Eggplant Bolognese Rigatoni
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 lb or 680 g)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 8 oz (227 g) crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
- One 28-oz (794-g) can crushed tomatoes
- One 15-oz (425-g) can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 dry bay leaf
- 1 lb (454 g) dry rigatoni pasta
- Thinly sliced fresh basil, for serving (optional)
Instructions:
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Read through recipe and put all ingredients in your work area before starting your prep.
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing the sauce.
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In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms and garlic; sauté for 10 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Add broth and balsamic vinegar and let simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
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Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, nutmeg and bay leaf. Lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Remove the cooked eggplant from its skin and coarsely chop (discard/compost skin). Add chopped eggplant to the sauce and stir to combine. Simmer an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce will be fairly thick.
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While sauce is simmering, in a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of cooking water before straining.
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Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss to coat, along with some of the reserved pasta water (as needed) to thin the sauce. Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper, if needed. Enjoy immediately, garnished with fresh basil, if using.
Nutrition Information Per Serving:
521 calories, 9.8 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 1.8 g polyunsaturated fat, 5.3 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 919 mg sodium, 1041 mg potassium, 94.9 g total carbohydrates, 12.8 g fiber, 16.5 g sugar, 16.9 g protein, 8% calcium, 28% iron
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