, ready to take a bite.

Suggested Adaptations

  • Make gluten free by using your favorite gluten free pasta!
  • Skip the cheese on top to make it dairy-free and/or vegan. Or use your favorite dairy-free cheese instead.
  • Add protein. Stir in cooked chickpeas or if vegetarian isn’t need, add cooked shredded chicken or shrimp to the pasta before topping with cheese.
  • Up the veggies. This baked pasta with eggplant is a great way to use up any veggies that need to go or add more veggies to your family’s diet! I love to throw in chopped broccoli, cauliflower, or zucchini…but you can add whatever vegetables you like, have on hand or need to use up!
  • Peel the eggplant or remove seeds before roasting. This might be helpful thing to do for veggie-iffy eaters.

Want to make sure you always have spinach on hand for this Baked Pasta with Eggplant? Check out my tips & tricks for keeping spinach fresh all week!

Other veggie-packed pasta recipes…

A bowl of baked pasta with eggplant with the baking dish next to it. A fork is sitting in the bowl.
4.91 from 10 votes

Baked Pasta with Eggplant

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
This Baked Pasta with Eggplant is an easy, family-friendly pasta casserole dish with added veggies. It's vegetarian and can easily be made gluten free and dairy-free.

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound eggplant, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound pasta
  • 24 ounces pasta sauce
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, optional. Omit for dairy-free.
  • 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425℉.
  • In a 9"x13" casserole pan, combine chopped eggplant, onions and garlic. Drizzle the oil over the top of the veggies and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat.
  • Place veggies in the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes.
  • While the veggies roast, cook pasta according to directions. Once done cooking, drain water and set pasta aside.
  • When veggies are done roasting, add the cooked pasta, chopped spinach, and sauce to the casserole pan. Toss to coat and smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle with cheese and put back into the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Enjoy warm.
Calories: 303kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 719mg, Potassium: 600mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1132IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 2mg