Eggplant Parmesan

Name: Eggplant Parmesan
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients: 2 eggplants (about 1 pound each), cut into 12 slices each; 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided; ¾ cup whole-wheat flour; 3/4 cup liquid egg whites or 6 large egg whites; 2 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs (see Tips), preferably whole-wheat; 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; Olive oil cooking spray; 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (see Tips); 1 ½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided; 4 tablespoons finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided; Fresh basil for garnish

Rating: 4 stars

9 Ratings
5 Reviews

Eggplant Parmesan doesn't have to include layers of deep-fried eggplant and mountains of cheese. This healthy eggplant Parmesan recipe has is satisfying without piling on the calories and fat. Don't skip the step of salting the eggplant, especially if you want to freeze one of the casseroles. Salting helps to draw out extra moisture so the eggplant holds up better in the freezer. Serve with a salad of bitter greens tossed with a red-wine vinaigrette. This recipe makes enough for two 8-by-8-inch casseroles (four servings each)--have one for dinner tonight and freeze the other for a night when you don't have time to make dinner.

Carolyn Malcoun

Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2013

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Recipe Summary

total:

2 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Calorie

High Fiber

Vegetarian

High Calcium

Bone Health

Healthy Aging

Healthy Immunity

Healthy Pregnancy

Low Added Sugars

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

Place 2 layers of paper towels on a baking sheet or cutting board. Place half the eggplant slices on the paper towels. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover with another double layer of paper towels. Top with the remaining eggplant slices and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover with another double layer of paper towels. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

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Step 2

Position oven racks in upper and lower positions and place a large baking sheet on each rack to heat; preheat to 425 degrees F.
Step 3

Blot the eggplant slices with more paper towels. Put flour in one shallow dish, egg whites in another. Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning in a third dish. Dip each slice of eggplant in the flour, shaking off excess. Dip in the egg, letting the excess drip off, then press into the breadcrumbs.
Step 4

Remove the heated baking sheets from the oven and add 2 tablespoons oil to each, tilting to coat. Place half the eggplant on each baking sheet, not letting the slices touch. Generously coat the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the slices over and continue baking until golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
Step 5

Combine crushed tomatoes and the remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning in a medium bowl.
Step 6

To assemble: Coat two 8-inch-square baking dishes with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in each prepared baking dish. Make a layer of 6 eggplant slices over the sauce. Spread with 1 cup of tomatoes and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella. Top with the remaining 6 slices of eggplant, a generous 1 cup tomatoes, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
Step 7

To serve: Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve garnished with basil, if desired. To freeze: Let unbaked casserole(s) cool to room temperature. Tightly wrap with heavy-duty foil (or freezer paper) and freeze. (To prevent foil from sticking to the cheese, coat with cooking spray first.)

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 6, cover and freeze (unbaked) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 2 days. Uncover and bake at 400°F for 40 to 45 minutes.

To make your own breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse (or fine) crumbs form. To make dry breadcrumbs (coarse or fine), spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, 10 to 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs or 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs.

Sodium amounts vary widely among brands of crushed tomatoes. And although it's hard to find any that are labeled “low-sodium,” for the best tomato flavor we use brands that have little or no added sodium. Compare nutrition labels and choose one that has 190 mg sodium or less per 1/2-cup serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 3/4 cup

Per Serving:

302 calories; protein 14g; carbohydrates 32.5g; dietary fiber 8.8g; sugars 8.7g; fat 14.6g; saturated fat 4.1g; cholesterol 15.6mg; vitamin a iu 1121.8IU; vitamin c 27.5mg; folate 52.5mcg; calcium 279.7mg; iron 2.7mg; magnesium 55.5mg; potassium 728.2mg; sodium 465.8mg; thiamin 1.2mg.

Exchanges:

1 starch, 3 1/2 vegetables, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat

Reviews (5)

Read More Reviews

9 Ratings

5 star values: 3
4 star values: 5
3 star values: 0
2 star values: 0
1 star values: 1

Reviews: Most Helpful

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EatingWell User

10/06/2014

Delish! I made this for my hubby and I 2 weeks ago but I with a meat sauce because I had some in the freezer. I added some extra diced canned tomatoes though to thin the sauce. It was so good. Next time I will make it per the recipe ingredients but I expect it will be just as good. Pros: Very tasty especially anyone who doesn't like eggplant Read More

EatingWell User

10/06/2015

Poorly edited receipe and bland result Firstly some of the other reviews are strictly familiar to reviews of other receipes on other websites I.e husband loves this receipe and this is now our favorite meal' , etc. I wonder how many of the other reviews are truly independent? The receipe itself has no spices, and lacks any character to support it as a good receipe. The eggplant flavor dominates the eating experience which is unfortunate, given the possibility of adding garlic, or other flavor to compliment the eggplant . The instructions are just poorly written. What is the temperature at the end, after baking the eggplant? Where did the two baking sheets come from that are in the oven? Please read the receipe in full and edit it carefully before publishing. I think that process is called testing! Overall I would give this a 4 out of 10. Pros: Looks good when server Cons: Weak on flavor, difficult to understand cooking instructions, poorly edited instructions Read More

jbrooke

08/24/2016

Made a few changes to make it completely healthy: substituted whole-wheat flour for Tapioca Flour for breadcrumbs I used italian panko breadcrumbs. I also incorporated a layer of cooked ground turkey seasoned with italian seasoning sauteed onions and mushrooms and used a low sugar low sodium marinara sauce instead of tomatoes. Turned out awesome with no regrets of eating it. Read More

EatingWell User

08/27/2013

SOOO Good! I made this gluten-free and it was fabulous. I made this using Udi's gluten free Italian breadcrumbs. I also did not dip in flour first but rather added a little GF flour to my breadcrumbs and just did one dip in the egg whites and then one dip in the crumb/flour mixture. I cooked the eggplant on convection setting 425 for about 30 minutes turning halfway through. Then at the end I broiled it on 450 convection (for about 5 minutes) to make it extra crispy. That way after baking with the sauce and cheese it still has some crispiness to it. Also for the sauce I used Hunts Fire Roasted Tomatoes and pureed them in a blender adding fresh garlic basil & oregano. Pros: Healthy but tastes decadent... Cons: A little time consuming Read More

Kevin Cowan

08/28/2018

Awesome recipe. I followed the recipe using fresh basil mozzarella and parmesan cheese which turned out perfect. I liked the step to salt the eggplant to remove moisture prior to baking. I believe that it made a big difference at the table. Read More

knyboer

01/16/2014

Delicious! This was delicious and even my husband loved it! There was enough crunchy breadcrumbs and cheese to keep it satisfying but baking this made it so much more healthy. I will definitely make this again. Pros: satisfying and filling Cons: time consuming Read More

bhess26@gmail.com

08/25/2014

I made this a day ahead and I was worried about the breading getting soggy so I saved the extra seasoned breadcrumbs and added them as a topping. At the end of cooking I sprinkled the breadcrumbs on top and broiled until they were browned. It was delicious! It did take a long time to put together so I was happy that I made it ahead and could just pop it in the oven at dinner time. Pros: tasty healthy Cons: time consuming Read More

EatingWell User

07/15/2014

Fresh alternative Made this for the first time. We loved it! Even my husband who tends to be a meat and potatoes guy:). It is easy to make directions were very clear and easy to follow. The flavors were fresh and just the right spice levels. My old fried fav has been replaced! Pros: Fresh tasting easy plenty of flavor Cons: None Read More