Few Italian dishes conjure up the iconic feeling of comfort food like eggplant parmesan. It has all the rich, cheesiness of chicken parmesan, without the meat. It's also a great way to use up extra eggplant from your summer garden or make the most of the purple produce. Try one of these eggplant parmesan recipes, and some twists on the classic, for dinner tonight.
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
No one will miss the animal products in this satisfying vegan eggplant Parmesan. Soy or other nondairy cheese, silken tofu, tahini, and nutritional yeast contribute to that savory, cheesy flavor you love, while still being perfect for vegans or those avoiding dairy.
Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant gets coated in breadcrumbs and then sautéed before layering in the slow cooker to create a lovely, hands-off eggplant parmesan. This recipe works great for days when you don't want to heat up your kitchen or stand over the stove.
Eggplant and Tomato Casserole
This eggplant casserole tastes very similar to eggplant parmesan, but just without the name (or the breading). You don't dredge the eggplant in breadcrumbs like in other recipes, so this one has fewer carbs than the traditional preparation and is naturally gluten-free.
Authentic Eggplant Parmigiana
This authentic eggplant parmigiana comes straight from Italy, where the eggplant doesn't get breaded before assembling the layers. It also calls for Buffalo mozzarella, which will give the dish a soft, velvety texture. And because it uses less cheese than some, you will really taste the eggplant.
Continue to 5 of 10 belowStuffed Eggplant with Beef
If you like your eggplant with a little extra heft, try this stuffed eggplant with ground beef, tomato sauce, and cheese. It tastes similar to eggplant parmesan, but with the addition of beef. Use smaller eggplants so each halved eggplant makes one serving.
Greek-Style Stuffed Eggplant
This stuffed eggplant recipe tastes like a cross between eggplant parmesan and the Greek moussaka. Eggplants get halved and stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, garlic, spices, and some ground beef. Then, the whole thing gets covered with a creamy béchamel sauce for a gooey comfort food treat.
Baked Eggplant with Feta
Give your eggplant parmesan a Greek accent by swapping out the mozzarella for feta in these easy eggplant boats. Use the long, slender ones often labeled "Italian eggplants" for this recipe, which don't have the signature bitterness that you sometimes find in other types. It makes a wonderful end-of-summer dish when eggplants are plentiful.
Grilled Eggplant with Spinach and Feta
Try these smoky grilled eggplant slices rolled around spinach and feta, then baked in a succulent tomato sauce. It comes out similar to eggplant parmesan, but with a smokier, saltier, slightly lighter flavor. Prepare it for a meatless main or as a hearty side.
Continue to 9 of 10 belowCheesy Eggplant Casserole
Think of eggplant parmesan but swap mozzarella for cheddar, tomato sauce for diced tomatoes, and add a creamy sauce and you have this comforting cheesy eggplant casserole. It tastes just as rich and smooth as the original, with a slightly different profile.
Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cheese
If you want the flavor of eggplant parmesan but as a side dish, try these roasted eggplants and tomatoes with parmesan cheese. Roasting eggplants and tomatoes give them a lovely smoky note that tastes awesome alongside steak, chicken, or even pork.