This plant-based recipe of the classic Italian recipe for Pasta “alla Norma” has chunks of roasted eggplant and a spicy tomato sauce. The traditional version uses lots of oil and cheese, but this healthy vegan version roasts the eggplant oil-free and skips the dairy. With gluten-free cavatappi pasta, this is one of my favorite eggplant pasta recipes!
This dish goes great with: Kale Avocado Salad, top with 5-Minute Vegan Cashew “Parm”, and Vegan Tofu Lemon Curd with Berries.
If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy: Spicy Calabrian Style Whole Wheat Plant-Based Pasta Shells, Oil-Free Vegan Italian Eggplant Caponata, Oil-Free Balsamic Roasted Vegetable Gluten-Free Pasta Salad, and Lemony Kale Rigatoni Pasta.
What is Pasta alla Norma?
Pasta alla Norma originates from the Italian island of Sicily, a part of the country known for its spicy foods (and spicy personalities — we’re talking classic Italian mafia!) The name can be traced back to the opera Norma, written by Vincenzo Bellini. His fellow countryman, Nino Martoglio, was so impressed by the dish that, after eating it, he proclaimed “Chista è ‘na vera Norma!” (This is a true Norma!) It was an homage both to the pasta and to the opera.
A typical Pasta alla Norma involves tubular pasta (like penne or cavatappi) cooked with eggplant, basil, ricotta, and a spicy tomato sauce. It’s a true Italian classic.
How to Make Pasta alla Norma Oil-Free, Whole Foods, Plant-Based
Making a whole foods, plant-based, oil-free version of Pasta alla Norma is quite easy. The main ingredients, eggplant and pasta, are already plant-based. However, you want to use a whole grain or bean pasta to ensure that you get the full protein and fiber.
Many of the traditional recipes for Pasta alla Norma will involve frying the eggplant or roasting it with a lot of olive oil. You can easily ditch the oil and roast the eggplant oil-free instead. Honestly, I find I prefer this texture and flavor more. The pasta is weighed down with heavy oil and you get a bit of chew and crunch from the eggplant.
When it comes to the tomato sauce, using the canned Italian tomatoes helps you avoid the oil and salt often added to jar-bought marinara sauce. However, if you have an oil-free brand or recipe you enjoy, you can use it for this recipe.
Finally, instead of adding the traditional ricotta to this pasta recipe, I prefer to simply sprinkle on some Cashew Parm at the end. This adds that cheezy flavor while keeping the recipe dairy-free. If you don’t want to make your own, there are plenty of varieties that you can buy.
What is Cavatappi Pasta? What If I Can’t Find It?
Cavatappi translates to “corkscrew” in Italian. This little squiggly, S-shaped pasta curls around like a little corkscrew. You can get Banza Chickpea Cavatappi Pasta online and in many groceries. However, if you can’t find this particular shape, you can also use Penne, Rigatoni, Rotini, or Shells.
You want a shape that has some curves or is tubular — this will help hold the sauce and make it easier to pick up little bits of eggplant. Avoid spaghetti, linguine, or fettucini — these long noodles won’t hold much sauce and don’t blend well with the shape of the eggplant.
What is Chickpea Pasta? Can I use Another Gluten-Free Pasta
There is a huge variety of gluten-free pasta available. Chickpea pasta, made by Banza, is known for being high protein because it is made from garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas). Other gluten-free pastas that are high in protein use lentils or white lupini beans. There’s even green edamame pasta from Explore Cuisine which has 24g of protein in one 2 oz serving!
Other brands of gluten-free pasta, like Tinkyada and Colavita, use rice flour as the main ingredient. These aren’t as high in protein but are still made from whole foods, plant-based ingredients. If gluten isn’t a concern, you can also use traditional whole wheat pasta, which also has a lot of fiber and protein.
All of these varieties are plant-based, oil-free vegan pastas. Have fun exploring the different tastes, textures, and colors!
Chef Katie’s Kids and Picky Eaters Tip: If you’re cooking for little ones or picky eaters, it’s also fun to have them help choose the pasta color and shape. This will encourage them to be more interested in trying it.
More of Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Oil-Free Mission: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, and oil is the most calorie-dense food. For this recipe, roasted cashews and macadamia nuts add rich, nutty flavor, while also bringing healthy fiber and key nutrients. You can substitute with other roasted nuts and seeds (Brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds are my favorites).
Make Ahead: Make the eggplant and spicy tomato sauce for this meal ahead of time, but store them separately. Then, boil the pasta and combine with the eggplant and sauce just before serving. You can make a big batch of the tomato sauce and freeze extras for future meals.
Pasta “alla Norma” – Eggplant with Gluten-Free Chickpea Cavatappi Pasta and Spicy Red Sauce
- Medium
- Servings: 4
- Ready In: 75 minutes
- Yield: about 10 cups
Pasta “alla Norma” – Eggplant with Gluten-Free Chickpea Cavatappi Pasta and Spicy Red Sauce
Ingredients
For the Garlic-Roasted Eggplant:
- 2 big globe eggplants cut into large pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Spicy Tomato Sauce:
- 1 28-ounce can diced Italian tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flake
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup water
For the Chickpea Pasta and Serving
- 4 servings 8 ounces Banza Chickpea Cavatappi Pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
- 5-Minute Vegan Cashew "Parm"
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper on a non-stick baking mat.
- To make the Garlic-Roasted Eggplant: Spread the eggplant onto the pre-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic granules and salt. Spread into a single layer. Roast for 1 hour, until golden brown and firm in texture, tossing every 15-20 minutes. The eggplant will shrink considerably as it roasts.
- To make the Spicy Tomato Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes (or as long as the eggplant cooks). Taste to adjust seasoning. Keep warm.
- To make the Chickpea Cavatappi Pasta “alla Norma”: Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water, according to package directions. When the pasta is still “al dente” (just shy of done, with a little bite still), drain and return it back to the same pot. Add the Spicy Tomato Sauce, Garlic-Roasted Eggplant, and fresh basil. Stir to combine.
- Top with Cashew Parm, if you like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt, to taste
How it’s Done:
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 274 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 4 g | 6 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 1 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 258 mg | 11 % |
| Potassium 711 mg | 20 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 51 g | 17 % |
| Dietary Fiber 17 g | 68 % |
| Sugars 16 g | |
| Protein 17 g | 35 % |
| Vitamin A | 12 % |
| Vitamin C | 15 % |
| Calcium | 9 % |
| Iron | 36 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Banza Chickpea Pasta – High Protein Gluten Free Healthy Pasta – Cavatappi
- Frontier Culinary Spices Garlic Granules
- Bragg Premium Nutritional Yeast Seasoning
- Organic Crushed Red Pepper
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