Eggplant parmesan is the ultimate vegetarian comfort food. Traditionally, eggplant is breaded and fried, then layered in a baking dish with sauce and cheese. This stacked version of eggplant parmesan is SO much easier, not to mention lighter and healthier, too! In this version, eggplant slices are roasted in the oven, then stacked with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, grated parmesan, and fresh basil. It’s baked for a few minutes until the cheese is melted to perfection. The result? Fewer dishes, way less hands-on prep, and since you aren’t frying the eggplant and coating it in breadcrumbs, it’s lighter and healthier, as well as gluten-free and low-carb, without sacrificing taste! Not to mention these little stacks are so adorable, and the perfect individual portion- they’re elegant enough for a vegetarian dinner party entree but easy enough for a casual weeknight dinner. In this post I’ll give some tips for how to roast the eggplant slices to perfection, explain how to assemble these eggplant parmesan stacks, and explain how to save time when you make this.
How to roast eggplant slices
Roasting eggplant is easy, and I personally think it’s the best way to cook it. Here are some tips to get it right every time!
How to assemble Roasted Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
It’s so easy to layer up these delectable eggplant parmesan stacks once the eggplant is roasted! Here’s how.
Don’t add basil on top of the final layer- you’ll put the last of the fresh basil on top after it bakes, in order to preserve that fresh basil flavor. Once everything’s assembled, just bake for another 10 minutes or so until the cheese is melted, and add the rest of the fresh basil. That’s it! Done!
How to prep ahead and other time saving tricks
While this roasted eggplant parmesan recipe requires a lot less hands-on prep time than traditional eggplant parmesan, it does take a little while to make. Between roasting the slices, assembling, and baking the stacks, you’re looking at just under an hour total time. But I’ve got some tricks to save you some time! Here they are.
Do you need to salt the eggplant and pat dry before roasting?
Some people like to salt eggplant, let it sit in a colander for about 30 minutes, then pat dry before cooking it. The thought is that this draws out the bitter liquid from the eggplant, improving the taste. I personally do not think this step is necessary, as long as you cook it for long enough in the oven. You can do it if you like, but don’t feel like you have to!
Other easy classic Italian recipes
Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans) Panzanella (Tomato and Bread Salad) Italian Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms Five-Ingredient Pasta with Bolognese Sauce Chicken Parmesan Sliders Quick and Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs Cacio e Pepe (from Gimme some Oven)
One final thing- if you’re buying store-bought marinara sauce, I always recommend spending a bit of money and using Rao’s. But any will do, and here’s a great recipe for homemade marinara sauce if you want to save a bit of money! You can even use pizza sauce instead of marinara. Have leftover marinara sauce? Use it to make stuffed portobello mushrooms! Did you make these Roasted Eggplant Parmesan Stacks? Please comment below and Rate this Recipe!
