Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta

This Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta Casserole is a melty masterpiece and the perfect vegetarian pasta dish to serve on a cold evening! It will become a family favourite in no time! 

I made this Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta a month ago in preparation for my month of travel in Europe and it was so good I seriously considered posting the baked pasta recipe straight away.

I had a very hard time waiting for so long before sharing this drool-worthy vegetarian pasta bake with you guys. Yep, I’m that excited about this recipe!

This baked pasta dish in a nutshell? Pasta al pesto with a good dose of yummy veggies, topped with ooey gooey mozzarella cheese! Italian summer comfort food at its best!

I thought this easy baked pasta recipe would be perfect for this Italian week on Not Enough Cinnamon as it combines all the delicious ingredients that made Italian cuisine famous worldwide: basil, pasta, parmesan, mozzarella, eggplant, zucchini…and the list could go on!

This crazy good baked pasta is perfect for vegetarians or if you’re just trying to incorporate a few meatless yet comforting meals into your diet. You could make this pasta bake gluten-free by simply using gluten-free pasta. In any case, I’m sure it will be a crowd-pleaser and a future family favourite!

If you tried this Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

4.5 from 2 votes

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Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta

This Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta Casserole is a melty masterpiece and the perfect vegetarian pasta dish to serve on a cold evening! It will become a family favourite in no time! 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword bake, casserole, cheese, comfort food, dinner, eggplants, Italian, pasta, vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 575 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb small pasta 500 g, I used shells
• 2 medium zucchini peeled and shredded
• 3/4 cup pesto homemade or store-bought
• 2 eggplants sliced thinly lengthways
• olive oil spray
• 2 cups light mozzarella shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan shredded
• 1 lb cherry tomatoes 500 g, halved

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook pasta until slightly undercooked (about 8 minutes if the package instructions say 10 for instance). Drain pasta and bring back to the pot. Add shredded zucchini and pesto and toss to combine.

3. While pasta is cooking, line two baking sheets with parchment paper (for easy cleaning) and arrange eggplant slices in a single layer. Bake them for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.

4. Transfer pasta mixture into a large baking dish, top with eggplant slices, slightly overlapping the slices. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and top with tomatoes, cut-side up.

5. Bake for 45 minutes (cover with foil if it starts to get too brown). Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly 'The Best-Ever Collection' cookbook. 

Nutrition Facts

Eggplant and Pesto Baked Pasta

Amount Per Serving (1 /6th)

Calories 575 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20g 31%

Saturated Fat 6g 30%

Cholesterol 29mg 10%

Sodium 610mg 25%

Potassium 885mg 25%

Total Carbohydrates 74g 25%

Dietary Fiber 8g 32%

Sugars 12g

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 27.5%

Vitamin C 39.1%

Calcium 44.2%

Iron 13.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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