Enjoy the harvest with this easy, Mediterranean-inspired eggplant and pasta recipe.
I’m a long-time advocate of the Mediterranean diet and credit it for helping me manage genetically high cholesterol. Traditional Mediterranean cooking appeals to me for good reason: it centers on fresh fruits and vegetables, flavorful cheeses, satisfying whole grains, and bold herbs and spices.
My palate has evolved far from my Puritan New England roots — I still enjoy baked beans, blueberries, molasses treats and the occasional regional soda — but now I embrace Mediterranean staples like leafy greens, olive oil, chickpeas, olives and eggplant.
Eggplant is one of my favorites. Last year I grew eggplant for the first time and loved the plants so much that I planted a few more this season, eagerly awaiting a late-season harvest. Weather cut the garden back this year, but I did manage to get one large, beautiful purple eggplant. I considered grilling it or making eggplant Parmesan, but without fresh tomatoes on hand I chose this slightly unusual family favorite instead.
Eggplant can get a bad reputation — it’s the top vegetable people tell me they dislike, often due to a slimy or mushy texture from certain preparations like baba ghanoush. This dish avoids that by sautéing the eggplant so it holds some texture and shows its earthy flavor. The bite of capers, salty olives and crunchy nuts balance the eggplant’s earthiness, and the result is an easy, flavorful dish that’s perfect when you have just-picked eggplant.
- 1 lb. eggplant
- 1 large leek (white and light green parts only)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more to finish if desired
- 1 cup small black olives
- 1 Tbsp capers
- 1/4 cup pine nuts or pistachios (walnuts also work)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3/4 lb cooked ziti or other pasta
- Freshly grated Asiago cheese, for serving
- Trim the stem and bottom from the eggplant.
- Cut into cubes and place in a colander. Toss with a pinch of salt and let drain for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Rinse the eggplant well and pat dry with paper towels.
- Slice the white and light green parts of the leek thinly.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the leek until soft, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the rinsed eggplant to the skillet and sauté until tender, 5–15 minutes depending on cube size and variety.
- Stir in the olives, capers, nuts and red pepper flakes and warm through.
- Toss the mixture with the drained cooked pasta, adding a bit more olive oil if desired to loosen the sauce.
- Serve topped with freshly grated Asiago cheese.
This straightforward recipe highlights eggplant’s unique flavor and combines bright, salty, and crunchy elements for a satisfying weeknight meal. It’s flexible — swap nuts, use different olives, or serve with your preferred pasta shape. When eggplant is in season, this is a quick way to turn a single vegetable into a memorable Mediterranean-style dinner.