Crispy, warm, saucy, breaded and baked eggplant with marinara served over pasta. A dish to feed your soul.
One of my favorite dishes growing up, was this Breaded Eggplant with Marinara Pasta, is super comforting, so satisfying and delicious. Taste is such a key component in keeping healthy eating sustainable for the long term. When you cook with love, quality ingredients and allow yourself the freedom to eat with restriction you will find that eat well is actually enjoyable.
Why Baked Eggplant?
Baking the breaded eggplant is a breeze! You will find baking the eggplant versus frying is much quicker and tastes just as delicious. When it comes to frying food vs baking, the quality and amount of oil is the most important.
If you type of oil and amount of oil to fry than the method is going to be borderline equal, nutrition wise, it then comes down to your preferred method of cooking. You’ll find the eggplant requires a bit of prep, so you can cut down the cook time by baking them all together. The baked eggplant is still super crisp and crunchy.
How to Serve the Baked Breaded Eggplant.
Baked breaded eggplant is delicious plain, or drizzled with marinara, a scoop of ‘ricotta’ over pasta. You can layer the eggplant to create a “parmesan” style dish too!
Baked Breaded Eggplant Cooking Tips
You may need a little extra flour, another egg or breadcrumbs account for that each eggplant is unique you may have a few more/less slices to batter.
Using your hand to batter each eggplant slice is simple and quick but you can use a fork, spatula and spoon if you prefer.
In this recipe, I used gluten free flour, you could also use all purpose flour. I have not tried with almond flour, buckwheat flour or any other gluten free alternative flour, yet. I also used gluten free Italian bread crumbs that were already seasoned, so I used just a touch less of the onion, and garlic powder but plain bread crumbs or Italian wheat breadcrumbs would be perfect.
Pick Your Pasta
There a plenty of amazing types of pasta that offer a nice serving of plant- based proteins- from choose chickpea, lentil to quinoa pasta, take your pick! Or you can also serve with traditional durum wheat, white pasta as well.
Baked Eggplant Marinara
Ingredients
Marinara
- 1 can tomato puree
- 1 can crushed tomato
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- pinch of black pepper
Breaded Eggplant
- 1 eggplant, medium, thinly sliced
- 1 cup flour*
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- In medium sauce pan, add olive oil heat until hot then add onion sauté until translucent, then add garlic stir for 1 minute. Pour in tomato puree and crushed tomatoes. Keep simmering on low heat stirring occasionally. Cook for at least 1 hour.
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice off top of eggplant. Cut into 1/4 inch circles, pile onto plate.
- Prepare the eggplant batter assembly line. Fill 3 bowls- one with flour, the next with egg, the last bowl with bread crumbs. Individually press each eggplant slice (both sides) into flour before dipping in egg and then coating with breadcrumbs. Place battered eggplant on baking sheet and repeat process.
- Fill large pot with water, bring to boil.
- Place eggplant in oven for 15 minutes until golden brown, meanwhile cook pasta as instructed on package.
- Serve baked breaded eggplant over pasta with marinara sauce.
Notes
*use all purpose flour, or all purpose gluten free flour.
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