I've been consciously reducing my meat consumption, so I've been learning how to cook some of my favourite recipes with a meatless twist. This recipe is both hearty, filling and healthy. Eggplant is a superfood packed with fiber, low in sodium and full of antioxidants - better yet it's also delicious, making it the perfect substitute for chicken in this recipe.
Pro-tips:
1. Toast your breadcrumbs to make them extra crispy by placing them on a baking sheet and baking for about 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees F.
2. Sweat your eggplant. To do so, cut your eggplant into 1/2-1 inch rounds, lay our your eggplant rounds on a cloth or paper towel. Sprinkle with salt on both sides. Let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry.
Substitutions: 1. Use regular breadcrumbs instead of Panko; however, I prefer Panko because they're lighter and crispier. 2. Use Italian seasoning to spice the breadcrumbs.
Prep time: Up to 30 minutes
Cook time: Up to 50 minutes
Total time: Up to 1h 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 eggplants (small or medium), cut into 1/2-1 inch rounds
4 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (I bought fresh Mozzarella in its brine and just tore it apart using my hands)
2 large eggs, whisked
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sea salt (plus extra if you sweat the eggplant)
1 tsp. black pepper
A handful of chopped fresh basil, roughly chopped
** Makes 4-6 servings
Requires:
1 deep baking dish
2 small mixing bowls
1-2 baking sheets
Whisk
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prep baking sheet(s) by lining them with parchment paper and set aside.
Have whisked eggs ready in a shallow bowl. In a different shallow bowl, whisk together breadcrumbs with parsley, basil, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Dip and drench an eggplant round into the eggs, then transfer to the breadcrumb mixture until it is coated on all sides. Place it on the baking sheet. Repeat for all eggplant rounds. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the eggplant is soft. Remove from oven and set aside.
To assemble the dish, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Create an even layer of eggplant on top along with about a cup of marinara sauce, 1 cup Mozzarella, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan and half of the basil. Repeat this for a second layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese on top is melted and starts to slightly brown. Garnish with more Parmesan and basil.
Enjoy!