Eggplant Pasta Bake
I’ve got another comforting pasta dish today made from those fabulous new Progresso cooking sauces. In this pasta bake, I used sauteed eggplant and then pureed it in Progreeso’s new Fire Roasted Tomato Cooking Sauce and then added lots of fresh basil. My son loved this dish so much, he finished off all the leftovers by himself over the course of a few days.
This is also a vegetarian recipe, but you could add some sliced and sauteed sweet Italian sauce or grilled sliced chicken for protein.
This recipe is so simple, and so full of flavor. The eggplant and fresh basil add so much to the cooking sauce. This makes a perfect quick and comforting dinner any time of the week. Serve with a simple salad and fresh garlic bread.
There’s 5 new Progresso Recipe Starters Cooking Sauce in total. Keep checking back over the next few 2 weeks and you’ll find even more Meatless recipes for all the new flavors.
Click here for a to save 50¢ on Progresso recipe starters Cooking Sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Eggplant Pasta Bake
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups penne pasta
1 (18oz) can Progresso Recipe Starters Fire Roasted Tomato Cooking Sauce
1 cup fresh basil
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
Directions:
Heat oven to 450ºF. Drizzle skillet with olive oil. Add eggplant and onion. Sauté for 10 – 15 minutes, or until both vegetables are tender. Bring 1 quart water to boil in a 2 quart saucepan. Add penne pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta. Set aside.
Add cooking sauce to tender eggplant and onions. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use a stick blender to puree sauce or add mixture to a blender. Add basil and and blend until smooth. Add pureed sauce to cooked pasta and toss to coat.
Add pasta and sauce to a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and Panko breadcrumbs. Bake at 450°, uncovered, for 8 – 10 minutes, or until Panko is lightly browned and cheese has melted.