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Best Cheesy Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes Mozzarella Recipe

cheesy baked eggplant with tomatoes mozzarella - featured image
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A simple, soul-warming dish of tender eggplant, sweet roasted tomatoes, and melted mozzarella, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for busy weeknights or Meatless Mondays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large eggplant (about 1 lb / 450g)
  • 3–4 Roma tomatoes (about 12 oz / 340g)
  • 8 oz (225g) fresh mozzarella
  • 1 cup (240ml) marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for eggplant
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) rounds. Spread on paper towel-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry.
  3. Slice Roma tomatoes into 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) rounds.
  4. Slice fresh mozzarella into 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) rounds and pat dry if wet.
  5. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  6. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce (about 1/4 cup) on bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  7. Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer. Drizzle with half of the garlic oil. Top with half of the tomato slices, half of the Parmesan, and half of the mozzarella.
  8. Repeat layers: remaining eggplant, remaining garlic oil, remaining tomatoes, remaining Parmesan, and remaining mozzarella on top.
  9. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  10. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly and eggplant is fork-tender.
  11. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Don’t skip salting the eggplant to remove bitterness and excess moisture. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow layers to set. For meal prep, double the recipe and freeze one batch for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked eggplant, cheesy eggplant, eggplant with tomatoes, mozzarella, vegetarian, easy dinner, meatless Monday

Find it online: https://nadinetable.com/best-cheesy-baked-eggplant-with-tomatoes-mozzarella-recipe/