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Eggplant Parmesan

A delightful twist on the classic Italian dish, featuring roasted eggplant layered with savory ground beef, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella cheese.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 7 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Eggplant Preparation
  • 2 eggplants 2 eggplants (about 900 g)
  • 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, divided use Use 2 teaspoons for brushing eggplant slices and the remainder for sauce.
  • Salt Salt and pepper to taste Use to season the eggplant.
Meat Sauce
  • 1 pound 1 pound (450 g) ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1/2 cup 1/2 cup (75 g) onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons (10 g) garlic, minced
  • 24 ounces 24 ounce (680 g) jar marinara sauce
Cheese Mixture
  • 16 ounces 16 ounces (450 g) ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) Italian seasoning
  • 1 egg 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups 2 cups (200 g) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use Reserve some for topping.
Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon (15 g) parsley, chopped For garnish.
Cooking Spray
  • 1 Cooking spray To coat the sheet pan and baking dish.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
  2. Trim the stem end from the eggplants and cut them lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices.
  3. Brush 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the eggplant slices and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the eggplant in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender and browned. Blot excess moisture with a paper towel if necessary.
Making the Sauce
  1. While the eggplant is cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned.
  3. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in the marinara sauce and bring to a simmer, cooking for 5 minutes.
Layering and Baking
  1. In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, egg, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
  2. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and place 1/4 of the meat sauce at the bottom.
  3. Layer 1/3 of the eggplant slices on top, followed by 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and then 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
  4. Repeat the layering, finishing with mozzarella cheese on top.
  5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serving
  1. Sprinkle with parsley and let stand for 7-10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Notes

Serve hot, ideally with a side salad and garlic bread. You can assemble the dish a day ahead and bake from the fridge by adding extra cooking time. Substitute ground beef with turkey or vegetables for variations.