With all the fresh vegetables at the markets in September, it is easy to eat vegetarian, and fresh!
And when you can still make a cosy, comforting meal that is hearty but not heavy, bonus!
Case it point, this Lighter Eggplant Parmesan! We already know this dish to be comfort at its best. Layers of marinara sauce, multiple cheeses, breaded eggplant and fresh basil, what more do we need? Well, it would be good if we could have it a bit healthier, right?!
How to Lighten up Eggplant Parmesan
Recently I ate dinner with good friends, and she made a simple, light Eggplant Parm, using grilled sliced eggplant. She totally eliminated the breading and deep frying. And it was wonderful! So yes, if all you really want to do is grill or broil the slices of eggplant, brushed with a little oil, salt and pepper before layering, this method will make you most happy.
But if you are like me, and still have a craving for some sort of protein to balance out the dish, do what I do. I keep the egg dredge. Protein. And in the panko breading, I add ground almonds, as well as grated parmesan. Both add protein, and healthy fat. The goal here is to not over coat the slices. Don’t worry about getting every exposed bit of eggplant covered in the panko mixture. Remember, we are trying to keep it lighter.
But the biggest game changer is broiling the dredged and lightly breaded slices in the oven. Place the lightly breaded slices onto parchment lined baking sheets and place under the broiler. It only takes a few moments on each side, to get them golden brown and remove some of the moisture from the eggplant. Then they are ready for layering.
Marinara Sauce
This is part of the recipe that you can make in advance. I always seem to crave making this rich sauce on a Sunday, and then use it throughout the week in a plethora of dishes. Just a good old fashioned tomato sauce, simmered with onion, garlic, seasonings, parm rind, and even a bit of butter (yes, it makes a world of difference, just ask Marcella Hazan!) Have this ready to go when you want to make the Lighter Eggplant Parmesan, and half the work is done. And yes, if life is just keeping you hopping, feel free to use a large jar of purchased marinara sauce.
Cheeses
We’ve already put parmesan cheese in the panko and almond bread coating. So when it comes to the cheeses for the layers in the dish, you really can’t go wrong with mozzarella, fontina, or even Monterey Jack, or a combo of all of them. I also add Pecorino-Romano for a bit of tangy kick, which this hard salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk has in spades. Especially if you are only using mozzarella cheese, since it tends to be a bit bland. It has the cheese pull factor, but for flavour, Pecorino, Asiago, Parmesan, Piave, or Grana Padano will all add more flavour.
Grate them all in advance, combine and store in a container, and you’ve cut down even more work on the day you want to make this Lighter Eggplant Parmesan!
Assembly
Spray the baking dish, then start with sauce. Then a layer of the slightly cooled broiled eggplant slices. More sauce, basil leaves and cheese. Repeat till you reach the top of the dish, always finishing with sauce and cheese.
Bake in the oven till heated through and bubbling. Finish with chopped parsley. Always let it sit (like lasagna) for a good 15-20 minutes, to allow the dish to set, so that it will hold together when spooning it out onto plates.
Final Thoughts
What I am showing here is enough to feed five to six people. Serving it with salad and garlic bread, and it will definitely feed six. I used one large eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch slices. I used the entire marinara sauce recipe. And I used about 2 1/2 cups of cheese. The dish I baked it all up in is approximately 8 x 10 inches. Feel free to double the recipe and you will easily feed 8-10, with leftovers. Perfect for a potluck or dinner party. If you double the sauce and cheese, you may not need the entire amounts, but just store well in the fridge, and you are moments away from pizza grilled cheese or english muffins!
This Lighter Eggplant Parmesan is even better the next day. In fact if you want to serve this on a Saturday, make it on Friday! Letting it sit will cause the flavours to meld even better. Re-heat, and you will even find slicing it up easier.
If you have a few pieces left over, you can place these individual slices onto small baking dishes, wrap and store for lunch or dinner later in the week. To reheat, remove any plastic wrap you may have used to store, make sure the slices are in an oven-proof baking dish(es) cover with foil, and place in a 375F oven. Once warmed through, 20-25 minutes, remove the foil to get the cheese on top gooey again! You can also use a toaster oven for quicker reheating.
You can prep everything up to baking, and cover and store in the fridge till ready to bake off. It will keep a day in the fridge like this. You can also freeze once assembled, especially if you assemble in a dish, double wrapped in cling film and foil, which can then go from freezer to fridge thaw, and then to oven. Just remember to remove any plastic or cling wrap!
If you make this Lighter Eggplant Parmesan, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.
For other similarly comforting dishes, you will like A Really Nice Lasagna, Baked Cheesy Orzo Bolognese, Bacon Double Cheeseburger Pasta, Cabbage Rolls Like Mama Used to Make
Lighter Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce, can be made in advance
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz jar or can of whole tomatoes, or 796 ml, can also use crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp cubed butter, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Cheese Layers
- 2 cups freshly grated pizza mozzarella, can also use fontina, or Monterey Jack, or a combo thereof
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Pecorino-Romano
Eggplant Layers
- 1 large or 2 medium oblong eggplants
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups panko, can use gluten free version
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- non-stick spray
- 15 or so medium basil leaves, if large they can be torn, and you will need less
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Marinara Sauce, can be made in advance
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Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté till softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add the seasonings and the tomato paste and stir to evenly coat the onion and garlic.
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Pour in the tomatoes and any juices, along with the butter and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cook down for 30 minutes, till thickened. Season with salt and pepper (start with 1/2 tsp of each) and the balsamic vinegar.
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Transfer everything to a blender and purée till smooth, don't forget to remove the bay leaf!
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If making this in advance, store in a sealed container once cool, in the fridge, or even the freezer. Bring back room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
Eggplant Prep
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Have two baking sheets lined with parchment paper ready to go. Have a rack set on the highest point, below the broiler.
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Take a vegetable slicer and remove some of the skin from the eggplants. Leave some on, for colour and flavour.
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Trim off the top and bottom. Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices. If you are using a large eggplant, you should get enough slices to fill one 8x10 baking dish (about 18 -21 slices)
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In a shallow wide dish, beat the eggs with 1 tsp of water. In another shallow wide dish, combine the panko, ground almonds, parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings, stirring to combine well.
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Take an eggplant slice, dip it into the egg dredge and shake off excess, and lay in the panko mixture. Use your opposite hand to pat some breading on each side of the eggplant. Don't worry about getting a thick coating, you want this to be a lighter version, remember!? Place it onto one baking sheet.
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Repeat with all the remaining eggplant slices. You should be able to get them all on the two sheets. If not, or if using only one dish, work in batches.
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Spray the tops of the eggplant slices with non-stick spray.
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Broil for 2-4 minutes, keeping an eye on the slices to ensure that the coating isn't going from golden brown to scorched.
Turn, spray again and broil the other sides. Remove to a cooling rack till ready to layer. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices if using only one baking sheet.
Assembly of the Eggplant Parmesan
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Have the rack set in the centre of the oven, and warm to 375F
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Spray an 8x10 baking dish (or there about)
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Cover the bottom with a layer of the Marinara Sauce
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Gently lay out 1/3 of the eggplant slices to cover the bottom, a little overlapping is fine.
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Spread out 1/3 of the remaining sauce.
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Sprinkle some fresh basil leaves over the sauce.
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Cover with 1/3 of the grated cheeses.
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Repeat two more times. Always finish with sauce and cheese.
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Bake covered with foil for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheeses are bubbling and turning golden. If the dish is heated through and you want a bit more colour, turn on the broiler to finish the cheese.
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Set on a cooling rack to let the dish set for 15 minutes or so. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the cheese and serve.
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See blog post for prep, storing and freezer details.
Recipe Notes
I say this feeds 5, but if you are serving a salad and garlic bread on the side, it may even feed 6!
If you are using 2 eggplants, you can probably go up in size of the baking dish a bit.
Feel free to double the recipe and use a 9 x 13 baking dish. You may not need all the extra cheese, but if you grate it all and don't need it, just store in the fridge or freezer for impromptu grilled cheese or pizza moments.
How do you deal with leftovers? We are a family of three and we always love our leftovers the next day, but I’m just wondering how to go about reheating so the eggplant doesn’t get too soggy? Thank you!
Hi Heidi, don’t worry, the eggplant won’t get soggy, the initial excess moisture was removed when the slices were broiled. And the slight breading helps. Reheating is described in the blog post itself. Hope this helps.
One of my favorites! Thank you, it was delicious and first time trying Asiago
Hi Erin, Yay, that’s what I love to hear!!b It’s such a great way to prepare this dish, and re-heats so good! Love Jen
I have tried them all and this is by far the top recipe!!!
Try it!!
Hi Alexandra, Yay, so happy you think so too! I worked hard to create a recipe that would tick all the boxes. Enjoy, Love Jen