Lighter and Easier Eggplant Parmesan

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4.50 from 2 votes

Lighter and Easier Eggplant Parmesan

Servings:

Author: Pamela

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants about 1 ¼ pounds each, unpeeled, stem removed, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices*
Kosher salt
Unrefined olive oil
Optional: 1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or shiitake, wiped clean with a damp paper towel and thinly sliced
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds tomatoes about 4 large tomatoes, make a small X on the bottom of each OR 14 ounces store-bought marinara sauce
3 medium cloves of garlic chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Small handful of fresh basil leaves leave whole if small, otherwise tear into pieces if large
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
Optional: handful of grated parmesan cheese
6 slices of pre-sliced mozzarella or 8 ounces shredded mozzarella can be plant based

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with a layer of paper towels and arrange eggplant in one layer over the paper towels. Sprinkle the tops of the eggplant with kosher salt and allow to sit and sweat out for 30 minutes. If you don’t have time, just skip this step, but it does take some of the bitterness out of the eggplant.
In the meantime, sauté mushrooms (if using) in a large skillet with 2 Tablespoons of oil. Cook until mushrooms have released their moisture and are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make fresh tomato sauce (or use jarred): Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tomatoes and turn the heat off. Blanch for 30 seconds or until skin starts to curl where you made the X. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, core and peel skin off. Cut through the “equator” of the tomato (not through the core) and gently squeeze out the seeds. It’s ok if they don’t all come out. Chop the tomatoes coarsely.
In a large skillet, warm enough olive oil to cover the bottom with a thin layer, about 3-4 Tablespoons. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until a little thicker and the tomatoes are broken down, about 10-15 minutes. Taste for salt and blend with an immersion blender until still a bit chunky but more like a sauce. Stir in basil. This can be done several days in advance.
Blot the tops of the eggplant with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture. Remove eggplant from the baking sheet and line with unbleached parchment paper. You’ll need about 2 baking sheets. Brush both sides of the eggplant with ¼ cup of olive oil and arrange in one layer on the prepared baking sheet(s). Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until the eggplant is golden brown and tender. LOWER OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 350 DEGREES.
In a medium bowl, toss breadcrumbs with ¼ cup of olive oil. If the breadcrumbs have no flavor, add a pinch of salt. You can also add a handful of grated parmesan cheese if you want.
Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or equivalent**. Arrange one layer of cooked eggplant over the sauce. It can overlap a little. Scatter a layer of mushrooms on top, if using. Spread another layer of tomato sauce over the vegetables. Repeat with eggplant and more mushrooms and sauce. Place the slices of mozzarella on top and then cover with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, until ingredients are warmed through and cheese is melted. If your breadcrumb topping is not golden brown, you can broil the top for a few seconds until golden.

Notes

*If you slice the eggplant lengthwise, I like to peel the skin from the ends so it’s easier to cut into when serving.

For a richer tomato sauce, you can add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to the sauce.

**the volume of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish is 117 square inches. Something equivalent is a 12-inch round skillet, which has a volume of 113 square inches. Another option that comes close is 2 9-inch square baking dishes which have a TOTAL volume of 127 square inches.

Instead of mushrooms, you can omit or swap in sautéed spinach.

Faux cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped shallot
1 cup (about 7 ounces) chopped Yukon Gold potato (you can leave the peel on if you have a high-powered blender)
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
¼ cup raw cashews*
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic, minced (about 1 medium-size clove)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons tapioca starch (arrowroot is next best choice, but otherwise no swaps- this is the key to the stretchiness)

1. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the chopped shallot, potato, onion, cashews and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
2. Place the salt, garlic, butter, and mustard in a blender (preferably a high-powered one) or food processor. Add the softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender or food processor and process until perfectly smooth.
3. Transfer mixture back to saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk in tapioca starch until mixture is well combined and thickened, about 2 minutes. This is best used when it is freshly made. It will thicken more when it cools. Or if it has been refrigerated, use it like mozzarella cheese on a lasagna or Monterey Jack in a quesadilla or on a burger. Refrigerate and use within 5 days.

*you can swap raw cashew butter for the raw cashews and add to Step 2 instead.