Eggplant is not a very popular vegetable. In fact, a lot of people tell me they don’t like it–usually this is followed by, “it’s so slimy!” But it’s time to give eggplant another chance! Because it doesn’t have to be slimy or mushy or bitter or any of those other things people attribute to eggplant.
I’m pretty sure a lot of the eggplant haterism stems from bad Eggplant Parmesan. And as a vegetarian, I’ve definitely had my share of this–it’s often one of the few meatless entrees at Italian restaurants. It’s fried, but the breading is soggy. Once you get past the soggy breading, you’re greeted by a slimy interior. And then to make up for the general terribleness of the dish, they add cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. No wonder people think they don’t like eggplant.
However! When you roast eggplant, the texture is completely different. As long as you don’t add too much oil to it, it won’t get soggy. And if you use fresh eggplant (like from your local farmers market!), you’re not going to get any bitterness either, so there’s no need to salt it.
I had originally planned on making this Eggplant Parmesan Stacks recipe with tomato sauce, but when I saw these tomatoes at the farmers market, I changed my mind. Okay, so maybe I made this decision based solely on looks (pretty tomatoes!), but it worked out well in the end. They give the Eggplant Parmesan Stacks that lighter, fresher flavor I was looking for.
The eggplant and tomato slices are roasted before stacking them; this helps keep the eggplant from getting mushy from the tomatoes’ juices. To make this dish lighter than traditional Eggplant Parmesan, I added only a quarter cup of cheese to each stack. And rather than breading the eggplant slices, I topped them with a little bit of panko–by putting it on top, it stays crunchy and delicious.
So see, this is nothing like the bad Eggplant Parmesan that makes people hate eggplant. No sliminess! No soggy breading! And a sensible amount of cheese. Now who’s ready to give eggplant another try?
A lighter, healthier version of Eggplant Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, sliced into 12 rounds (about 1/4-inch thick)
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced into 8 rounds (about 1/4-inch thick)
- 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 c. roughly chopped basil leaves
- 1 c. shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
- 1/4 c. panko
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place eggplant and tomato slices onto baking sheets. Brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until eggplant is golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through cooking time.
- Remove sheets from oven (but don't turn it off!) and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes. Combine panko, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Take 4 eggplant rounds and top each one with a tomato slice. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and a half tablespoon of basil and repeat with another eggplant round, tomato slice, cheese, and basil. Place an eggplant round on top of this, then top each stack with 2 tablespoons of cheese and 1 tablespoon of panko.
- Return eggplant parmesan stacks to oven and heat 5-7 minutes, or until cheese has melted and panko is golden brown.
Notes
When you roast eggplant, the skin can get a little bit tough. Either peel the eggplant entirely or peel alternating one-inch sections around the eggplant (as seen in the photos).
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I’ve never tried eggplant in any way, shape or form, but you sure do make it look like I need to change that!
I had it once when I was a kid–we were at a restaurant and I saw “Parmesan” on the menu and was like, “Ooh, I want that!” And that was when I discovered I hated eggplant. It was only about 15 years later that I gave it a try again and now I love it. When it’s cooked right.
So all this is to say, if it’s cooked the right way & not slimy, I bet you’ll like it too.
Liz took the words right out of my mouth. You really do make it look amazing!
Thank you!
I am almost convinced.
What more do I have to do?!?!
Say it tastes like chocolate peanut butter cups.
I haven’t had eggplant in FOREVER. Pinning this recipe for later! Thanks
Eggplant is the forgotten, overlooked vegetable! Thanks for pinning.
my mom would love this!
I am so making this!
I’ve had some bad eggplant in my day. I think of it like the IPA of the veggie world, it’s either amazing or awful. But that’s all the more reason to make it at home and get it right! These look really amazing.
Yeah, when eggplant is bad, it is SO SO bad. I won’t order Eggplant Parm at restaurants anymore because it’s inedible about half the time and I don’t want to take that chance.
I’ve always disliked eggplant for exactly the reasons you mentioned, but this looks delicious. We love roasted broccoli and other veggies with a bit of olive oil, seasoning, and Parmesan, so I think we might like this, too. Okay…willing to give eggplant another try next grocery trip
Alright, if you make it, you’re going to have to let me know what you think.
Worst case scenario, you can eat the tomatoes, right?
It’s not my favorite, but my daughter loves eggplant. So we’ll definitely be trying them, they look so good.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say eggplant is their favorite vegetable! Poor eggplant.
Kiersten, I must be weird! I LOVE eggplant. My dad introduced me to it as a kiddie and I’ve eaten it prepared in more ways than I can remember. Thanks for your recipe and photos!
You are not weird at all! I think when you start eating things early on, you’re more likely to enjoy them.
This looks so good!
Funny thing, I just made grilled eggplant parmesan for dinner tonight. I love grilled eggplant (and roasted too, of course). If it’s a hot night out, I’d strongly suggest grilling them.
Those tomatoes look beautiful. No wonder you didn’t want to turn them to sauce.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I made a grilled eggplant dish with hoisin sauce for dinner a few weeks ago that was so good–it was actually the first time I tried grilling eggplant!
Hoisin sauce? Sounds good. I’ll have to try it.
Here’s the recipe. The glaze is delicious!
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-eggplant-tofu-steaks-50400000122067/
I disliked eggplant until my mid-20s for different reasons — because some restaurants would undercook it, making the eggplant firm and spongy. When I gave eggplant another go and roasted it, I was in love. I’ve never found eggplant slimy and I love eggplant parmesan! I like the idea of only topping with panko. And I love Chinese eggplant dishes.
If you use too much oil, eggplant can get REALLY slimy. I’ve made that mistake before. I really like Chinese and Thai eggplant dishes too–when we were in Savannah, we had the BEST tempura eggplant (although it was supposedly Vietnamese, not Japanese!) and I need to figure out how to do that.
Love these! I made a caprese version last summer with eggplant, tomato, mozzarella, and basil, but I think I’ll have to try the parmesan version this summer, it looks great!
Okay, I’m going to have to do it as caprese next time. Eggplant is about the only thing doing well in my garden, so I’m going to need a LOT of eggplant recipes soon…
YEAH! You did it! A eggplant recipe that people will love! How awesome!!! Mouthwatering photos too!
Well, I think some people still aren’t convinced! Eggplant just doesn’t have many fans, I guess. Sad!
Mmmmm…. I love eggplant any which way. Actually, I LOVE it fried and greasy but, of course, I almost never eat it that way. I have 4 huge plants in my garden all to myself because the veggie haters in my family particularly loathe eggplant!
Eggplant is the only thing doing well in my garden right now! I think next summer, I’m just going to do eggplant in all 3 beds. Nothing but eggplant!
It’s funny that you just posted this, because I had that exact experience on my Zambia trip! One of the nights, the hotel had an Italian themed buffet, so I got some eggplant parmesan (since, like you said, it was one of the few vegetarian options). But it was dripping in oil, and the ratio of greasy cheese to actual eggplant was more like 3 to 1. I wish I could have tried your version instead!
Yuck! I hate that. The best Eggplant Parmesan is the kind where the breading is still crispy, but I think that must be hard to pull off in a restaurant setting (not to mention a buffet!) because it’s so often soggy and greasy. There has to be a reason for it!
I know it’s not a popular vegetable but I just love it. I love what you did with this version, we’re going to have to try this soon!!
It took me a while to appreciate eggplant, but now that I do, I can’t get enough of it either.
I actually love eggplant. And this dish looks like a great way to cook it, I need to give this a try soon.
Yay, another eggplant lover!
I can definitely see why a lot of people don’t like it, but I do think it’s all about preparation.
Those are gorgeous! I love eggplant.
Thank you! I think they’re only gorgeous if you’re one of the few people who actually likes eggplant.
That’s almost enough to make me want to try eggplant again.
Ha! I’m so picky about certain foods, so I definitely get having an aversion to something. But I swear eggplant isn’t bad when you make it right!
I love eggplant. And this looks like the perfect summertime dish.
With a salad on the side, it’s definitely the perfect light summer meal!
Those are some beautiful tomatoes you got at the farmer’s market. Here in the PNW the only tomatoes at the farmer’s market are still greenhouse tomatoes– there’s a vendor that grows local greenhouse tomatoes for everyone who can’t wait until the end of summer for field-grown ones. I have a bad eggplant story, too, well, more than one, unfortunately. This time I’ll just mention the bad eggplant parmesan that was one of the very few vegetarian entrees available at my college’s cafeteria. This was back in the day before colleges offered more diverse food choices. I was committed to eating vegetarian so I had that not-very-good eggplant many times. You are right about the reasons for slimy or bitter eggplant and the ways to avoid it. My husband and I will eat it again now, but we’re still working on convincing the next generation.
My tomatoes got a bit of a late start, so I’ve been able to harvest exactly one and the rest are all green on the vine–I’m so thankful for our local farmers market! I always know that no matter how badly my little garden does, I’ll be able to get things there.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s had those bad eggplant parm experiences–when I wrote this post, I wondered if maybe I was just being my usual picky self! But that bloated, greasy eggplant parmesan that’s a staple at so many restaurants and buffets really is an abomination. I really believe that when people dislike a vegetable, a lot of times it comes down to how it’s prepared, not the taste of the vegetable itself.