Although pasta is one of my favorite {if not my favorite!} meals, we rarely eat it in our house. Earlier this week, I decided I needed a quick and simple meal with an easy clean up to start off the week. I had seen the Baba ghanoush dip at Wegmans during a previous visit and had been wanting to try it. I grow tired of the typical pasta with red sauce and thought why not use a dip for the sauce? For those that don’t know, baba ghanoush is a mixture of eggplant, onions, tomatoes, olive oil and various seasonings. Typically served with pita bread or veggies, I found this to be a great substitute for pasta sauce. 

Unfortunately, I can’t label this pasta as “healthy” after looking at the ingredients on this store-bought dip. But, every once in a while it’s alright to go with the prepared version {although this would be delicious with a homemade baba ghanoush — when I have more time!}. I wanted to add Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors to the dish so I decided to go with the chickpeas, capers and lemon juice. For those that don’t like capers, you can definitely leave them out 🙂 This was a super-quick dinner and something out of the norm for us. And it made a ton, so I have had leftovers for lunch, which is always a plus! 

Thanks for reading! 

Baba Ghanoush Pasta

8 ounces prepared Baba ghanoush {I used this}

Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup pasta water. While pasta is cooking, place prepared Baba ghanoush in a large skillet with chickpeas and capers on low heat. Squeeze half of a lemon into the Baba ghanoush sauce. Once pasta is drained and pasta water is reserved, transfer pasta to skillet, stir to combine. Add pasta water slowly to loosen sauce {I probably only used a 1/3 or the ½ cup of water}. Stir to combine and top with 1-2 tablespoons parsley for some color.