Eggplant Parmesan Stacks: Even an Eggplant Hater will Like This Recipe

I am not a huge fan of eggplant but the Italian inspired seasonings, robust sauce, and generous cheesy-ness go a long way for these Eggplant Parmesan Stacks. This is also a gluten free recipe as I do not use breading because in many cases, I find that the breading becomes super soggy and combine that with bitter eggplant, and it’s a recipe for disaster. So, I came up with this recipe to prove to myself and others that eggplant can actually be tasty!

To reduce the bitterness of the eggplant, not only do I peel and cook them before adding any sauces, but I start looking for the perfect eggplant at the market. I recommend selecting a shiny, heavy, and firm vegetable. The more spongy they feel, the more seeds and the slimier they will taste. I also try to pick eggplants on the smaller size to reduce the seed content. In addition, you will want a male (as opposed to female – weird right?) eggplant as that will also reduce the bitter seeds. Male eggplants have what kind of looks like a belly button on the bottom of the vegetable while the female version has more of a elongated dashed line on the bottom. You can learn more about selecting the best eggplant here.

Follow along below for the ingredients and instructions. Have these gluten free eggplant parmesan stacks with your favorite pasta and spaghetti sauce for a healthy, delicious, and easy alternative to the deep fried version.

Serves 4

Suggested Wine Pairing:

Sangiovese will balance the tanginess from the red sauce, bitterness from the eggplant, and perfectly complement the nutty parmesan and creamy mozzarella.

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds

2 cups marinara sauce, jarred or follow my recipe

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon of each dried oregano, dried basil, and chili flakes

1 cup parmesan and 1 cup of mozzarella

Olive oil for drizzling and chopped fresh parsley to make it pretty

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil the bottom of a cooking sheet or roasting pan and add the peeled eggplant rounds in a single layer. Distribute the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and chili flakes evenly over the eggplant. Drizzle with a little olive oil and pop that in your preheated oven for 30 minutes.
2. While the eggplant is cooking, get your marinara sauce heated up over low heat.
3. Once the eggplant is cooked, drain any excess moisture from the pan and begin creating your stacks. Start by layering rounds with about about a tablespoon of parmesan cheese between layers. Layer the stacks about 4 rounds high and then top with marinara sauce and generous helping of mozzarella cheese. You should end up with 4 – 6 stacks depending on the size of your eggplants.
4. Place your stacks back into the oven until the cheese is melted and golden or about 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with fresh parsley and serve with pasta.

If you like this gluten free and vegetarian recipes, try my gluten free white lasagna with spinach and mushrooms!