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Fresh Rigatoni with Aubergine Ragu and Feta

by Mar 8, 2023Egg Pasta, Hand Shaped Pasta, Vegetarian

About this Recipe

A simple vegetarian pasta dish with fresh rigatoni and smoky aubergine ragu. The ragu is made by charring the aubergines in the oven until the skin is blackened and the inside is soft and tender. Roasting the aubergines before simmering the flesh in a tomato-based sauce imparts a rich flavor to the final dish. 

Rigatoni with aubergine ragu and two glasses of red wine next to it.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

  • Rigatoni –  you can make rigatoni by hand or use store-bought pasta. 
  • Aubergines – roasting the aubergines softens the flesh and brings out a rich, smoky flavor.
  • Olive oil – to sauté the vegetables.
  • Onion – red onion.
  • Celery – finely chopped for the flavor base.
  • Carrots – to add natural sweetness to the ragu and balance the acidity of the tomatoes. 
  • Garlic – to enhance the flavor profile of the sauce. 
  • Tomato paste – to enhance the flavor and thicken the sauce. 
  • Red wine – dry red wine of your choice.
  • Canned cherry tomatoes – alternatively you can use whole canned tomatoes (e.g. San Marzano).
  • Fresh basil leaves – to garnish the pasta. 
  • Feta cheese – to crumble over the pasta before serving.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Baking tray – to roast the aubergines. 
  • Pot and large saucepan – to cook the pasta and toss it with the sauce until evenly coated. 
Hand-rolled rigatoni on a baking tray.
Fresh rigatoni with aubergine ragu in a pan on a rustic wooden table.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Pre-heat the oven to 220 °C. Peel the onion and carrots. Finely dice the onion, celery stalk and carrots. Wash the aubergines and pat them dry. Use a fork to poke several holes in the aubergines and place them on a baking sheet. Roast them in the oven for about 45 – 50 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time. The aubergines are done when they look collapsed and the skin is blackened. Remove the tray from the oven and let the aubergines cool slightly. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh. Set the flesh aside and discard the skins. 

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion, celery, carrots and tomato paste until soft, about 10 – 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Then, deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce by half. Add the canned cherry tomatoes and the aubergines. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer over low heat for about 15 – 20 minutes until slightly thickened. 

Step 3

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. If you use homemade rigatoni, keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta. Keep an eye on it and check it frequently. Use a slotted spoon or pasta spider to transfer the pasta directly to the aubergine ragu. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and enjoy! 

Fresh rigatoni with aubergine ragu on a white plate and a fork next to it.
Rigatoni with aubergine ragu on a rustic wooden table.

Rigatoni with aubergine ragu and two glasses of red wine next to it.

Fresh Rigatoni with Aubergine Ragu and Feta

A simple vegetarian pasta dish with homemade rigatoni and smoky aubergine ragu. Roasting the aubergines before simmering the flesh in a tomato-based sauce imparts a rich flavor to the final dish.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: aubergine ragu, aubergine recipe, eggplant recipe, Fresh Pasta, Fresh rigatoni, pasta recipe, Rigatoni, vegetarian pasta dish, vegetarian pasta recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 698kcal
Author: Julia

Equipment

  • Baking tray
  • Pot and large saucepan

Ingredients

  • 600 g Fresh rigatoni OR 400 g dried pasta - For fresh rigatoni you will need about 100 g of flour and 1 egg per person.
  • 2 Aubergines
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil - extra virgin
  • 1 Red onion - finely diced
  • 1 Celery stalk -finely diced
  • 2 Carrots -finely diced
  • 3 Garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 150 ml Red wine
  • 400 g Canned cherry tomatoes – alternatively you can use whole canned tomatoes e.g. San Marzano
  • Salt and pepper - to taste
  • 80 g Feta cheese – to crumble over the pasta
  • Fresh basil leaves - to garnish the pasta

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 220 °C. Peel the onion and carrots. Finely dice the onion, celery stalk and carrots. Mince the garlic. Wash the aubergines and pat them dry. Use a fork to poke several holes in the aubergines and place them on a baking sheet. Roast them in the oven for about 45 – 50 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time. The aubergines are done when they look collapsed and the skin is blackened. Remove the tray from the oven and let the aubergines cool slightly. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh. Set the flesh aside and discard the skins.
  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion, celery, carrots and tomato paste for about 10 – 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Then, deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce by half. Add the canned cherry tomatoes and the aubergines. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer over low heat for about 15 – 20 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. If you use homemade rigatoni, keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta. Keep an eye on it and check it frequently. Use a slotted spoon or pasta spider to transfer the pasta directly to the aubergine ragu. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Fresh Rigatoni with Aubergine Ragu and Feta
Amount per Serving
Calories
698
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
7
g
Cholesterol
 
127
mg
42
%
Sodium
 
459
mg
20
%
Potassium
 
1288
mg
37
%
Carbohydrates
 
112
g
37
%
Fiber
 
10
g
42
%
Sugar
 
16
g
18
%
Protein
 
25
g
50
%
Vitamin A
 
5584
IU
112
%
Vitamin C
 
20
mg
24
%
Calcium
 
198
mg
20
%
Iron
 
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Thanks for visiting my blog!

Hi, I’m Julia – the content creator and recipe developer behind Not Just Food. 

I share scratch-made recipes for motivated home cooks and bakers! I hope you find some inspiration for your next cooking project!

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