Push past the sandwich routine with this vegetable-packed dish. Hearty eggplant, pesto and pine nuts form an out-of-the-ordinary sauce for a pasta lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium eggplant
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 pound gluten-free rotini pasta
- ½ cup prepared pesto sauce, or more if desired
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Chopped basil for garnish
Directions
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Cut the top off the eggplant and discard. Dice the eggplant into ½-inch pieces. Place diced eggplant into the pan and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Cook the eggplant until softened and browned, 10-15 minutes.
While the eggplant is cooking, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and return to the pot or a large bowl. Add the eggplant, pesto and pine nuts. Stir until combined. Garnish with the chopped basil. Serve warm or cold.
Nutrition Analysis: 310 cal, 12 g fat, 0 mg chol, 500 mg sodium, 49 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 6 g protein.
Isadora Lassance lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband and their orange cat, Cheeto. A regular contributor to Gluten-Free Living, she also blogs about whole food and seasonal ingredients at shelikesfood.com.
