This Eggplant Bolognese Will Wow You
And it’s an easy dish to make
People often describe eggplant as “meaty.” What does that mean, exactly? It’s substantial? Flavorful? Chewy? Probably all of those things, but to think of eggplant primarily as a meat substitute is missing the point; it’s got enough going for it on its own. Fortunately, this dish doesn’t make you choose; more than that, it celebrates the fact that when combined, eggplant and meat are a juggernaut. The sauce here is basically a ragú of cubed eggplant and ground lamb — you could also use pork or beef, or a combination. Think of it as an eggplant-centric Bolognese, except instead of slowly simmering it on the stove, you roast it the oven, which gives it an incredibly rich flavor while requiring very little attention.
Photo by Lilechka75 for Getty Images.
Aside from being delicious, the presence of the eggplant means you don’t have to use as much meat (always a plus). Pasta is my vehicle of choice here, though by design there’s plenty of sauce, so you don’t actually need too much of that either — eight ounces for four servings is plenty. Alternatively, you could spoon this over polenta, a split baked potato, or even just serve it on a toasted roll like some glorious sloppy Joe…
