Pasta alla Norma

This gorgeous Sicilian pasta will make your kitchen smell absolutely amazing! Anyone who loves hearty, comforting vegetarian meals will fall head over heels for this dish. Plus, it’s packed with healthy eggplant and delivers incredible flavor that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 50 minutes, Total Time: 55 minutes, Serves: 8 people.

Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free, Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Healthy Pregnancy, Soy-Free, High-Fiber, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian, Egg-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 336 Calories, 10g Fat, 52g Carbs, 11g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Eggplants: You’ll need 2 large ones, about 21 ounces each, cubed into 1-inch pieces with the skin on. The skin adds great texture and saves you prep time! Extra-virgin olive oil: 4 tablespoons divided – this golden goodness brings everything together beautifully. Balsamic vinegar: 2 tablespoons adds a lovely sweet-tangy flavor that makes the eggplant extra special.

Garlic: 8 medium cloves chopped up – don’t worry, it mellows out beautifully when cooked. Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon creates that rich, deep tomato base we’re after. Whole peeled plum tomatoes: One 28-ounce can with no salt added – these break down into the most amazing sauce.

Fresh basil: 1 large sprig for cooking, plus extra leaves for garnish because fresh herbs make everything prettier! Fennel seeds: 3/4 teaspoon gives this dish its unique Sicilian flavor. Salt and crushed red pepper: 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for the perfect seasoning balance.

Whole-wheat rigatoni: 1 pound – the tubes hold onto that gorgeous sauce perfectly. Ricotta salata cheese: 6 tablespoons crumbled adds that authentic salty, creamy finish.

How to Make Pasta alla Norma

Step 1: Heat your oven to 375°F and set racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss the cubed eggplant with 3 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a big bowl. Spread the eggplant evenly on your prepared baking sheets.

Step 2: Bake the eggplant for 35 to 40 minutes until it’s golden-brown and tender. Stir once and swap the pan positions halfway through cooking. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks caramelized and smells incredible!

Step 3: While the eggplant bakes, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring often until it smells amazing. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute until it darkens.

Step 4: Add the canned tomatoes, basil sprig, fennel seeds, salt, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with the back of your spoon.

Step 5: While your sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to the package directions until it’s al dente. Before draining, save 1/2 cup of that starchy pasta water – it’s liquid gold for bringing everything together!

Step 6: Remove the basil sprig from your sauce and stir in the beautiful roasted eggplant. Add the drained pasta and reserved pasta water, stirring until everything is perfectly coated. Divide between bowls and top with crumbled ricotta salata and fresh basil leaves.

Easy and Quick Pasta alla Norma Version

Want to speed things up? You can totally skip the roasting step and just sauté the eggplant! Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed eggplant and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and tender. Then just add it straight to your tomato sauce – you’ll save about 20 minutes and still get amazing flavor!

Serving Ideas

This hearty pasta is honestly a complete meal all by itself! If you want to add a little something extra, a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette pairs beautifully. Some crusty Italian bread for sopping up any extra sauce never goes wrong either. A glass of red wine makes it feel extra special for date night!

Storage

Store your leftover sauce and pasta separately in the fridge for up to 4 days in airtight containers. This keeps the pasta from getting mushy! To reheat, just warm everything up on the stovetop over medium heat or pop it in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of water if it seems too thick.

Substitutions

No ricotta salata? No worries! Feta cheese, Pecorino Romano, or even cotija cheese work great. Want to make it gluten-free? Just swap the whole-wheat rigatoni for your favorite gluten-free pasta or serve it over creamy polenta instead. You can use regular rigatoni instead of whole-wheat if that’s what you have on hand.

Pro Tips

Don’t skip the balsamic vinegar: It adds incredible depth to the eggplant and isn’t traditional, but trust me on this one!

Save that pasta water: The starchy water helps bind everything together and makes the sauce silky smooth.

Let the tomato paste cook: Those extra 30 seconds of cooking the tomato paste until it darkens makes a huge difference in flavor.

Break up those tomatoes: Use the back of your spoon to smash them up as the sauce simmers – it creates the perfect chunky texture.

FAQs

How do I make this recipe gluten-free?

You bet you can make this gluten-free! Just swap the whole-wheat rigatoni with any gluten-free pasta you love. Or try something totally different and serve the eggplant mixture over creamy polenta – it’s naturally gluten-free and absolutely delicious!

Do you need to salt the eggplant before cooking?

Nope, you don’t need to salt the eggplant first for this recipe! While some recipes call for salting to draw out moisture, we’re roasting the eggplant which gives it perfect texture without the extra sodium. Plus, it saves you time and cleanup!

What is ricotta salata, and can I substitute it?

Ricotta salata is a firm, salty Italian cheese that crumbles beautifully over pasta. If you can’t find it, don’t stress! Feta cheese, Pecorino Romano, or cotija cheese all work wonderfully as substitutes. Each brings its own delicious flavor to the dish.

What’s the best way to store leftovers?

Sure! The best trick is storing the sauce and cooked pasta separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. This keeps the pasta from getting soggy. When you’re ready to eat, just reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warm!

Where does Pasta alla Norma come from?

This beautiful dish comes from Catania, Sicily’s second-largest city! It was named after Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Norma.” Legend says that when Italian writer Nino Martoglio first tasted it, he loved it so much he exclaimed “This is a real Norma!” – calling it a masterpiece just like the opera!

I’d love to hear how your Pasta alla Norma turns out! Drop a comment and let me know if you tried any fun variations. There’s nothing better than sharing delicious recipes with fellow food lovers!