Ina Garten always introduces delicious recipes like eggplant-based pasta sauces with tomato. Below are the 7 best recipes for an eggplant pasta bake.
- Pasta with Baked Aubergine
For this eggplant pasta bake, you will need two eggplants cut very thinly. A great recommendation for this recipe is to sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let them aside for roughly 10 minutes. This will remove excess moisture from the veggies, making them less mushy once the pasta bake is finished. This recipe also contains directions for making tomato sauce using olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt, sugar, and basil. This sauce will serve as the base for your pasta bake, bringing fresh flavors that you would not get in canned spaghetti sauce. This recipe calls either penne or rigatoni pasta. We advise using a large saucepan rather than a large pot of boiling water. Fill the pan halfway with water and boil the pasta according to the package's instructions. After draining the pasta, combine it with spaghetti sauce and sautéed eggplants in an oven-safe dish. Pour half of the mixture into the dish and top with mozzarella shreds. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pasta bake ingredients. 
- Baked Beef Eggplant Pasta
This wonderful eggplant pasta dish is a favorite. The recipe calls for half a pound of lean ground beef, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, penne pasta, mozzarella cheese, and eggplant. 4 cups chopped eggplant, sautéed in olive oil until tender, keep aside. The ground beef is browned with onion and garlic, then the fat is drained. The meat and eggplant are seasoned with salt, crushed red pepper, basil, and oregano before chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce are added. Set it aside to cool in a shallow baking dish. Finally, cook the pasta and drain it. Allow the pasta to cool before washing it in cold water and draining it again before to combining it with the steak and eggplant. This eggplant spaghetti recipe may be cooked in advance and stores nicely. It may be frozen for up to four months if wrapped in plastic wrap and then covered with aluminum foil. If you want to freeze it, you may place it from the freezer right into the oven. Consider that this approach will need more cooking time. 
- Layers of Baked Aubergine and Feta
If you're not in the mood for pasta, there's no need to worry. This recipe calls for bulgur wheat, which has a similar texture to quinoa or couscous. Bulgur wheat is a kind of cereal wheat used often in Middle Eastern cuisine. Add boiling water and a pinch of salt to bulgur wheat, then cover it with a plate and let it soak for 15 minutes. When the bulgur wheat has cooked, fluff it with a fork and sprinkle it with chopped parsley and the zest and juice of one lemon. This will accompany your aubergine and feta layered bake. Middle Eastern flavors greatly impact the flavor character of this dish, especially the fiery cherry tomato passata component. Because passata is created from tomato puree, you may use tomato puree in its place. Add turmeric and either harissa or chili powder to the passata. If you like hot spices, you must try this meal.
- Ina Garten Pasta with Tomato-Eggplant Soup that is Baked
This baked spaghetti dish revitalizes and repurposes leftover tomato and eggplant soup. The soup makes a great base for spaghetti sauce, significantly decreasing the preparation time for this dish. This pasta recipe with eggplant asks for both penne and fusilli pasta. According to the instructions, pasta should be cooked until al dente since it will complete cooking in the oven. In lieu of mozzarella shreds, you will use fresh mozzarella and parmesan. After combining all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, divide the mixture into ramekins and bake at 500 degrees F for about 10 minutes. 
- Cinco de Mayo Aubergine Casserole
This inventive rendition of a "traditional" eggplant pasta dish with cumin and green chiles has a distinct Mexican flavor. Bake the eggplant slices at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While the eggplant is baking, prepare the sauce by combining a can of tomato sauce, green chiles, onions, olives, cumin, and garlic powder. Allow this to simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the flavors begin to meld. Place the cooked eggplant slices in a shallow baking dish and top with half of the sauce. Before baking for 30 minutes, repeat the procedure with more cheddar cheese and sauce.
- Vegan Rigatoni Baked with Eggplant
For an alternative to a typical eggplant pasta bake, look no further. This dish is a wonderful method for preparing a vegan evening of comfort food. Raw cashews, tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and water will be combined to create a vegan substitute for ricotta cheese. The consistency is similar to ricotta, and all you need is a food processor to combine the ingredients. Two eggplants should be trimmed and diced into 1-inch cubes before being salted to draw out excess moisture. After approximately 25 minutes, rinse and pat dry the vegetables before continuing to sauté until tender. Then, add the marinara sauce and cook until warm. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add ziti, penne, or rigatoni pasta while the eggplant cooks. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, drain, and add to the sauce. In a 3-quart baking dish, divide your mixture and cheese into thirds to create six layers. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then serve. 
- Eggplant Pasta Baked with Chickpeas
Here is a vegan one-pan eggplant pasta bake recipe for you to try. It is fast and simple to prepare, and it serves five. Use an oven-safe skillet while cooking on the stovetop so that you may transfer the pan to the oven and properly cook the food. Instead of individually baking the eggplant, it will soften on the stovetop. This recipe calls for a splash of white wine to be added when sautéing the eggplant. To create the sauce for this dish, you will also need a can of chickpeas without the liquid and diced tomatoes. This vegan supper is bolstered by chickpeas, which enhance the velvety taste of the eggplant. Fusilli pasta should be boiled in salted water with a bay leaf. Save some of the pasta water to add flavor to your pasta bake. Combine all ingredients and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. The author suggests serving it immediately since it tastes best when it is fresh and cannot be frozen.