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Eggplant Beef & Mushroom Pasta Bake
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5 from 1 vote

Eggplant Beef & Mushroom Pasta Bake

Comforting and tasty, this Eggplant Beef & Mushroom Pasta Bake is loaded with deliciousness and sure to please you and your family…
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Passive Time5 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Francine Lizotte
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Keyword Beef, Casserole, Comfort Food, Easy Recipe, Pasta, Vegetables, Winter Recipe

Ingredients

  • 7 tbsp. olive oil, or as needed and divided tips & tricks
  • 8 to 9 cups eggplant (1 medium), cubed
  • 1 tbsp. ground Himalayan pink salt, or to taste and divided
  • 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste and divided (I always use mixed peppercorns)
  • 1 cup white onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red peppers, chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow peppers, chopped
  • 4 cups mushrooms (about 8 large), washed and sliced
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
  • 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
  • 2 tbsp. Italian seasoning see Recipe
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste tips & tricks
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes Footnote
  • 1 can (24 oz.) pasta sauce
  • 12 ounces rigatoni pasta, cooked minus 2 minutes
  • 2 cups sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks

Directions

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp. oil and when it shimmers, add eggplant; season with salt and pepper. Toss it before adding another 2 tbsp. oil. Cook for 1 minute and add 2 more tbsp. oil.
  • Sauté the eggplant cubes for 10 minutes until brown and almost done. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add another tbsp. of oil to the skillet. Add onions and sauté for 1 minute.
  • Add red and yellow peppers. Sauté all the ingredients for 2 minutes before adding the sliced mushrooms. Stir until blended, add salt and pepper, and sauté the vegetables for 1 minute.
  • Cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
  • Transfer the ingredients to a large bowl and set aside as well.
  • To the same skillet, add ground beef, breaking it into small pieces; season with salt and pepper. Cook it until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
  • Halfway through cooking, add pressed garlic and continue cooking until the meat is done.
  • Stir in Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Pour in beef broth and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly grease a 15x10-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
  • Return eggplant cubes and the other cooked veggies. Add diced tomatoes and past sauce; stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  • Add half rigatoni pasta, stir to mix before adding the remaining half; stir well.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spread it out evenly before sprinkling on grated cheese.
  • Loosely cover with foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes; halfway through cooking, remove the foil.
  • Half an hour later, remove from the heat and let it rest 5 minutes before sprinkling on some fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

Footnote: Instead of using a can, make your own Tomates Concassées