Welcome to a culinary journey where flavors dance and textures blend in perfect harmony. Our eggplant, sausage, and ziti casserole is a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more. This hearty and comforting dish combines the smoky richness of sausage, the tender chewiness of ziti pasta, and the soft, savory embrace of eggplant. Baked to perfection, this casserole is a delightful union of textures and tastes that will surely become a family favorite.
In addition to the main recipe, we also offer a vegetarian version for those who prefer a meatless option. This variation swaps out the sausage for a medley of roasted vegetables, creating a casserole that is just as flavorful and satisfying. And to further expand your culinary horizons, we have included a recipe for a creamy pesto sauce that adds a vibrant touch of basil and pine nuts to the dish. This sauce is a perfect complement to the eggplant, sausage, and ziti, adding an extra layer of flavor and richness.
EMERIL'S EGGPLANT, SAUSAGE, AND ZITI CASSEROLE
Make and share this Emeril's Eggplant, Sausage, and Ziti Casserole recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Tina Madden
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h45m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the oil.
- Add the eggplant in batches, seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, adding more oil as needed.
- Transfer to a plate as they cook, and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When hot but not smoking, add the onion and sausage, and cook, stirring, until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft, about 6 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, their juices, the Italian seasoning, black olives, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, until the flavors marry and the sauce slightly thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat.
- Add the basil and adjust seasoning, to taste.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and forms a light roux, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and, whisking frequently, cook until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the casserole, overlapping as necessary.
- Top with half of the cooked pasta, then half of the sausage-tomato sauce.
- Place another layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then layers of pasta and sausage-tomato sauce.
- Pour on the white sauce, then top with the grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until puffed and golden brown on top.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 647.2, Fat 43.4, SaturatedFat 15.3, Cholesterol 70.3, Sodium 1047.3, Carbohydrate 41.2, Fiber 5.4, Sugar 10, Protein 24.5
BAKED ZITI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT
Baked ziti is delicious with layers of marinara, pasta, and cheese. This recipe uses a homemade Italian sausage meat sauce that's hearty and perfectly seasoned. We love adding pan-fried eggplant to the layers. The eggplant and pasta absorb the meat sauces Italian flavor. Super cheesy, serve this baked ziti with garlic bread for a tasty family meal.
Provided by Angela Hardesty @Angielo
Categories Pasta
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the oil.
- Add the eggplant in batches, seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, adding more oil as needed.
- Transfer to a plate when each batch is done.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot but not smoking, add the onion and sausage.
- Cook, stirring until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft about 6 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown.
- Add the tomatoes, their juices, the Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, until the flavors marry and the sauce slightly thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Add the basil and adjust seasoning, to taste.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and forms a light roux, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and, whisking frequently, cook until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the casserole, overlapping as necessary.
- Top with half of the cooked pasta; then half of the sausage-tomato sauce.
- Place another layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
- Then layers of pasta and sausage-tomato sauce.
- Pour on the white sauce.
- Then top with the grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown on top.
EGGPLANT SAUSAGE CASSEROLE
If you want your kids to happily eat their eggplant, serve it in this lovely layered casserole. Our whole family enjoys it. Always a popular potluck item, it's a great company dish, as well. -Carol Mieske, Red Bluff, California
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h30m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Set sausage aside., In the same skillet, saute eggplant and onion in oil. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, basil and paprika; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain pasta; stir into eggplant mixture. Add sausage., Spread half of the sausage mixture in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Spread with ricotta cheese. Top with half of the cheese and remaining sausage mixture., Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 606 calories, Fat 36g fat (15g saturated fat), Cholesterol 94mg cholesterol, Sodium 1066mg sodium, Carbohydrate 41g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 31g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh, firm eggplants for the best flavor and texture.
- Salting the eggplant slices helps to remove excess moisture and prevent them from becoming bitter.
- Be sure to brown the sausage well before adding it to the casserole.
- Use a variety of cheeses in the casserole for a more complex flavor.
- Top the casserole with breadcrumbs for a crispy topping.
- Serve the casserole hot out of the oven with a side of your favorite salad.
Conclusion:
Eggplant sausage and ziti casserole is a hearty, flavorful dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a casual gathering. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own preferences. With its combination of eggplant, sausage, ziti, and cheese, this casserole is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table.
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