Some dishes feel like the very essence of late summer, and grilled Pasta Melanzane is one of them. Instead of using canned tomatoes, we use garden-fresh tomatoes, grated and cooked with fresh garlic and basil. But the best part of this recipe is grilling the eggplant, onions, and cherry tomatoes on the barbecue, to make summer and the grilling season last even longer.
The grilled vegetables make this dish shine. Eggplant takes on a tender, smoky richness, while onions caramelize beautifully, adding depth and sweetness. The blistered cherry tomatoes, still warm from the grill, bring bright pops of sweetness that burst in your mouth, balancing the savory flavors of the sauce. Together, they create layers of flavor and texture that feel both rustic and refined.
Traditionally a Sicilian classic, this recipe gets a rustic, garden-fresh twist with sweet, sun-ripened tomatoes, smoky grilled eggplant, caramelized onions, and juicy cherry tomatoes blistered on the grill—all tossed with hearty rigatoni. Instead of reaching for canned tomatoes, freshly grated garden tomatoes create a sauce that’s vibrant, light, and bursting with flavor, clinging to every curve of the pasta.
Thick rigatoni catches every bit of sauce and vegetable, making each bite hearty and satisfying. While Pasta alla Norma is traditionally finished with ricotta salata, this version celebrates the grill, the garden, and the harvest in one colorful bowl. It’s a dish that’s equal parts comfort food and celebration—perfect for late-summer gatherings or a cozy weeknight dinner that still feels special.
Grilled Pasta alla Norma
Ingredients
- 1 lb. rigatoni (cooked according to directions when ready to serve dinner)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. lemon pepper perfection
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 large eggplant, cubed (leave skin on)
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes (any color or a mix of orange, red and yellow)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 fresh garden tomatoes (or buy them at the store … Roma are godo for this)
- 4 basil leaves, minced or julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ball burrata
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Place eggplants, onion, and cherry tomatoes in separate aluminum tins. Toss each veggie with some of the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Set aside.
- Grill each of the veggies until the eggplant is nicely browned and has some crispy edges, but still in tact, the tomatoes are blistered and slightly blackened, and the onions are caramelized. The eggplant will cook the fastest (about 7 minutes depending upon the heat of your grill),
- The tomatoes will take bout 10 minutes or so.
- And, finally the onions may take up to 15 minutes or so. Stir each occasionally as they are cooking. This can all be done several hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, grate the tomatoes on a cheese grater and add to a medium-sized pot. Add the minced garlic and basil. Heat over low heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside until veggies are redy and the pasta is cooked.
- To assemble this dish, add the grilled veggies to the tomato sauce and heat until hot. Keep it hot until the pasta is cooked. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss it into the sauce. Serve on heated plates and garnish with a scoop of burrata, a generous sprinkling of Parmesan, and a basil leaf or minced basil.
