Ridiculously Easy Unbreaded Eggplant Parmesan

Sauce, cheese and eggplant that melts in your mouth. What’s not to love? I’ve made this recipe so many times that I’ve lost count. I never measure while making it but it always turns out delicious. You can’t mess it up, trust me! It also eliminates the extra step of breading and frying the eggplant and it’s a little bit healthier, too. It’s the perfect meal to feed a group and it makes incredible leftovers. This serves about 8. 

Ingredients:

4 large eggplants
1 large jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I always use Rao’s)
Lots of cheese! (I like to use a mix of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan)
Olive oil 
Salt, pepper & garlic powder 
Fresh basil leaves for garnish 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a vegetable peeler, peel eggplants and slice into thin medallions (about 1/4”). In a large pan, sauté eggplant with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. While continuing to stir, season with salt, pepper & garlic powder. If eggplant starts sticking to the pan, don’t worry. Just add more olive oil and keep stirring. 

Tip: You may need to do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.

Cook your eggplant until it’s fully softened (about 10-15 mins). You’ll be able to tell by the color. It turns darker looking when it’s cooked through. Set eggplant aside.

In a large baking dish, spoon some marinara sauce to coat the bottom. Then add a thin layer of the eggplant. Top with more sauce and a layer of cheeses. Repeat this process until you use up all your eggplant. Make sure to add a generous layer of sauce and cheese on the top. 

Bake for 40 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve. You can serve on its own or with a side of plain pasta (the eggplant parm acts as sauce for the pasta). Enjoy!