The combination of eggplant, tomato sauce, and melted cheese is lovely. And the leftovers are excellent, too! I love eggplant. Much like grilled portobello mushrooms, it’s wonderfully flavorful, almost “meaty.” I regularly make several eggplant recipes, such as eggplant pizza, grilled eggplant, and eggplant chips. I especially like this eggplant casserole. Flavorful roasted eggplant slices, tangy tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella combine to create a superb eating experience!
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe Card
Eggplant: Look for a large, firm eggplant with smooth skin. I don’t peel the eggplant, but you can peel it if you want. To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Marinara sauce: Try to find a no-sugar-added sauce such as Rao’s. Shredded Mozzarella: A good alternative to mozzarella is provolone. Grated parmesan: Shredded parmesan works in this recipe, too.
Start by slicing the eggplant into rounds and seasoning them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Next, roast the slices on both sides in a hot oven. You want the eggplant fully cooked at this point. Bake the casserole until golden and bubbly, for about 15 minutes in a 425°F oven. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before digging in. You’ll need two baking sheets for the initial step of roasting the eggplant slices. When I serve it as an entree, I divide the casserole into two servings instead of four and serve it with any of the following:
Arugula salad Steamed broccoli Sauteed green beans Steamed asparagus Sauteed kale Sauteed spinach Creamed spinach Israeli salad
It’s a bit like eating cold leftover pizza. It’s different than hot but really good!
