Recipes

Bacon & Eggplant Soy Sauce Butter Pasta

A quick wafu-style pasta that marries smoky bacon, silky eggplant, and a savoury soy-butter sauce for a satisfying weeknight meal.

Servings: 2-3
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti
  • 4 slices applewood smoked bacon (150 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
  • 1 Japanese or Chinese eggplant (140 g), halved lengthwise and sliced into ⅓-inch (9 mm) diagonals
  • 3 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
  • ½ onion (4 oz, 113 g), sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
  • 1 dried red chili pepper, thinly sliced (seeds optional)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1½ tablespoons soy sauce (or mentsuyu)
  • 1 small bunch chives, minced (for garnish)

Notes

  • Trim and cut the eggplant right before cooking so it stays bright and holds together; steaming it gently keeps the chunks intact.
  • Transfer the spaghetti directly from the pot so the starchy cooking water clings to the noodles and helps marry the sauce.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of chives for freshness, and feel free to swap bacon for mushrooms/ham or use mentsuyu for extra umami.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or freeze for up to a month.

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season with 1½ tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and cook the spaghetti until it is one minute shy of al dente; reserve a little cooking water before draining if you prefer to keep the noodles separate temporarily.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, and then sauté the bacon pieces until they begin to crisp at the edges. Stir in the onion, garlic, and chili pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the prepared eggplant and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat in the oil, then add the shiitake mushrooms, cover the pan, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and let the vegetables steam for 3 minutes to soften without breaking apart.
  4. Transfer the pasta to the pan using tongs (no need to drain completely—the pasta water clinging to the noodles will help loosen the sauce), add the butter and soy sauce, and toss quickly to combine all the ingredients.
  5. Divide the pasta between plates, garnish with minced chives, and serve right away.