Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Usually, eggplant Parmesan is fried in lots of oil, so it tastes wonderful but is high in fat. This recipe lightens the traditional version by broiling the eggplant instead. It tastes so good that you won’t miss the extra calories!
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed) store bought or homemade (keep ends of bread in the freezer and pulverize them in the mini-food processor to make bread crumbs)
- 1/2 cup wheat or white flour (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 medium eggplant cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 26 oz. red pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (or use any variety), or any combination of cheeses such as Asiago or feta
- 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line it with foil. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and flour.
- Dip each eggplant slice in the egg, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then dip it in the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides, and place each slice on the baking sheet.
- Broil the eggplant on both sides until well browned, 3 - 5 minutes per side. (Be sure to set a timer in case you get distracted - they burn easily.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the eggplant slices in the pan and cover them with the pasta sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top, then the Parmesan cheese. (Alternatively, you can layer eggplant, sauce, and cheese like lasagna in a smaller pan.) (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to 12 hours or proceed with the recipe.)
- Bake it for 20 - 30 minutes, until the cheeses are melted and slightly brown. Serve it immediately, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or cool it, cover it tightly, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Prepare and dredge the eggplant as directed. You can broil the eggplant as directed, which will result in a meatier texture, or you may skip this step if pressed for time. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker, then layer the eggplant, sauce, and cheeses. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 - 5 hours. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Beat and refrigerate the egg, make the bread crumbs if using homemade, combine the bread crumbs and flour, slice the eggplant (it doesn’t matter if it will brown because it will be covered with the bread crumb mixture), dredge and broil the eggplant, shred the mozzarella and grate the Parmesan cheese if necessary and refrigerate, assemble and refrigerate the dish or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze it.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Sprinkle the eggplant Parmesan with crushed red pepper flakes before serving.
Tip: Parmesan cheese is a great addition to dishes as it adds a lot of nutty, savory flavor without adding a ton of fat or calories.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 260, Total Fat: 10g, 16%; Saturated Fat: 6g, 28%; Cholesterol: 60mg, 20%; Sodium: 780mg, 33%; Total Carbohydrate: 27g, 9%; Dietary Fiber: 4g, 17%; Sugar: 12g; Protein: 17g
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