My eggplant ragù is hearty, rustic, and full of flavor! Serve it over a bed of creamy polenta for a cozy weeknight dinner that feels gourmet without the fuss.
I love reinventing traditionally meat-based sauces and stews using hearty vegetables and legumes. Think mushroom Bolognese, lentil Bolognese, chickpea marsala, or mushroom paprikash. These dishes pack all the savory flavor of the originals, but in totally plant-based form. My latest creation is this cozy eggplant ragù, which I developed specifically to serve over a bed of creamy polenta. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!
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Ragù is a pretty broad category — it can be a sauce or a stew. It can be served over pasta, polenta, bread, or even grains. While it’s traditionally meat-based, there’s no rule that says it has to be, which makes it a perfect candidate for a vegan makeover. Swapping the meat for eggplant felt like a natural fit.
For my eggplant ragù, I finely diced the eggplant and cooked it up until super tender in a white wine-infused tomato basil sauce. The dish is pretty simple and doesn’t require many ingredients at all, but you’d never know it by the flavor!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below you’ll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Eggplant. I used the ever-popular Italian globe eggplant to create the recipe. It’s the big purple variety you can find at basically any grocery store. If you have another type on hand, feel free to use it. Any eggplant will do!
- Olive oil.
- Shallots. Shallots add a nice, mild but savory flavor to the ragù, but you could also use a regular onion if you’d like.
- Garlic.
- White wine. Go for a dry variety like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc and keep in mind that not all white wine is vegan — some varieties are processed using animal products. Run your brand through Barnivore before you buy.
- Tomato sauce. Crushed tomatoes or tomato puree can be substituted if you don’t have sauce on hand — the texture will just be a bit different, and you might need to add more salt.
- Sugar. Use organic sugar to ensure that it’s vegan. Conventional sugar is often processed using animal bone char.
- Salt & pepper.
- Fresh basil.
- Vegetable broth.
- Non-dairy milk. Use any variety that’s unflavored and unsweetened. Need help choosing one? Read my guide to dairy-free milk.
- Instant polenta. We’re using instant polenta to keep the cook time to a minimum. If you prefer regular polenta, feel free to use it. You’ll need about a cup of extra liquid (broth and/or milk), and the simmer time will increase to between 30 and 40 minutes.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Microwave the eggplant. Do this in two batches, placing each batch of diced eggplant on a paper-towel lined plate and zapping it for six minutes.
Sauté the eggplant. Heat your oil in a large skillet, then add your microwaved, diced eggplant. Cook it for about ten minutes, until the pieces are tender and browned.
Tip: Microwaving your eggplant before cooking with it is a great way to improve its texture and remove bitterness. It can be an excellent alternative to salting! It also allows you to use less oil.
Add the shallots. Throw your diced shallots into the pan with the eggplant, and continue cooking everything for a few minutes, until they start to soften.
Sauté the garlic. Make a little space in the pan, then add minced garlic. Sauté it for just about a minute, making sure to stir it the entire time.
Add the wine. Bring it to a simmer, then let it cook and reduce for about four minutes.
Add the sauce. Stir in your tomato sauce and sugar. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes, to thicken.
Finish the ragù. Take it off of heat, then season it with some salt and pepper. Stir in your fresh basil. You can give it a taste-test at this point and make any seasoning adjustments that you see fit.
Cook the polenta. Bring your broth and milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. Slowly stir in the polenta grits, then let them simmer for a few minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in some vegan butter and salt to taste when it’s done.
Finish and serve. Divide the polenta among bowls or plates, then top each one with the ragù. I also love to give mine a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.
Leftovers & Storage
Store any leftover polenta and eggplant ragù in separate airtight containers in the fridge. They’ll keep for about three days. Each component can be reheated in the microwave, or in a saucepan on the stove. Polenta tends to dry out and thicken over time, so you’ll want to add some water or non-dairy milk.
Variations
- Eggplant ragù over pasta. Instead of creamy polenta, serve the ragù over your favorite dried pasta, or, better yet, vegan ravioli or tortellini.
- Add protein. Throw in a can of lentils or chickpeas, or add some Italian-style vegan sausage.
- Add veggies. You can throw in all kinds of veggies, like mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, or kale.
- Extra spicy ragù. Spice it up by adding some red pepper flakes or calabrian chili paste.
Frequently Asked Questions
It certainly is!
You can, but keep a few things in mind. First, if your eggplant is old or shows browning when you cut it, you’ll want to salt it. You’ll also want to double oil, since microwaving reduces the amount of oil that eggplant absorbs. You may also need to cook it for a few minutes longer to avoid the eggplant coming out tough.
You can, although it does add a lot of flavor. If you’d like to skip it anyway, give the ragù a taste-test when it’s done, and add a bit of lemon juice if it tastes like something is missing.
Eggplant Ragù with Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
For the Eggplant Ragù
- 2 pounds eggplant, peeled and diced (½ inch)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup diced shallot (about 1 medium shallot)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 (15 ounce/425 gram) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
For the Creamy Polenta
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 cup quick cooking polenta grits
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
Make the Ragù
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Place half of the diced eggplant onto a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 6 minutes. Place the remaining eggplant onto a second paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate while the first batch is in the microwave. As soon as the first batch comes out, place the second batch into the microwave and repeat, zapping it on high for 6 minutes.
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Coat the bottom of a large skillet with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up. Once it begins to shimmer, add the eggplant. Cook the eggplant for about 10 minutes, flipping the pieces every three minutes or so, until they are tender and lightly browned.
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Add the shallot to the skillet. Cook it with the eggplant for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Push the eggplant and shallots to the side, then add the garlic to the space you just created. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it becomes very fragrant.
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Stir the garlic into the eggplant and shallot mixture, then stir in the wine. Bring the wine to a simmer and let it cook until reduced by about half, about 4 minutes.
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Stir in the tomato sauce and sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat so that it’s cooking at a low simmer. Let it continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened slightly. You can add a splash of water if it becomes too thick.
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Remove the skillet from heat. Season the ragù with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil.
Make the Creamy Polenta
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While the ragù simmers, place the broth and milk into a medium saucepan. Set it over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
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Lower the heat until the mixture is at a low simmer, then slowly add the polenta while stirring. Cook the mixture for about five minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick and creamy. Remove the pot from heat.
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Stir in the vegan butter, if using, and season the polenta with salt to taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 1034mg | Potassium: 1036mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1212IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 3mg
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