Eggplant parmesan recipe, easy dinner ideas for any night of the week.

I’ve been working on making more plant based dishes at home lately. Sneaking veggies in with my meat-loving crew requires a little finesse. To get their approval it needs to be so delicious they won’t notice something is missing. This eggplant parmigiana recipe is one meatless dish that makes the cut! It’s full of flavor and so tasty actually eat every bite.

I like to serve this one up with a caesar salad and some fresh garlic bread. It’s as close as we can get to enjoying an Italian dish like the one’s we love from our favorite restaurants.

Not gonna lie, I miss eating at restaurants. I’m so looking forward to having a cozy dinner for two and a bottle of wine as soon as everything opens back up.

Until then, we’ve made the best of staying home and making meals together. After the first few weeks I had to get creative and come up with a list of easy dinner ideas to try and break the boredom. Spaghetti, chicken, tacos on repeat can only take you so far, lol. Thank God for Pinterest! I never imagined a pandemic would make me love pinning recipes more than ever before.

Are you making more meals at home? I’d love to hear what are some of your family favorites.

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Easy Dinner Ideas

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 1/4 pounds eggplants (2 large)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove minced garlic (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), tomatoes diced, reserve juices
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

    How to Make Eggplant Parmesan

  1. Slice eggplant rounds about 1/4 to 1/2 inches thick.  Lightly salt both sides with salt and lay out to dry for 1 to 2 hours.
  2.  Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil pan. Add minced garlic and allow to cook for one minute.
    Add tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low for 12-13 minutes. Add salt & pepper and minced basil. Remove from heat.
  3.  Prepare breading set-up. Combine 1 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl. In a seperate bowl add flour, and in a third bowl beaten eggs.
  4.  First, dredge eggplant rounds in flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs. Lay out on a baking sheet. Drizzle eggplant rounds with olive oil.
  5.  Preheat oven to 425°F.
  6.  Bake eggplant for at 425°F for 10 minutes. Remove and turn over. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. .
  7. In a 9×13 inch casserole dish, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Add a layer of eggplant rounds. Layer half of the mozzarella cheese over the eggplant. Add 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan. Place another layer of eggplant over cheese. Spread 1 cup of sauce over eggplant, then layer mozzarella and Parmesan cheese again. Add remaining eggplant layer and top with last of the sauce and Parmesan cheese. 
  8. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
    Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

 

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