My healthy eggplant parm is one of my favorite recipes for a weeknight meal. It’s fairly quick, doesn’t take too much work, and is so delicious. This recipe was kind of a happy accident, or should I say a lazy accident. One night I really wanted to make eggplant parm, but did not feel like going through the trouble of battering + breading the eggplant. So I just decided to do without…and it still turned out delicious! I am not against using breadcrumbs, however I will say most store bought varieties are loaded with additives – the ingredient list is practically a novel! So I choose to avoid those in my cooking.
There is actually another step I cut out in this recipe as well that saves time – I do not let the eggplant sit out prior to cooking. Technically you are supposed to slice up your eggplant an hour ahead of time to let it sit out, as it will lose some bitterness. Some home chefs may shake their head at this, but I just skip right over this. Normally I’ve got a million things running through my brain and I don’t think about dinner time until it’s actually time to start cooking…which again, happy accident, is why I cut this step out in the first place. And honestly, this healthy eggplant parm still tastes amazing!
Recipe: Healthy Eggplant Parm
The recipe is simple: Slice up your eggplant into about 1/2-3/4 inch thick slices. Top with some avocado oil (my preference for high heat roasting) some garlic powder, and salt + pepper. Pop in the oven at 400° for 25 min. Pull the eggplant out, top it with your favorite sauce (we love Rao’s for store bought) and lots of cheese. Bake at 350° for another 15 min, then serve over pasta (this one is my go-to) for a delicious, simple dinner! Per usual, I tend to eyeball everything when I cook, but I’ve provided approximate measurements below!
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400° F
- Slice eggplant into 1/2-3/4" thick slices
- Drizzle with avocado oil, then sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Bake at 400° for 25 minutes.
- While eggplant bakes, boil water and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Remove from oven, top with 1 cup tomato sauce and cheese.
- Lower oven temp to 350° and bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Serve over pasta and enjoy!
Watch the video here!
I hope you will give my healthy eggplant parm a try next time you want a satisfying, simple meal for your family. For another easy weeknight meal, check out my broccoli cheddar quinoa! And to follow it up with something sweet, check out my healthy banana bread or my pumpkin magic bars.
