Best 5 Eggplant And Sausage Pasta Salad Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey that harmoniously blends the smoky allure of sausage, the tender embrace of eggplant, and the vibrant freshness of pasta in a delightful dance of flavors. This delectable Eggplant and Sausage Pasta Salad is not just a dish; it's an experience that celebrates the essence of summer.

Our culinary adventure begins with the smoky and savory notes of Italian sausage, browned to perfection, releasing its tantalizing aromas. Roasted eggplant, with its soft and yielding texture, joins the symphony of flavors, adding a hint of smokiness and a touch of natural sweetness. The medley of colors and textures continues with the addition of juicy grape tomatoes, lending their burst of freshness, and crisp bell peppers contributing their vibrant crunch.

Perfectly cooked pasta, al dente and slightly firm to the bite, serves as the foundation for this delightful creation. Dressed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette, the pasta salad bursts with bright and tangy flavors that awaken the senses. A sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley adds a final touch of vibrancy, completing this culinary masterpiece.

As we embark on this culinary voyage, we'll discover a treasure trove of variations that cater to diverse palates and preferences. From a classic Italian dressing to a creamy avocado ranch sauce, each recipe offers a unique twist on the beloved Eggplant and Sausage Pasta Salad. Whether you're a vegetarian seeking a meatless option or a lover of spicy cuisine craving a kick of heat, there's a recipe here to satisfy your cravings.

So, let's embark on this culinary adventure together, exploring the depths of flavor and creating memories that will linger long after the last bite.

Let's cook with our recipes!

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT ONE POT PASTA



Sausage and Eggplant One Pot Pasta image

The easiest pasta you'll ever make!This one pot sausage and eggplant pasta is the perfect meal. It's healthy, delicious, and loaded with fresh veggies and just enough sweet Italian sausage to give it tons of flavor. The best part? You can make this dish in less than 30 minutes.

Provided by Lauren

Categories     Main Course

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ pound sweet Italian sausage (crumbled (about 2 links))
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 small zucchini (chopped)
1 small eggplant ( peeled and chopped)
8 ounces bowtie pasta
2 ½ cups water
4 cups baby spinach
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large, shallow pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sausage. Cook, breaking the sausage up with a spoon, until the sausage is browned - about 5.
  • Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
  • Stir in the zucchini and eggplant. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Add the pasta and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 11-12 minutes, or until pasta is cooked al dente and most of the water is evaporated.
  • Stir in the spinach and parmesan until the spinach is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, drizzle with 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Calories 500 kcal, Carbohydrate 54 g, Protein 21 g, Fat 24 g, SaturatedFat 8 g, Cholesterol 49 mg, Sodium 570 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 5 g, UnsaturatedFat 14 g

PASTA WITH GRILLED SAUSAGE, PEPPERS AND EGGPLANT



Pasta with Grilled Sausage, Peppers and Eggplant image

Provided by Kristin Donnelly

Categories     Pasta     Sausage     Eggplant     Bell Pepper     Summer     Grill     Grill/Barbecue

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links
1/2 pound sweet red peppers, such as frying peppers, cubanelles or bell peppers
1 medium Italian eggplant (about 8 ounces), sliced lengthwise 1/2- inch thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, for brushing
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces farfalle, cassarecce or other short pasta
1 ounce freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving
1/4 cup basil leaves, torn

Steps:

  • Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Arrange the grill so half cooks over high heat and the other half can cook over moderately low heat. Meanwhile, soak 1 small bamboo skewer for 10 minutes.
  • Prick the sausage links in a few places with a fork. Brush the peppers and eggplant slices all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Oil the grill grates, then grill the sausage over moderate heat, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile, grill the peppers over high heat, turning occasionally, until blackened all over, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool slightly.
  • Grill the eggplant over high heat until dark brown grill marks form, about 4 minutes. Flip and grilled until charred and the eggplant is tender, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to the cutting board.
  • Slice the sausages about 1/3 inch thick and transfer to a large serving bowl. Dice the eggplant and add it to the sausage. Peel the peppers, then discard the stems and seeds; slice into bite-sized strips and add it to the sausage and peppers.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain. Add the pasta and the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl and toss. Add the 1 ounce of cheese and toss again, adding pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the pasta sauce. Season with salt and pepper, add the basil and transfer to bowls. Serve the pasta, passing more cheese at the table.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, EGGPLANT AND BASIL



Pasta with Sausage, Eggplant and Basil image

Categories     Dairy     Herb     Pasta     Pork     Sauté     Basil     Sausage     Eggplant     Spring     Family Reunion     Potluck     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon salt
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 pounds spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, meat shaped into 1 1/4-inch meatballs (about 46)
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 serrano chilies, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 1/4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 pound cavatapi or penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Additional grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in large colander. Place over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant; saut until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and chilies; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs, broth and cream. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant and simmer 1 minute.
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
  • Toss pasta with sauce and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in basil and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, passing additional Parmesan cheese separately.

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT FUSILLI



Sausage and Eggplant Fusilli image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     main-dish

Time 45m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Kosher salt
1 pound fusilli or cannolicchi pasta
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/3-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil
12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, smashed
One 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes, such as Mutti
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup grated smoked provolone

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, or 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Meanwhile, toss the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in a colander; allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then squeeze out the excess moisture. Dry well on a paper towel-lined tray.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large straight-sided pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Push the sausage off to one side, add the eggplant and cook without stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir together the eggplant and sausage and continue to cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shallots and garlic; cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring often and breaking up the tomatoes.
  • Add the pasta to the sauce and sprinkle the Parmesan and provolone on the bare pasta. Using two wooden spoons, toss to combine until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta.

PASTA SALAD WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT, CHILE AND MINT



Pasta Salad With Roasted Eggplant, Chile and Mint image

This is a pasta salad, but it is not the mayonnaise-slicked, droopy-noodle kind found on salad bars. To bring out the soft meatiness of the eggplant, roast cubes of it until they collapse into a caramelized heap, and toss them with chopped raw tomatoes and a handful of salty capers. Then dress the vegetables and pasta in the pungent, spicy oil, which is rich with anchovies, browned garlic and chiles, a strong contrast to the sweetness of the tomatoes and eggplant.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     dinner, weekday, pastas, main course

Time 45m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 and 1/2 pounds eggplant (about 4 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
1 very large ripe tomato, cored and diced (1 and 1/2 cups)
1/2 pound dried penne
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 anchovy fillets
Large pinch chile flakes
2 tablespoons drained capers
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
2 tablespoons torn mint leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. On rimmed baking sheet, toss together eggplant, 3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread into one layer. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the eggplant is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
  • Place tomato in large bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt.
  • Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne to al dente according to package instructions; drain well.
  • While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in garlic, anchovies and chile flakes, and cook until golden and soft, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat and, using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to cutting board. Let garlic cool for a few minutes, then chop up and add back to the oil. Pour garlic-chile into bowl with tomatoes. Add eggplant and capers, and toss well.
  • Add pasta to bowl with eggplant and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, and drizzle generously with oil. Toss in herbs and serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 854, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 113 grams, Fat 37 grams, Fiber 16 grams, Protein 22 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 916 milligrams, Sugar 19 grams

Tips:

  • Choose fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your pasta salad.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Al dente pasta is the best choice for pasta salad, as it will hold its shape and not become mushy.
  • Let the pasta cool completely before adding it to the salad. This will prevent the pasta from absorbing too much dressing and becoming soggy.
  • Use a light, flavorful dressing. A simple vinaigrette or pesto sauce is a good option.
  • Add a variety of vegetables to your pasta salad. This will add color, flavor, and nutrients.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients. There are endless possibilities for pasta salad, so get creative and have fun!

Conclusion:

Eggplant and sausage pasta salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for summer gatherings. With its combination of tender pasta, flavorful sausage, roasted eggplant, and fresh vegetables, this salad is sure to be a hit. So next time you're looking for a light and refreshing meal, give this eggplant and sausage pasta salad a try.

Related Topics