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Home » Casseroles » Eggplant Casserole

Eggplant Casserole

A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.
by Vered DeLeeuwUpdated Apr 5, 2025
42 Comments
5 from 85 votes

Jump to Recipe Review Recipe

This delicious eggplant casserole is rich and satisfying. Whether you enjoy it as a meatless main or a flavorful side dish, it’s a versatile recipe that also makes great leftovers - perfect for meal prep.

Eggplant casserole is served in a baking dish.

In this hearty eggplant casserole, flavorful roasted eggplant slices, tangy tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella combine to create a delightful culinary experience. To make it, you will layer eggplant, marinara sauce, and cheese, then bake the layers to cheesy, melty perfection. Eggplant is wonderfully flavorful, almost "meaty," so this casserole can serve as a meatless main course.

Ingredients

The ingredients needed to make an eggplant casserole.

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

  • Eggplant: Look for a large, firm eggplant with smooth skin.
  • To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Marinara sauce: Try to find a no-sugar-added sauce such as Rao's.
  • Shredded Mozzarella: A good alternative to mozzarella is provolone.
  • Grated parmesan: Shredded parmesan works in this recipe, too.

Variations

  1. If you'd like to add meat, you can brown a pound of ground beef separately and layer it with the eggplant layers.
  2. Add a handful of baby spinach leaves to each of the eggplant layers. Not too much, as they tend to release water into the casserole.
  3. If you enjoy spicy food, add ¼ or even ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the marinara sauce.
  4. You can use ½ teaspoon of fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Slice the eggplant into rounds and season them. Roast the slices on both sides in a hot oven. You want the eggplant fully cooked at this point.

Baked eggplant slices on a baking sheet.

Layer the eggplant slices, marinara sauce, and mozzarella in a baking dish.

Another layer of eggplant slices, marinara, and cheese in a casserole dish.

Bake the casserole until golden and bubbly, for about 15 minutes in a 425°F oven. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before digging in.

The eggplant casserole is served.

5 stars rating. This is so good! I doubled the marinara because I like it saucy but it was quick, easy, and so delicious! And WW friendly - low points! I will definitely make this many more times! I really enjoyed it.
Jeanne
Read more comments

Recipe Tips

  1. The leftovers are delicious, so it's not a bad idea to double the recipe. If you wish to double it, simply bake it in a 2-quart baking dish. You'll need two baking sheets for the initial step of roasting the eggplant slices.
  2. There's no need to peel the eggplant. The peel is beautiful. While some worry that the peel will have a bitter taste, I find that high-heat roasting, as we do here, takes care of that.
  3. Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can gently reheat them in the microwave or simply eat them cold. It's a bit like eating cold leftover pizza. It's different than hot but really good!

Serving Suggestions

Eggplant casserole is a great side dish, but it is so filling and substantial that I often serve it as a meatless entree. When I serve it as an entree, I divide the casserole into two servings instead of four and serve it with any of the following:

  • Arugula salad
  • Steamed broccoli
  • Sauteed green beans
  • Steamed asparagus
  • Sauteed kale
  • Sauteed spinach
  • Creamed spinach

Recipe Card

Eggplant casserole is served in a white baking dish.
5 from 85 votes
Save this RecipeSaved! Rate this Recipe Print Recipe

Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

This hearty eggplant casserole can serve as a filling meatless entree. The combination of eggplant, tomato sauce, and melted cheese is delicious!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time55 minutes mins
Rest time10 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 166kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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Video

Ingredients

  • Avocado oil spray - for pan
  • 1 large eggplant - 1 ¼ pound, unpeeled
  • ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella - shredded, part-skim, divided; 4 ounces
  • 1 tablespoon parmesan - grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper (or nonstick foil). Spray the parchment with avocado oil spray.
    Parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with avocado oil. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Roast the eggplant for 15 minutes. 
    Slicing an eggplant.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn the eggplant slices to the other side. Spray again with oil. Return to the oven and roast until browned and tender. This should take about 10 more minutes, but keep a close eye on the eggplant to ensure it doesn't burn.  
    Baked eggplant slices on a baking sheet.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F.
    An oven set to 425°F.
  • Arrange half of the roasted eggplant slices in the bottom of a greased 1-quart casserole dish. Spread half the marinara sauce on the eggplant pieces and sprinkle them with half the mozzarella.
    Eggplant slices topped with marinara and mozzarella in a casserole dish.
  • Arrange the remaining eggplant slices on top. Spread them with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and with the parmesan.
    Another layer of eggplant slices, marinara, and cheese in a casserole dish.
  • Bake the casserole until golden and bubbly, for about 15 minutes. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
    The eggplant casserole is served.

Notes

  • This casserole is great as a side dish, but it is so filling and substantial that I often serve it as a meatless entree, in which case I divide the casserole into two servings instead of four and serve it with a green side like arugula salad or steamed broccoli.
  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can gently reheat them in the microwave or simply eat them cold. It's a bit like eating cold leftover pizza. It's different than hot, but it's good!
  • Since the leftovers are so good, it's not a bad idea to double the recipe. If you wish to double it, bake the casserole in a 2-quart baking dish. You'll need two baking sheets for the initial step of roasting the eggplant slices.

Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 0.25 recipe | Calories: 166 kcal | Carbohydrates: 10 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Sodium: 314 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 6 g

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Narelle says

    May 17, 2025 at 2:34 am

    5 stars
    I love easy Vegetarian recipes.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      May 17, 2025 at 10:24 am

      Glad you liked it, Narelle! Thank you very much for the review.

  2. Cheryl says

    May 10, 2025 at 10:50 pm

    5 stars
    This is so good I did put ground turkey seasoned with Italian seasoning.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      May 11, 2025 at 12:00 pm

      Adding ground turkey sounds great, Cheryl! Thank you very much for the review.

  3. Amy says

    April 18, 2025 at 4:10 pm

    5 stars
    I just love this recipe! Easy, healthy and gets devoured every time, have made it 5 or 6 times! Would it work to prepare everything the night before cooking??

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      April 18, 2025 at 4:22 pm

      Hi Amy,
      I'm so glad you like this casserole!
      Yes, that should work. After assembling, cover the casserole dish with cling wrap and refrigerate it until the next day.
      Remember to remove the baking dish to the counter 30 minutes before placing it into a hot oven. And needless to say, remove the cling wrap, too. 🙂

  4. Laurel Dalzen says

    April 07, 2025 at 1:07 pm

    5 stars
    This is delicious! The recipe is so easy to make and came out perfectly! I love eggplant! I never know what to do with it? Or how to cook it? I'm glad I found your yummy recipe. I highly recommend it! I will definitely make this again!

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      April 07, 2025 at 7:43 pm

      Wonderful, Laurel! I'm so glad you liked this casserole. Thank you very much for the review.

  5. D.J. says

    March 30, 2025 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    I just finished making this recipe. It was simple to make and it came out excellent. Nice and light, not heavy and greasy like eggplant parm.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      March 30, 2025 at 11:01 am

      Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed this casserole. Thanks for the review.

  6. Ruth says

    March 12, 2025 at 6:40 pm

    5 stars
    This eggplant casserole was easy, simple, and delicious! I personally add meat in between my layers. I also make a 2 to 4 servings to last between 3 people for a week.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      March 12, 2025 at 7:59 pm

      I'm glad you like this casserole, Ruth! Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks.

  7. Vanildes says

    January 06, 2025 at 11:15 am

    5 stars
    I love this dish. It's delicious! I make it all the time.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      January 06, 2025 at 12:12 pm

      Wonderful! I'm so glad you like it. Thanks for the comment!

  8. Jen says

    October 30, 2024 at 8:00 am

    Can leftovers be frozen and gently reheated in the oven/ microwave once thawed? I really want to do this but I only cook for myself and like to keep my dinners varied. Thank you :).

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      October 30, 2024 at 2:08 pm

      Hi Jen,
      Yes! Absolutely.

  9. Wendy says

    October 30, 2024 at 7:49 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was so easy to make and it was a big hit at the table.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      October 30, 2024 at 2:07 pm

      Yay! I'm so glad this was a success, Wendy.

  10. Kim says

    August 04, 2024 at 9:00 am

    5 stars
    I did the roasting of the egg plant as directed as well as the layering. I let the slices cool until I was ready to cook this side dish. When I was ready I assembled into the layers then placed in our pellet grill with a pork roast that was slow cooking at 280. It was ready 2 hours later. It turned out great.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      August 04, 2024 at 9:22 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kim! Thank you for sharing your tweaks.

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A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.

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Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.

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