Rich Spiced Tomato & Aubergine Pasta with Pesto

I love this recipe, a rich spiced tomato sauce, cubes of aubergine, comforting pasta and pesto which lifts the dish and adds tons of flavour. It’s incredibly tasty and utterly more-ish.
Rich spiced tomato & aubergine pasta with pesto

I used lasagne sheets as I love having large strips of pasta gooey with the delicious sauce and chunky veg and pesto, but feel free to use any pasta you like.

I topped the dish with dill, which may sound unusual, but I think the flavour really works.

You could also grate some plant-based ‘cheese’ over the top.

If you don’t like aubergine, you could use peppers or courgette.

It would be fab to add some pulses like butter beans.

And this sauce is also great for a bolognese.

I hope you enjoy, love Niki xx

The Recipe

Rich spiced tomato & aubergine pasta with pesto

Rich Spiced Tomato & Aubergine Pasta with Pesto

I love this recipe, a rich spiced tomato sauce, cubes of aubergine, comforting pasta and pesto which lifts the dish and adds tons of flavour. It’s incredibly tasty and utterly more-ish.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
2-4 servings
4.86 from 7 votes

Ingredients

  • 2 onions sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 small aubergine sliced into small cubes
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 tbsp rose Harissa paste or 1 tsp Harissa paste
  • 400 g cherry tomatoes sliced
  • 400 g can tomatoes
  • 1/2 jar sun dried tomatoes drained and sliced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Pinch chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp plant based milk
  • 6 Lasagne sheets – dried not egg

For the pesto

  • 30 g basil
  • 50 g pine nuts
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive
  • Juice 1/2 lemon
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 50 g water

For the toppings

  • Fresh dill
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • Chilli flakes

Instructions

  • In a large pan, add the olive oil and onion and then fry the onion on medium for 8-10 minutes until soft.
  • Add the garlic and stir to combine.
  • Now add the aubergine and fry for 2-3 minutes to soften a little.
  • Add the smoked paprika, harissa, ketchup and tomato purée and stir to combine, simmer for a minute then add cherry tomatoes, sun dried and tin tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes and stir in the plant based milk

To cook the lasagne sheets

  • In a large flat frying pan, add 3 lasagne sheets to boiling salted water.
  • Boil for 12 minutes or until soft and just cooked in the middle.
  • Refresh in cold water, set aside.

To make the pesto

  • Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz to combine.

To serve

  • Fold the lasagne sheets into the sauce.
  • Top with fresh dill, extra virgin olive oil and chilli flakes.
Print Recipe

I'd love to hear your comments…

  • Sarah J
    7 months ago Reply

    5 stars
    I made this recipe two days ago and we all really enjoyed it. We ate it with fusilli because my son didn’t want to eat it with lasagne sheets but I loved that idea and will do it at some point!
    Great recipe, very rich and creamy- we used pumpkin seeds instead of pinenuts because, although I love pinenuts, pumpkins are about a third of the price, also very healthy and in a recipe like this one I don’t think the difference is probably very apparent.
    THanks for the recipe 🙂

    • A
      Niki
      7 months ago Reply

      Thanks so much for your thoughts! So happy you like, Niki xxx

  • Louise France
    2 years ago Reply

    Absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to make this when we have guests to show just how good vegan food can be! I didn’t have pine nuts so I made the pesto with cashews instead, really good!

  • Sue
    4 years ago Reply

    Hi Niki

    I’ve just started following you and loved your recipe. I used fusilli instead of lasagne sheets. Worked a treat. Thank you

    Sue K

  • Ruth Arundel
    4 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    Followed the recipe exactly and it was AMAZING! Perfect Saturday lunch. Thank you, Nikki! Love your cookbook and your blog

  • Tracey
    4 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! Im gluten free so used quinoa- rice fusilli pasta. Decided to roast the eggplant/ aubergine with a little smoked paprika and added four large portabello mushrooms after the garlic. The spices were spot on and family loved it! Thanks Nicki. I’m going order your new cookbook- love your work. ❤️

  • Ellen
    4 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    This just popped up and I had the ingredients to hand for the pasta dish (not the pesto unfortunately) so made it and it was oh so rich and dreamy!

Let me know what you think below…

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