Lighter Eggplant Parmesan
"This Lighter Eggplant Parmesan is a delightful way to enjoy eggplant. It skips the breading and focuses on the delicious combination of tender eggplant, melted cheese, and savory marinara sauce."
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant
- olive oil spray
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 2-1/2 cups part-skim mozzarella
- 4 cups homemade tomato sauce or jarred marinara
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces part-skim ricotta
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- 1
Begin by preparing the sauce if you don’t already have some on hand.
- 2
Set your oven temperature to 450°F. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray.
- 3
As the sauce cooks gently, cut the eggplant into slices that are 1/4 inch thick. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, allowing for slight overlaps. Sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until the eggplant turns golden brown.
- 4
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, an egg, chopped parsley, and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.
- 5
Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into the base of a 9x12 inch baking dish, then layer in 1/3 of the eggplant to cover the dish's bottom. Follow with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 3/4 cup of sauce. Add another layer of eggplant and repeat the process with the ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and sauce two more times, saving the last portion of mozzarella for the top. Finish with 1 1/2 cups of sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and the last 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.
- 6
Adjust the oven temperature to 400°F.
- 7
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbling, which should take about 40 minutes.
- 8
Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes.
- 9
Once out of the oven, allow the dish to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.