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This Aubergine Pasta Bake with Giant Shells and Ricotta is already delicious but made even better using giant shell pasta. There is something just so fun about using a different pasta shape than usual, it honestly makes the whole dish for me.
This recipe is so simple really, it’s essentially layered up like a lasagne but takes inspiration from the classic American pasta dish of stuffed shells. If you haven’t seen it before, each giant pasta shell is stuffed with a ricotta mixture and then baked. I never have the energy to stuff each individual shell but this recipe gives you the same flavours but it’s much less fussy.
For other creamy pasta or gnocchi recipes, Gnocchiflette: Tartiflette with Gnocchi is an easy, creamy recipe, or Marry Me Chicken Pasta is delicious too. For more aubergine, try my Aubergine Curry with Harissa.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The base of the recipe is so simple but with maximum flavour. It is a good tomato sauce with aubergines, then a creamy ricotta mixture, with pasta. Easy.
- Making this with giant shells is so much fun than standard pasta.
- The crispy topping is so golden in this recipe from mozzarella and parmesan for the perfect crisp.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Aubergine: similar to a Pasta alla Norma, this recipe has a tomato sauce with chunks of aubergine in it. It makes the dish a bit ‘meatier’ and bulks it out.
Red onion: I prefer red onion here as it’s sweeter and complements the tomatoes but you could use white onion if that’s all you have or even a shallot.
Garlic: I find 2 garlic cloves is enough in this recipe but you can adjust based on your tastes.
Cherry tomatoes: I use regular cherry tomatoes here, I don’t feel the need to buy expensive tomatoes just for this recipe as it gets cooked into a sauce which sweetens them up. Save the good tomatoes for a salad.
Tinned tomatoes: I like this brand as I find they have great flavour and are not too acidic but any work. You could also use passata too.
Balsamic vinegar: this just balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and rounds out the sauce. Don’t use balsamic glaze as that will add to the sweetness rather than balance it.
Ricotta: the creamy element to this dish. Ricotta is a mild Italian cheese that has a soft consistency and means you don’t need to make a white sauce for this dish.
Double cream: when mixed with the ricotta, it loosens it into a delicious and pourable cream that gets layered in the pasta bake.
Giant shell pasta: I think using giant shell shape is fun and it adds a little originality to this recipe but of course, any short pasta works. It would be good with small shells too or fusilli.
Mozzarella: when mozzarella melts, it turns soft and stringy for a delicious cheese pull. I like to layer the mozzarella on top when baking so that the top melts and turns crispy.
Parmesan: I like to add Parmesan to the top layer too to help it turn crispy. It also brings a stronger flavour that mozzarella doesn’t have.
Fresh basil: I like basil in the tomato sauce here. Use fresh basil and see our tips below for how to make it last longer than one day. Then you can use it in other recipes too.
Substitutions and Variations
Tomatoes: You could substitute the fresh cherry tomatoes for more tinned tomatoes in this recipe. I think the cherry tomatoes add a nice texture and sweetness but it would work and still taste good without.
Mozzarella: you could swap the mixture of Parmesan and mozzarella for another melty cheese with a stronger flavour. Try cheddar, gruyere, taleggio.
Here’s how to make the perfect Aubergine Pasta Bake:
The full recipe is at the bottom of the page but these images show the recipe in a step-by-step format which might help piece it together.
ONE: Cube the aubergine and heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous amount of oil and add the aubergine. Chop the onion and add to the pan of aubergine. Fry until soft, followed by the crushed garlic.
TWO: Add cherry tomatoes, a tin of tomatoes and then fill half the tin up with water and add back to the pan. Cook for another few minutes on high heat until the tomatoes start to burst and disintegrate.
THREE: Get your pasta on to boil but drain it around 3 minutes before it’s done. It will continue cooking when you bake it. Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta and double cream in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
FOUR: Like you would for a lasagne, you’re going to layer the dish up. Add a layer of tomato sauce, a layer of pasta.
FIVE: Then add some white sauce and then a few slices of mozzarella and a good grating of parm. Repeat this again to fill the dish!
SIX: Cover the top with mozzarella and parm, bake at 200c for 20 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve with fresh basil on top.
Cooking Tips
Using ricotta as well as cream: The double cream loosens the ricotta but also stops it from going grainy in the oven which can sometimes happen. So make sure to use both so it’s nice and smooth.
How to store basil: any leftover basil should be stored in the following way to keep it alive and strong for a good week. Slice the ends off the basil stalks and place in a small glass or mug in around 1cm of water. Take a clean sandwich bag and cover the basil with it, pulling the bag down the glass. Then seal the sandwich bag around the glass/mug. Leave at room temp.
Other recipes you might like
This Creamy Chicken Pasta is delicious and easy but I also love this Chicken and Sundried Tomato Pasta for another weeknight hero. If you prefer baked pasta with crispy tops, try this Gouda & Chorizo Mac and Cheese. Otherwise, try my Cheesy Tomato Baked Gnocchi with Fresh Basil and Mozzarella. I love recipes that make it simple to get it on the table. Or this Easy Cheat’s Lasagne is a great one too.
Weeknight Supper
Gnocchi alla Norma (Tomato Aubergine Gnocchi)
Salad Recipes
Roasted Aubergine Salad
Easy Dinner Recipes
Courgette Lasagne
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
Aubergine Pasta Bake with Giant Shells and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine
- 1 red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 500 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 500 g ricotta
- 200 ml double cream
- 500 g giant shell pasta
- 400 g mozzarella, low moisture mozzarella works well here
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- Parmesan
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Cube the aubergine and heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous amount of oil and add the aubergine. You want enough oil to get a good colour and for it to be tasty but not so it’s waterlogged. Chop the onion and add to the pan of aubergine. Fry until soft, followed by the crushed garlic.
- Add cherry tomatoes, a tin of tomatoes and then fill half the tin up with water and add back to the pan. Cook for another few minutes on high heat until the tomatoes start to burst and disintegrate. Smash them with the back of a spoon to encourage them to burst, adding more water if needed.
- Season well with salt and pepper and add a splash of balsamic. Keep bubbling gently until a lovely sauce forms. Heat the oven to 200c.
- Get your pasta on to boil but drain it around 3 minutes before it’s done. It will continue cooking when you bake it. Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta and double cream in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Like you would for a lasagne, you’re going to layer the dish up. Add a layer of tomato sauce, a layer of pasta, some white sauce and then a few slices of mozzarella and a good grating of parm. Repeat this again to fill the dish!
- Cover the top with mozzarella and parm, bake at 200c for 20 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve with fresh basil on top.
