Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
This cheesy baked eggplant Parmesan has no breading, which means it's easier to make than the traditional version. There's no dredging or frying—instead, the eggplant is roasted until tender before being layered in the casserole dish with a tangy homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. And without breading, this satisfying eggplant Parmesan is also gluten-free!
INGREDIENTS :
- 2 (1 pound) eggplants, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Thinly sliced fresh basil for garnish
DIRECTION:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
- Arrange eggplant slices on the prepared pans. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Spread about 1 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant slices on the sauce. Top with 1 cup sauce and sprinkle with half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make one more layer.
- Bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese has browned in spots, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving, if desired.
