Eggplant, Tomato & Pepper Sauce

This chunky eggplant and tomato sauce is built without any oil, relying on chicken broth as the cooking liquid instead. That makes it remarkably light while still being deeply flavorful. Roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, garlic, and a touch of red pepper flakes give it a Mediterranean warmth.

Salting the diced eggplant for 15 minutes before adding it to the sauce is a step worth doing. The salt draws out moisture and the bitter compounds that can make eggplant taste harsh. Rinse it well after draining and it goes into the sauce sweeter and more tender.

A teaspoon of honey at the end balances the acidity of the tomatoes and tomato paste without making the sauce noticeably sweet. After 15 minutes of simmering with the eggplant, the sauce thickens into a chunky, spoonable consistency that clings to pasta or pools under grilled protein.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t skip the salting and rinsing of the eggplant. It removes bitterness and excess moisture that would thin the sauce.
• Use ripe Roma tomatoes for the best flavor. Out-of-season tomatoes are bland and watery. Canned San Marzano tomatoes work as a substitute.
• Simmer until the sauce is visibly thickened. A thin sauce slides off pasta instead of coating it.
• This sauce tastes even better the next day after the flavors have time to meld.

Variations

• Add a handful of Kalamata olives and capers for a puttanesca-inspired twist.
• Stir in fresh basil at the end for a brighter, more aromatic finish.
• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it fully vegetarian.