There's nothing better than an easy spin on a classic dish. That's why we partnered with Kraft for this recipe.
I absolutely love eggplant parmesan. The combination of soft eggplant tucked inside a crisp coating then topped with melted cheeses is simply so good. But doing all that slicing and frying is a bit time consuming when you'd rather be eating the finished deliciousness. Make it easy and slice an eggplant in half for a quick version of the dish that's still crazy good.
Slightly scooping out the insides of the eggplant creates a lovely resting place for your homemade sauce. Yes, that's right — a simmered sauce that only takes 20 minutes to make.
After a bit of time in the oven, layer on the cheeses and finish under the broiler for a dinner that's finished in under an hour. You can't beat that.
Scoop it up and serve alongside a fresh salad or over pasta. Or just eat straight out of the casserole — it's completely acceptable.
Whole Baked Eggplant Parmesan
From POPSUGAR Food, Sarah Lipoff
Notes
Eggplant can get a bit bitter if you rush the cooking process, so take the time to salt the sides and let them sweat out some liquid before baking.
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant
Salt
1 pound Italian sausage
1 12-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided
1/2 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 tablespoon chopped basil
Directions
- Slice the eggplant in half and salt each side. Let set for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour.
- Place the Italian sausage in a sauté pan and brown while breaking up the lumps. Once the meat begins to color, add the garlic.
- Slowly add the crushed tomatoes to the sausage and simmer for 20 minutes. Use the back of a spoon or potato masher to break up the tomatoes and any remaining large chunks of sausage.
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Rinse the eggplant and then use a melon baller or spoon to lightly scoop out the inside of the eggplant and discard. Place the eggplant in a casserole dish and dust with half of the bread crumbs.
- Divide the sauce between the two sides of the eggplant and then place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until the eggplant is fork tender.
- Remove the eggplant and top with the cheeses and remaining bread crumbs. Place under the broiler until the cheese starts to bubble.
- Sprinkle with basil and serve.
Information
- Category
- Main Dishes
- Cuisine
- North American
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Total Time
- 59 minutes, 59 seconds