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Serving of Eggplant Parmesan on a plate with fresh basil

Eggplant Parmigiana

This is an amazing flavorful Eggplant Parmigiana with a rich robust meat sauce, Ricotta cheese, Parmesan Cheese, and Mozzarella Cheese!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 499 kcal

Ingredients
  

Sauce

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 cup diced onion or 2 tablespoons of dried onion flakes
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1- 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon each of basil oregano, and crushed rosemary
  • 1 Tablespoon dried or fresh parsley
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Eggplant

  • 2 egg plants cut off top and bottom, peeled and sliced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Oil for frying

Additional Toppings

  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 cup Ricotta Cheese

Instructions
 

Sauce

  • In a large deep skillet brown the grown beef with the onions and minced cloves of garlic. Drain off any excess fat. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, stirring periodically.

Eggplant

  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil. (Be sure to place pan on the back burner!)
  • Peel and slice eggplant
  • In a shallow dish or pie plate, crack the eggs and whisk till fluffy. Add in 3 Tablespoons of water and whisk again.
  • In another shallow dish mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and pepper.
  • Dip eggplant into the egg wash and then dip into the bread crumbs being sure all sides are coated.
  • Place sliced, coated eggplant into the frying pan. Cook until light golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side. Once cooked, remove and place on dish covered with a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
  • Cook remaining eggplant till it is all cooked.

Bringing it all together

  • Spray a casserole dish with Pam non-stick cooking spray. Starting on the bottom, place a layer of the breaded fried eggplant. You can cut a few up to fill in the empty spots. Place a large tablespoon of ricotta cheese on each large piece of eggplant. Then sprinkle with a layer of Parmesan cheese and a layer of Mozzarella Cheese. Next spoon a layer of meat sauce on top. Repeat the layers again...eggplant, ricotta, Parmesan, Mozzarella and Meat Sauce. Top with a sprinkling of mozzarella and place in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until cheese and sauce are bubbling. You can put the dish in the broiler for 3-5 minutes to brown the cheese if desired. Just keep a close eye on it. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

This is a very flexible recipe. If you don't want to make a meat sauce you can just use 2 jars of your favorite store bought sauce or make the sauce above without using the meat. You could also brown the meat and add canned sauce to cut down on time. You also can leave out the Ricotta Cheese if you don't like it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sqaureCalories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 37gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 178mgSodium: 906mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8g
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