• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Your Guardian Chef
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pasta with meat or seafood

    Sicilian Swordfish Pasta Sauce Ragu With Eggplant Recipe

    Published: Sep 30, 2020 · Modified: Apr 11, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    This swordfish pasta recipe is a delicious summer lunch made with swordfish ragu and fried eggplants. It is a typical dish from Catania in Sicily, where eggplants and swordfish are a local delicacy.
    This swordfish pasta recipe is a delicious summer lunch made with swordfish ragu and fried eggplants. It is a typical dish from Catania in Sicily, where eggplants and swordfish are a local delicacy.

    This swordfish pasta recipe is a delicious summer lunch made with swordfish tomato sauce and fried eggplants. It is a typical dish from Catania in Sicily, where eggplants and swordfish are local delicacies. Swordfish is an oily fish with fatty acids similar to bluefin tuna, with chunky meat without bones. It is easy to make, and as with all seafood dishes, it doesn't require a long cooking time.

    pasta with swordfish ragu and eggplants
    Jump to:
    • Swordfish meat
    • Ingredients
    • Choosing the eggplants
    • Instructions
    • Top tips
    • Recipes with eggplants you might also like
    • 📋 Pasta with Swordfish Ragu and Eggplants

    Pasta with swordfish and fried eggplants is a specialty from Sicily around Catania and Messina.

    The fresh tomatoes, the basil, and the eggplants are all locally grown around the Etna slope, and the swordfish fished in the Messina Strait.

    This Sicilian swordfish pasta sauce is the pasta alla Norma taken to a higher level.

    Fried eggplants are mixed with tomato sauce and basil but instead of ricotta salata cheese, swordfish stew is added.

    It is a quick, complete lunch common during the hot summer months in southern Italy.

    Other quick seafood pasta dishes are: spaghetti alle vongole, Pasta with black ink, pasta with shrimp and zucchini and shrimp tomato sauce pasta.

    RecipeRegional originHistoric context
    Pasta alla NormaSicily, CataniaCombines Arab influence (eggplants introduced during the 9th–10th centuries) with swordfish, a staple from ancient fishing traditions in the Strait of Messina.
    swordfish pasta in the pan

    Swordfish meat

    For this easy swordfish recipe, we use the meat from the neck of the swordfish around the top fin.

    It is tastier and costs half the price of the most common swordfish steak.

    I like to use different parts of the swordfish and throw away only the minimum. Eating most of the meat is a way of honoring the death of any animal.

    Swordfish ragu is not cooked long like a beef ragu, as fish should never be overcooked.

    It is much faster to make than regular ragu and is lighter and perfect for a summer lunch.

    If you want to know more about how to buy and cook fresh swordfish, don't miss the article: How to buy and cook wild fresh swordfish meat.

    Other baked swordfish recipes are baked swordfish recipes with breadcrumbs, and oven baked swordfish in foil

    Note: you can make this same recipe with tuna or salmon.

    Swordfish neck and fin meat

    Ingredients

    All the flavors of Sicily in this recipe are:

    • Fresh ripe tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are compact, contain less water, and have fewer seeds. Perfect for making a fresh tomato sauce. You can also use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
    • Eggplants: I use long eggplants and ensure they are not bulky. If the base is too wide, they are likelier to have too many seeds.
    • Pasta: use short tubular pasta with stripes like Maccheroni rigati or Rigatoni. This shape helps absorb the sauce and create the perfect eggplant bite. If you cannot find Maccheroni, use other short pasta like Penne or Ziti. Chunky homemade pasta like Busiate or Fileja is also a good option.
    • Fresh basil: you can also use fresh parsley
    • Salt
    • Fresh garlic: do not use garlic powder
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • White wine: optional

    See recipe card for quantities

    10 kilos of fresh tomatoes for tomato sauce

    Choosing the eggplants

    Bitter eggplants full of seeds can ruin your final dish.

    Unfortunately, it is not always easy to tell if an eggplant is full of seeds, so I always buy my eggplants in grocery shops I trust.

    If the eggplants have too many seeds, I just throw them away and never buy vegetables from that shop again.

    I take my eggplants seriously, so don't mess with my eggplants!

    My mother always sliced the eggplants, seasoned them with abundant salt, laid them inside a strainer, and put something heavy on top to let the acid juices drain out of the eggplant.

    I no longer do that as I found the eggplants are not as acidic as they used to be.

    If you think they are, let them drain in salt for 2 hours before using them.

    Eggplants

    Instructions

    Frying the eggplants

    Cut the eggplants into cubes, removing the skin
    1. Cut the eggplants into cubes, removing the skin
    Deep fry the eggplants in very hot extra virgin olive oil until golden brown
    1. Deep fry the eggplants in very hot extra virgin olive oil until golden brown
    Drain them on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil
    1. Drain them on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil

    Cook the swordfish

    Wash the swordfish and dry the excess water with a paper towel
    1. Wash the swordfish and dry the excess water with a paper towel
    In a large pan with high hedges, stir-fry the swordfish
    1. In a large pan with high hedges, stir-fry the swordfish
    Cook it on both sides, but do not overcook it.
    1. Cook it on both sides, but do not overcook it.
    Remove from the pan and wait until it cools down before you clean it.
    1. Remove from the pan and wait until it cools down before you clean it.
    Break it into bite-size pieces and put it aside
    1. Remove skin and bones and break it into bite-size pieces and put it aside

    DO NOT CLEAN THE PAN AFTER YOU HAVE COOKED THE FISH

    Peel the tomatoes

    If you do not want the skin of the tomatoes, here is how to peel them:

    1. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes
    2. Leave the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes
    3. Take them out with a ladle
    4. Cut with a pointed knife
    5. The entire peel will come off easily
    How to peel a tomato

    Making the sauce

    In the same pan where you cooked the fish, stir-fry the garlic cloves
    1. In the same pan where you cooked the fish, stir-fry the garlic cloves
    Cut the tomatoes into chunks
    1. Cut the tomatoes into chunks
    Add the basil, season with salt, and cook at medium to low temperature
    1. Add the basil, season with salt, and cook at medium to low temperature
    Simmer until the tomatoes melt into a sauce.
    1. Simmer until the tomatoes melt into a sauce.

    Putting it all together

    Bring to boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta
    1. Bring to boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta 1 minute less than the time specified on the package directions
    Add the fish and the eggplants to the sauce and mix. Taste and adjust for seasoning
    1. Add the fish and the eggplants to the sauce and mix. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

    Hint: Now you can deglaze with white wine.

    Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir
    1. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir
    Serve and add pepper or hot chili flakes if you like spicy food
    1. Serve and add pepper or hot chili flakes if you like spicy food

    If you want to follow the Italian rules for cooking pasta, you can read the recipe: 38 tips on how to cook pasta like an Italian

    A fork getting a bite of pasta with swordfish

    Top tips

    • This recipe is best made with meat from the neck and around the top fin.
    • Use San Marzano tomatoes and long eggplants
    • Once the swordfish is slightly cooked, removing the bones and cartilage from the flesh will be easy.
    • DO NOT CLEAN THE PAN AFTER YOU HAVE COOKED THE FISH. Use the same pan for cooking the tomatoes to absorb the flavors of the swordfish
    • If you think the eggplants can be too acidic, cut them into slices and let them drain in salt for 2 hours before frying them.
    • Pasta should always be al dente. Cook 1 minute less than what is written on the package instructions
    pasta with swordfish ragu

    Recipes with eggplants you might also like

    For more eggplant recipes, check out the category: Mediterranean Vegetables & Fruits Also check the recipes below:

    • Baked Eggplant Pasta Anelletti
    • Grilled zucchini eggplants and peppers
    • Aubergine caviar
    • Sicilian Caponata Recipe
    • Deep Fried Eggplant Balls
    • Easy Ratatouille Recipe Baked
    • Healthy Eggplant Parmesan
    • Vegetarian Rice Timbale with Grilled Eggplants Recipe
    • Eggplant Milanese
    • Pizza with Fresh Vegetables
    • Traditional Pasta Alla Norma with Eggplants

    For more appetizers with eggplants, check out the story: 15 Authentic Italian Eggplant Recipes

    For seafood ideas for the Feast of Seven Fishes, check out this Web Story.

    Long pasta to wrap each bite

    If you are making this pasta with swordfish ragu and eggplants, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

    Pasta with swordfish ragu

    📋 Pasta with Swordfish Ragu and Eggplants

    5 from 8 votes
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 8 people
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    A delicious summer Ragu made with swordfish. I use the meat from behind the neck and around the top fin. It is tastier and costs half the price of the steak meat. Eating every part of the fish is a way of honoring its death. 
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Wooden Turner Set
    • Cutting board set
    • Pasta pan 8-Quart 3-Piece

    Ingredients
     

    • 18 oz swordfish – from neck 500
    • 3 eggplants long would be best
    • 10 oz fresh long tomatoes for tomato sauce
    • 1 sprig fresh basil leaves
    • 4 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
    • 2 peeled garlic cloves
    • 18 oz penne rigate pasta
    • ½ cup dry white wine optional
    • 1 tablespoon salt for the pasta
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    Fry the eggplants

    • Cut the eggplants into cubes, removing the skin and deep fry the eggplants in hot olive oil
      3 eggplants, 4 tablespoon olive oil
    • Drain them in kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil

    Peel the fresh tomatoes

    • Place the fresh tomatoes into a pan and cover with boiling water for 10 minutes
      10 oz fresh long tomatoes
    • After 10 minutes in boiling water the skin of the tomatoes will come out easly with the help of a sharp knife

    Cook the swordfish

    • Wash the swordfish and dry the excess water with a paper towel and remove the skin with a sharp knife
      18 oz swordfish – from neck, 4 tablespoon olive oil
      Swordfish neck and fin meat
    • In a large pan with high hedges, stir fry the fish, be careful not to overcook it.
    • Remove from the pan. Once slightly cooked, it will be easy to remove the bones and cartilage from the flesh.
    • Wait until it cools down before you start to clean it. DO NOT CLEAN THE PAN AFTER YOU HAVE COOKED THE FISH
    • Clean the fish and place the clean fish meat aside

    Making the sauce

    • In the same pan where you cooked the fish, stir fry the garlic cloves
      2 peeled garlic cloves, 4 tablespoon olive oil
    • Cut the tomatoes into slices, add the basil and let them stew at medium to low temperature in the same pan you fried the swordfish.
      1 sprig fresh basil leaves
    • Add 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer until the tomatoes melt into a sauce.

    Putting it all together

    • In a separate pan, you can start boiling the pasta
      18 oz penne rigate pasta
    • Add the fish and the eggplants to the sauce and mix. Taste and adjust for seasoning
    • Pour half cup of white wine and stir and let it evaporate (optional)
    • Add the cooked pasta into the pan and stir
    • Transfer into a serving place and serve and add pepper or hot chili if you like spicy food

    Video

    Notes

    • This recipe is best made with the meat from the neck and around the top fin.
    • Use San Marzano tomatoes and long eggplants
    • Once the swordfish is slightly cooked, it will be easy to remove the bones and cartilage from the flesh.
    • DO NOT CLEAN THE PAN AFTER YOU HAVE COOKED THE FISH
    • If you think the eggplants can be too acidic, cut them in slices and let them drain in salt for 2 hours before frying them.
    • Pasta should always be al dente, cook 1 minute less than what is written on the package

    Nutrition

    Calories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 22gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 886mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 425IUVitamin C: 8.8mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1.6mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

    More Pasta with meat or seafood

    • Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe
      Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe (Lasagne di Carnevale)
    • How to make pasta better than this
      38 Tips On How To Cook Perfect Pasta Like An Italian (Video)
    • black ink cuttlefish pasta
      Pasta With Squid Ink Cuttlefish
    • Spaghetti with bottarga
      Spaghetti Alla Bottarga Di Muggine - Mullet Roe

    Your Guardian Chef Mug Collection

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Helene

      July 20, 2017 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      I like the idea of adding fish to pasta. It's actually not something I do but I think I am going to change that soon! Looks quite tasty!

      Reply
    2. Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C

      July 20, 2017 at 6:28 pm

      5 stars
      I use different cutting boards for different foods too. This sounds delicious!

      Reply
    3. Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry

      July 20, 2017 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      I've never thought of adding swordfish to ragu like this but it looks very tasty

      Reply
      • Amjie Mcfarlane

        November 28, 2020 at 5:16 pm

        5 stars
        Turned out quite well, my first ragout

        Reply
        • Laura

          November 29, 2020 at 3:27 pm

          Thank you Anjie, it is perfect for a pescetarian

          Reply
    4. Cindy Rodriguez

      July 20, 2017 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      Swordfish? Yum. Mix it with my favorite thing (pasta) and I'm in!

      Reply
    5. Beth

      July 20, 2017 at 6:01 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so delicious! I love swordfish! I also have those boards, they are so handy, aren't they?

      Reply
    6. Patty @pattysaveurs.com

      August 15, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds so delicious Laura, quite a Chef's recipe, would love to taste it!

      Reply
    7. Elaine Benoit

      October 10, 2017 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      Laura!! Awesome recipe. This looks so delicious! This is one of Christopher's favorite ways to eat pasta! But with the addition of swordfish, genius! I can't wait to make your recipe!!

      Reply
    5 from 8 votes

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Laura Giunta Tobin

    Hi, I’m Laura. Welcome to my blog! While many talk about Italian food, I’ve lived it firsthand. Here, I share real Italian home cooking, just as it’s made in Italy. Won’t you join me?

    More →

    Popular posts

    • Stuffed Round Courgettes
      Stuffed Round Courgettes - Round Zucchini
    • Italian gelato recipe vanilla, chocolate and pistachio balls in a serving bowl
      Italian Gelato Recipe (Vanilla, Chocolate and Pistachio)
    • Pasta a frittata Italian fried pasta
      Pasta a Frittata: Italian Fried Pasta
    • Chiacchiare Italian fried cookies
      Chiacchiere - Italian Fried Cookies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Acceptable use policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Your Guardian Chef

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.