Eggplant Parmesan is my favorite dinner of all time. When I was little, I was obsessed with the Celentano frozen version and would literally beg my mom to eat it every night. I’ve grown up and so have my taste buds and while I may still have a soft spot for Celentano, I prefer the freshly made variety these days. With that said, I rarely order it when dinning out because I hate to be disappointed. At my local Italian hole-in-the-wall spot, they make it perfect, but everywhere else I get it it’s too something: too chewy, too oily, too bland. You would think that the solution would be just to make it myself, but I hate all the dipping and frying. So, I came up with this recipe as a work around. While it isn’t quite the same as a true eggplant parm, it has all those amazing Italian flavors neatly organized for you in a cute little stack. It’s one of my go-tos when I’m craving eggplant parm and can’t make it to my favorite Italian restaurant.
A no-fry tender eggplant
When I was developing this recipe, I knew I wanted a no-fry eggplant. Not only is it healthier, but it’s also a lot easier; I can’t stand all that dipping and dipping and frying and frying. Unfortunately, not frying the eggplant makes it a bit trickier to achieve the cut-with-a-fork tenderness I was looking for. It took a few tries, but I’m confident that the milk bath and breadcrumb coating is a winner. You’ll get a tender eggplant without all the hassle or calories. Just be sure to flip them halfway so they cook properly!
To sweat or not to sweat?
Many people argue that sweating the eggplant (drawing the water out of it with salt) reduces its bitterness. I’ve done a taste test of these stacks side-by-side with sweated and non-sweated eggplant and so far no one has ever been able to tell the difference. Thus, I stopped doing it which is great because it saves me a half hour of wait time. And since we aren’t frying the eggplant in oil, we don’t have to worry about it absorbing too much (another benefit of sweating eggplant). This dish has so many yummy flavors that I truly think it’s an unnecessary step. With that being said, if you’re a traditionalist and want to sweat your eggplant, be my guest. It is super easy to do and a great science experiment for kids; get them involved!
Stack away
When it is time for stacking, make sure to use the larger pieces as the bases of your stacks and the smaller pieces for the top. Be generous, but not overly generous when adding to each layer. The sauce will help you get a tender eggplant and the cheese, well who doesn’t like a lot of cheese?
Get cooking!
I truly hope you love these little stacks as much as I do. And don’t worry, you can feel good about eating a few of them (I always down at least two) as they are a healthier option than traditional eggplant parm. If you’re looking for some other dinner inspiration, these Stuffed Zucchini Parmesan Boats also highlight classic Italian flavors. Or perhaps you’re in more of a Slow Cooker Chicken or Quinoa Black Bean Burger kind of mood. And, this Lemon Eggplant (or Chicken) over Rice is another great way to cook with my favorite vegetable. As always, let me know how your No Fry Eggplant Stacks come out by leaving a comment below. Enjoy! Buen provecho!
No Fry Eggplant Stacks
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tsp salt (optional: only use if you choose to sweat the eggplant)
- ¾ cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (set aside some for a garnish if you want)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce (mine is Rao's)
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F and grease two baking sheets with cooking spray of choice (the eggplant will cook better if laid directly on the sheet; don’t line the baking tray). Slice eggplant into 12-15 thin pieces (you will use 3 pieces for each stack, making 4-5 stacks total).
- Optional step (I’ve stopped doing this but go for it if you want!): sprinkle both sides of eggplant slices with salt, place a colander and let rest for 30 minutes. After, blot away the water with a paper towel.
- Pour the milk into a bowl and season with pepper. Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate bowl. Dip each eggplant slice in the milk, soaking well, and then in the breadcrumbs, coating each side. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown. Bake time will depend on the thickness of the slices. Take out of oven and lower temperature to 350 F.
- Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray (I just respray one that I already used). In a mixing bowl, combine egg, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper. Make your eggplant stacks by layering in this order (be sure to use the larger slices of eggplant for the base): eggplant, sauce, eggplant, sauce and ricotta mixture, eggplant, sauce and mozzarella. Optional: if you have extra ricotta mixture at the end, you can put a dollop on top of each stack.
- Bake for 15 min at 350 F until heat through and cheese is melted. Garnish with parsley.
