This pie is not your typical pie, according to my mother Jackie’s collection of recipes. Attempt it out!
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 5 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 20 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
| Yield: | 1 8×8-inch dish |
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pinch salt, or as needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups prepared marinara sauce
- ½ cup water, plus more as needed
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup shredded pepperjack cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¾ cup dry bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Cut 5 crosswise slices from center area of each eggplant, about 1/2-inch thick, to total 10 slices. Peel and dice remaining pieces of eggplant.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is very hot. Sprinkle eggplant slices lightly with a pinch of salt and cook in hot skillet in batches until slightly softened, about 3 minutes per side. Set eggplant slices aside on paper towels.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet and cook garlic for about 10 seconds; add diced eggplant and season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Saute until eggplant is softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and water. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until eggplant is tender, about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. If sauce gets too thick, add a little more water.
- Combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, pepperjack cheese, a pinch of salt, and a pinch black pepper in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Spread about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture over each eggplant slice. Fold eggplant slices in half to enclose the cheese mixture.
- Spread about half the sauce into an 8×8-inch baking dish. Lay folded eggplant slices in a single layer into the dish. Spread remaining sauce over eggplant slices.
- Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl; mix thoroughly. Spread crumb mixture over eggplant casserole.
- Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling and crumbs are browned, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Please note omission of the breaded topping when using the magazine version of this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 397 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 41 g |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 12 g |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Sodium | 906 mg |
| Sugars | 17 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
This was really good and easier than traditional EP Parmesan. The topping turned out well (I used half traditional breadcrumbs and half Panko) and eggplants from our garden. The eggplants were a bit smaller than ideal but they still rolled up well. I liked the chopped eggplant in the sauce which made this dish a bit more hearty. Might be my new preferred way to make this dish . Served with pasta and bread.
I usually never follow a recipe to the letter. This was probably the first time, and it was awesome! Process was easy and bursting with flavor. Thanks Chef John!
This was delicious!! I don’t typically cook with eggplant so was apprehensive about how it would turn out– but no need to worry! My whole family enjoyed it and I now make it on a regular basis. Just know it took me twice as long to prepare than stated but worth every additional minute. Thanks Chef John!
I made this and it turned out great! I used small white eggplants from the garden and just whatever cheese I had in the fridge. I simmered the sauce longer because I had little-ones eating…we ate it up! Thank you for another variation to a great dish!
My family totally loved it! They have requested I make it again for Sunday dinner,
Absolutely delicious! And easy to make.
It definitely was different , I like vegetables …. But this was totally not my next go to !!!!
I love this recipe and have made it as written a few times. But today I made kind of a hybrid eggplant parm and chiles rellenos. I roasted, peeled and sliced two poblano chiles and put them inside the eggplant with the cheeses. I also made individual casseroles instead of one large one, and they only took about 25 minutes to bake. A great recipe to start with and a yummy hybrid, too!
Wow, my grocery list is growing by the video! I love Chef John! what a GREAT instructor! I can’t wait to try all of your recipes …..Thank you very much Cheryl
We’ve made this twice. It was delicious, just as written. Well, Prego was too sweet, so I added a little garlic salt. My next batch used a marinara sauce without sweeteners, so no adjustment was necessary. My tips have to do with being a new gardener. I read the wrong advice, and some of our eggplant was overripe and had turned bitter. After slicing the eggplant, I put it onto paper towels and salted both sides. Waited 30 minutes, and then rinsed the salt off. I even tasted the corners of a few slices after it was cooked. One eggplant was TOO bitter, so it was discarded. (New gardener.) We loved it. It is now in our favorites. It was like lasagna without the noodles. I’m passing this recipe on to my vegetarian nephew.
We used fresh eggplants from our garden to make this. They were small so we didn’t have slices quite as large or as much leftover eggplant for the sauce, but regardless, we both loved it! My boyfriend doesn’t even really like eggplant but he gobbled it up. Thanks for a great low-calorie twist on the original!
Having made and enjoyed many of Chef John’s recipes, I have 2 pieces of advice: 1 watch the video, and 2, don’t be afraid to make the recipe your own. I made this recipe as presented, and while it’s not “traditional” eggplant parm, I found it delicious. I found the half-inch slices just right and easily bendable after being in a HOT pan. The sliced garlic added a wonderful layer of flavor as well. Fewer calories and great flavor make it a definite keeper for me.
This was excellent! Even my meat loving husband said it was great
I prepared as written. I made a rookie mistake and burned the garlic. Had to pick out the burnt pieces. But the finished product was so tasty. I used jarred marinara so I always add herbs to it. We really liked the dish!
Best eggplant parmesan recipe ever! I love eggplant parmesan but always have a problem getting my breading to stay in tact. This completely resolves that issue. Absolutely delicious! I will make this again and again! So happy I found this recipe!
I made half a recipe and really loved it. I did make a few changes. My domestic partner is not a fan of meatless dishes, so I added about 3-4 ounces of browned ground beef to the marinara sauce. I also used only about half or two-thirds of the crumb topping, as I thought it would be too much for my taste. I consider the recipe a real winner because my partner who almost never comments on my new recipes other than to say I worked too hard on it said, “This is really good!” Next time I’d add some basil and oregano.
This was amazing! My husband even went back for seconds
I loved the concept of this recipe, making it healthier but still crunchy. I completely peeled both the eggplants, sprayed the circles with cooking spray and baked them all at once in a 425 degree oven to save time. I used a jar of Rao marinara and also added cremini mushrooms and a chopped onion to the sauce. I used ricotta and mozzarella, parmesan, an egg and nutmeg for the filling. It came out amazing!!! I love all the eggplant in this recipe!!
This recipe is amazing exactly as written, given you are using your own home made Marinara sauce or a good quality brand. The first time trying a new recipe I always follow directions before giving it my own twist. My family devoured this, my Meat and Potatoes husband and my vegetarian father alike, so now now I use 3 eggplants- 5 cups of Marina sauce- I double the cheese filling but still use the same amount of Bread crumbs for the topping to might it a little lighter ( I use 4-C Gluten free plain variety). Now that this has become one of my staples I decided to grill the eggplant tonight ( instead of frying, since eggplant does soak up so much oil- I seasoned with a dash of oregano, basil and garlic . My family didn’t notice a the difference and it was easier too! By the way, I buy Aged Parmesan- and grate it fresh. Less preservatives- and this dish tastes very Farm to Table!
The first time I made this was for my boyfriend’s grandparents (risky, I know). But we all loved it! Great recipe!
So sorry, but it was labor intensive, too salty. Won’t keep recipe. I liked the idea of pan searing eggplant and not frying. I think it was too salty because of the parm.