Even when I am on vacation, I try to eat as normal as possible. Luckily on this trip, it was even easier because we had the convenience of a full kitchen! With that said, we still ate out more often than we typically do and being the carnivores that my parents are, there was meat, and a lot of it! Did I keep it veggie as much as I could? Yep. Did my husband? Not so much. He took full advantage of every piece of meat.
So what was the first thing I did when I got home? Okay I unpacked. But when we finally got situated, I started planning our meal plan for the week and got up bright and early the next morning to hit the grocery store! My mission? To keep it completely veggie for the next week or so!
I found a few new vegetarian recipes I wanted to try this coming weekend and eggplant pasta was the first dish on the list. I was browsing through my Food Network Favorites Cookbook and stumbled upon a recipe by Alton Brown that used eggplant slices as fettuccine noodles. I was up for something new at this point and decided to give it a go.
The original recipe called for the use of heavy cream, but I think you can guess that I made a substitution! To replace the heavy cream, I substituted with almond milk and flour. Because the texture of almond milk is slightly thicker like cream, I thought it would be a nice swap. You could also use evaporated milk. I’m not positive how the dish is supposed to look with heavy cream, but the almond milk forms more of a coating than a sauce.
To be honest, after looking at the eggplant cooking in the skillet, I was a bit turned off. It’s not the most gorgeous looking meal. However, once plated, I was pleasantly surprised when I actually tasted the dish! While next time I might use a little less basil, the red pepper flakes added just the right amount of kick, and the parmesan cheese contributed a smooth, earthy bite. Vegetarian meal #1 = Check!
Eggplant Pasta
Adapted from The Food Network Favorites Cookbook featuring Alton Brown
Makes 2-3 servings
- 1 medium Eggplant
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 T flour
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 T Parmesan cheese (extra for topping)
- 1-2 T Fresh basil (sliced in to ribbons)
Directions:
Slice top and bottom off of eggplant and cut lengthwise in to 1/4 ” thick pieces. Add salt to each piece and place on wire rack. Let sit for 30 minutes to seep out moisture. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
Slice eggplant in to thin strips (like fettuccine noodles).
In a skillet, heat olive oil and add flour (~1 min). Once paste forms, add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir until garlic starts to fill your kitchen with yummy smells!
Now add the eggplant, tossing to coat. Pour in almond milk and let cook until begins to thicken (only slightly thickens). Add parmesan cheese and basil (~1 minute). Serve and enjoy!
Nutritional Profile: 145 calories, 6.6 g Fat (1.3 g sat), 2.6 mg cholesterol, 104 mg sodium, 563 mg potassium, 19 g Carbohydrate, 5.1 g Fiber, 0 g Sugars, 4.6 g protein
QUESTION: Have you ever tried eggplant pasta? What other vegetables do you like to use in pasta dishes?
This sounds quite good! I love eggplant and am always looking for new ways to cook it. Thanks
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Ooooh I love eggplant and have used it as lasagna noodles but never as pasta noodles. I really love zucchini as spaghetti noodles because I get to use my spiralizer which is just as much fun as eating the noodles
Glad you had a fantastic time in Vegas! Congratulations on the wins!!
thanks for the recipe, i might just have to steal it from ya! i don’t really like pasta but the husband does. this looks like a great compromise
yikes..i meant zucchini pasta….i can’t type :/
I had never tried eggplant pasta!! I have a spiralizer, and have done xucchini pasta, but I love this idea!!!!
BTW–thanks for letting me know about the PB treats! I love your addition with the Kashi, I may try that!!!
Glad you had fun in Vegas! I am not a huge eggplant lover, but I’d definitely be up for trying this…sounds so unique and HEALTHY!
Oh I’ve never seen this before -looks like a great idea! I’ve had zucchini pasta before and really like it!
Your Vegas trip looks so fun Erin! I love that you took you grandma there. What a lucky lady. That pasta looks great. When I make pasta, I toss all sorts of veggies into. I like all the different textures. I also add alot of cheese too hehe
i’ve seen zuccini pasta, but never eggplant pasta! although, i have subbed eggplant in lasagna.
EEEK! pasta without pasta sounds.. not like me
the pasta is the best part usually,haha. But as a curious person, I would give this a try 
I have never had nor ever seen eggplant pasta before. Looks & sounds amazing & I would like to try it some time soon!
WOW, that is such a cool idea!! I’m definitely going to try this next time I buy an eggplant. When I make pasta, it tends to be quite light on the pasta quantity and verrry heavy on the veggies – I love them! Zucchini, onion, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and roasted red bell peppers are my favourites right now. Sometimes if I’m not in the mood for pasta, I use spaghetti squash and like it more than real noodles!
Oh wow! That looks very clever and delicious. I once substituted eggplant for pasta in a lasagna recipe, but I’ve never cut it into strips before. I think I’ll be trying this soon! Thanks for sharing it:)
I love this idea! Egg plant is so tasty, next time I get one I will definitely try this out. I’ve used zucchini and yellow squash as pasta, and of course spaghetti squash. Such as great way to get more veggies in.