Indulge in the delectable symphony of flavors presented by our Cheesy Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce. This vegetarian delight combines the richness of melted cheese, the tender bite of rigatoni pasta, and the savory allure of an eggplant-based sauce. The eggplant sauce, a captivating blend of roasted eggplant, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a hint of spice, embraces the rigatoni, creating a harmonious union of textures and flavors. This culinary journey culminates in a symphony of cheesy goodness, where the melted cheese blankets each morsel, adding a creamy and decadent touch to this delightful dish. Prepare to embark on a flavor adventure that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.
In addition to the main recipe, this article offers a delightful selection of variations that cater to different preferences and dietary needs. Discover the secrets to crafting a vegan version of the Cheesy Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce, ensuring that plant-based enthusiasts can relish this delectable dish. For those with a gluten sensitivity, the article provides guidance on creating a gluten-free version, ensuring that everyone can partake in this culinary delight. Explore the art of preparing a zesty Arrabiata sauce, adding a touch of spice and vibrant red color to the dish. And for those who prefer a creamy and comforting indulgence, delve into the secrets of preparing a luscious Alfredo sauce, transforming the Cheesy Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce into a rich and velvety masterpiece.
EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOM RIGATONI
Whole wheat rigatoni is tossed in rich, flavorful eggplant and mushroom tomato sauce. Red wine and balsamic vinegar add a really nice flavor to the sauce.
Provided by Jeni Hernandez
Categories Entree
Time 55m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large deep saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggplant and mushrooms. Cook for 10-14 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato pasta and stir. Cook for one minute.
- Add the oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine; cook until most of the wine has been absorbed.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. Use the back of a spoon the break apart the tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, make the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water.
- Cook the pasta according to package direction.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid. Gently toss to combine.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve with fresh herbs.
CHEESY RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE
Looking for a simple meatless main dish? Try this hearty casserole of pasta and veggies. It's ready in less than an hour.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, using minimum cook time.
- Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, eggplant and zucchini in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Spoon cooked pasta into baking dish. Spoon vegetable sauce over pasta.
- Cover tightly with foil; bake 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 7 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 540, Carbohydrate 71 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Fat 2, Fiber 8 g, Protein 25 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, ServingSize 1 Serving (2 Cups), Sodium 1000 mg, Sugar 11 g, TransFat 0 g
FIVE-CHEESE RIGATONI
Who can resist cheesy pasta hot from the oven? This ooey-gooey rigatoni mac and cheese boasts a homemade white sauce. -Shirley Foltz, Dexter, Kansas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner Side Dishes
Time 50m
Yield 9 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook rigatoni according to package directions. , Preheat oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in milk; bring to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Swiss, fontina, mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup Romano cheeses until melted. , Drain rigatoni; stir in cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 362 calories, Fat 14g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 40mg cholesterol, Sodium 586mg sodium, Carbohydrate 42g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 18g protein.
RIGATONI WITH ITALIAN EGGPLANT
Provided by Food Network
Time 1h12m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook. Continue stirring until softened, about 3 more minutes.
- Add tomatoes, with liquid, breaking them up with the back of spoon. Stir in wine, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente; drain. Toss pasta with sauce in pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Serve on a large platter and top with grated Romano cheese.
RIGATONI WITH CREAMY EGGPLANT AND MOZZARELLA
Provided by Aida Mollenkamp
Categories main-dish
Time 12m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and garlic and cook until just softened. Add eggplant, stir to coat in oil, then let cook, stirring rarely, until softened and golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove half eggplant mixture and reserve.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add the tomatoes, cream, and half the basil, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
- Drain pasta and return to the pot off the heat. Pour sauce over top and stir until well coated. Add reserved eggplant, remaining basil, and mozzarella and mix until the cheese starts to soften. Serve immediately.
CHEESY SAUSAGE RIGATONI
Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 1h20m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions; drain and set aside to cool.
- Saute the onions in the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Crumble in the sausage, add the crushed red pepper and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the marinara sauce, mix everything together and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- To assemble, add about 2 spoonfuls of the sauce--just enough to coat the bottom--to a baking dish. Then layer half of the cooled noodles, half of the mozzarella cubes and half of the remaining sauce. Repeat the process: layer the remaining noodles, mozzarella and sauce, then top with the Parmesan. Cover and put in the fridge or freezer until ready to cook.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the rigatoni until heated through and bubbling, 25 minutes straight from the fridge, or 2 hours straight from the freezer. Garnish with minced parsley before serving.
CHEESY EGGPLANT ROLLATINI
Awesome recipe to impress that vegetarian friend or to simply enjoy yourself.
Provided by Greg Feldman
Categories Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables Eggplant
Time 1h56m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle kosher salt over eggplant slices. Let excess moisture drain from eggplant, 10 to 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer to baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with black pepper.
- Combine spinach, onion, and garlic in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with Italian seasoning.
- Mix Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and ricotta cheese together in a bowl. Stir in spinach mixture until well-combined.
- Spread 2 spoonfuls of spinach mixture evenly over each eggplant slice. Roll up eggplant.
- Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange eggplant rolls seam-side down in the dish. Pour remaining marinara sauce over rolls. Cover with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and golden, about 1 hour. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 368.9 calories, Carbohydrate 36.1 g, Cholesterol 47.1 mg, Fat 15.9 g, Fiber 13.1 g, Protein 23.8 g, SaturatedFat 8.6 g, Sodium 1034.1 mg, Sugar 16.6 g
RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT, PEPPERS, AND TOMATOES
I had an Italian friend who cooked this recipe for me, and I'd like to share it with you as it is so goooood. Serve with feta or Parmesan cheese if you desire.
Provided by Ed's
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the diced eggplant in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, and bring to a simmer; season with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the tomatoes have reduced slightly, about 15 minutes.
- bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil; stir in the rigatoni and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
- Stir the eggplant mixture into the pasta along with the basil and olives. Spoon the tomato sauce overtop to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 400.1 calories, Carbohydrate 65.4 g, Fat 9.9 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 12.4 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 96.4 mg, Sugar 5.1 g
CHEESY RIGATONI BAKE
This baked pasta is a family favorite. One of our four children always asks for it as a birthday dinner. -Nancy Urbine, Lancaster, Ohio
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Yield 2 casseroles (6 servings each).
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return to pot. Cool slightly., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and salt until smooth; gradually whisk in milk and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat., Add eggs to pasta, tossing to coat. Divide mixture between two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Layer each dish with one can tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and half of the white sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 30-35 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°. Cover casserole with foil; bake 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°, 7-10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 282 calories, Fat 10g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 85mg cholesterol, Sodium 486mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
Tips:
- Choose the Right Eggplant: Select a firm, unblemished eggplant with a deep purple color. Avoid eggplants that are too soft or have brown spots.
- Cut the Eggplant Properly: To prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil, cut it into small, uniform cubes. This will also help it cook evenly.
- Salt the Eggplant: Salting the eggplant before cooking draws out excess moisture, resulting in a less bitter and more flavorful dish.
- Don't Overcook the Eggplant: Eggplant can easily become mushy if overcooked. Cook it until it is tender but still has a slight bite.
- Make the Sauce Ahead of Time: The eggplant sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. This makes it a great option for meal prepping.
- Use High-Quality Cheese: The cheese is a key ingredient in this recipe, so use a good quality Parmesan or Romano cheese. Freshly grated cheese will also provide the best flavor.
- Don't Overcook the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but be careful not to overcook it, as this will make it mushy.
- Serve Immediately: This dish is best served immediately after it is made, while the pasta is still hot and the cheese is melted and gooey.
Conclusion:
This Cheesy Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce is a delicious and satisfying dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. The roasted eggplant adds a smoky and savory flavor to the sauce, while the melted cheese makes it creamy and indulgent. Serve it with a side of crusty bread or a salad for a complete meal.
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