Delicious Eggplant Spaghetti Sauce

Roasting the eggplant before it hits the pot is what separates this sauce from the watery, bitter eggplant disasters most people remember. Half an hour in a hot oven concentrates the flesh, drives off the moisture, and gives the cubes a meaty bite that holds up in the sauce instead of dissolving.

Doctored jarred marinara is the smart shortcut here. Onions, garlic, and a slug of wine wake up the bottle, and the eggplant brings the body. Splurge on a decent jar, a flat sauce stays flat no matter what you add.

Stir in fresh basil, oregano, and pepper at the end. Dried herbs work too, but fresh basil tossed in off heat keeps its perfume.

Pro Tips

• Salt the diced eggplant for 20 minutes before roasting, blot it dry, the salt pulls bitter juices and helps it brown
• Use red wine for body, white if you want a brighter sauce, anything you would actually drink
• Roast the eggplant on parchment, the cubes stick to bare metal and tear when you scrape them up
• Sauce thickens overnight, the eggplant continues to break down, leftovers are arguably better

Variations

• Add a chopped fresh tomato or two near the end for raw acid lift
• Stir in a handful of olives or capers for a puttanesca-style edge
• Top with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan instead of melted mozzarella for sharper cheese