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Eggplant Mozzarella Casserole

Eggplant Mozzarella Casserole

This Eggplant Mozzarella Casserole recipe combines tender roasted eggplant with rich, melty cheese and a flavorful sauce to make a dish that’s to die for. Plus, it’s so, so easy to make!

Eggplant Mozzarella Casserole

The combination of eggplant, tomato sauce, fresh basil and melted cheese is so wonderful! All you have to do is to prepare the eggplant by roasting it in the oven, assemble the casserole in a baking dish, and then give everything one final bake. Seriously, it’s that easy!

Eggplants are a nutrient-rich food that contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They may benefit your overall health, including your heart. Although often considered a vegetable, they’re technically a fruit, as they grow from a flowering plant and contain seeds. Eggplant has a flavor similar to summer squash or zucchini: tender, mild, and sweet with a slight vegetal bitterness. Eggplant will absorb the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with. Its texture is firm and spongy when raw, and tender when cooked.

The beauty of this recipe is the texture of the eggplant. With the technique we are going to prepare it in, it’s going to keep its beautiful firm texture and have absolutely no mush. The secret? Let the salted eggplant sit on a large tray for a good 30 minutes. Beads of water will emerge. Pat the eggplant dry and remove any excess salt.

You can serve this Eggplant Mozzarella Casserole hot or even at room temperature. It will hold for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be prepared ahead of time and then heated when ready to serve.

All our dinner recipes: dinner page.

Eggplant Mozzarella Casserole

This eggplant mozzarella casserole recipe combines tender roasted eggplant with rich, melty cheese and a flavorful sauce to make a dish that's to die for. Plus, it's so, so easy to make!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium eggplants (sliced – 1/4 inch thick slices)
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese log (thinly sliced)
  • 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (thinly slice)
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Lay eggplant slices on a large baking sheet lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Pat the eggplant dry.
  • Preheat your oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly coat the slices with olive oil and season with black pepper. Roast the eggplant for 15 minutes. 
  • Place the tomato sauce, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn the eggplant slices over. Return them to the oven and roast about 10 more minutes or until tender. 
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
  • Spread 1/4 of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the roasted eggplant slices in a single layer to cover the sauce. Spoon 1/4 of the tomato sauce over the eggplant, top with slices of mozzarella, and fresh basil. Repeat with two more layers of eggplant, tomato sauce, slices of mozzarella and basil.
  • Bake the eggplant casserole until golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Add a sprinkle of fresh basil on top. Enjoy!
Keyword eggplant, eggplant casserole, eggplant mozzarella casserole

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Stuffed Zucchini Boats is easy, quick, healthy, and, hands-down, one of my favorite zucchini boat recipes of all time. Vegan and gluten-free.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats is a classic dish that never goes out of style. I love recipes that are a little bit on the lighter side, calorie-wise! There are so many ways to serve zucchini, and I have to say this is one of my favorites. Stuff it and serve it!

Zucchini is incredibly healthy and contains many good nutrients. As a result, including it in your diet may have a variety of health benefits. Although zucchini is often considered a vegetable, it is botanically classified as a fruit. It’s packed full of nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6, C, and K, potassium, and manganese. It has a super low calorie count, low in carbs, and has a ton of fiber!

This dish is so easy to customize! Another great aspect is that you really don’t need to make a side dish to go along with it! It is a veggie and entree all in one!

All our dinner recipes: dinner page.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Stuffed Zucchini Boats make a delicious and hearty meatless meal option, or the perfect side dish to just about any kind of grilled or roasted meat.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium zucchini
  • 1 cup cooked red quinoa
  • ½ cup grated carrots
  • 1 ½ cup cannellini beans (15-ounce can) (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 cloves of garlic (pressed or finely minced)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons plant based milk (soy, almond, oat or coconut)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic & Herb Seasoning (my favorite: Spice Islands Organic Garlic & Herb Seasoning)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then trim off the stem ends. Use a spoon to carefully scoop the flesh out of the zucchinis.
  • Place the zucchini in a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle the garlic & herb seasoning over the zucchini shells.
  • Place cannellini beans, lime juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, and milk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse just until incorporated, 2 or 3 times.
  • Place the red quinoa, carrots, spices, cilantro, and cannellini beans mixture in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add more salt and pepper, to taste, if desired.
  • Fill each zucchini with the filling. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the zucchini is soft.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh cilantro on top. Enjoy!
Keyword stuffed zucchini, stuffed zucchini boats, zucchini, zucchini boats

Easy Vegetable Coconut Curry

Easy Vegetable Coconut Curry

Vegetable Coconut Curry makes a great, super-flavorful, easy weeknight meal. It’s healthy comfort food at its finest. Enjoy it right away or make it ahead. Vegan and gluten-free.

Easy Vegetable Coconut Curry

What Is Curry Powder?
Curry powders are a combination of dried spices blended together that includes turmeric, which gives it its signature yellow color, and other spices such as ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, mustard seed, fennel seed and black pepper.

Canned coconut milk usually has a thick, cream-like consistency. It is higher in fat, and is typically used for baking or cooking.

This easy vegetable curry recipe with coconut milk is super versatile. Add your favorite ingredients and make to your own personal taste.  You can definitely switch up the veggies and use whatever you have on hand. Mushrooms, snow peas, green beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, all would be great in this.

Vegetable Coconut Curry is packed with vegetables, full of beautiful colors and textures, and all-around the perfect healthy-ish meal. It’s just exotic enough, but still approachable. Having recipes like this at our fingertips makes life simple and delicious! And the best part? It makes for the perfect leftovers all week long.

Easy Vegetable Coconut Curry

This vegetable coconut curry is easy and fast to make. It’s creamy, full of flavor and amazing. Serve over a bed of rice or quinoa.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Indian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium yellow squash (chopped)
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 4 cups fresh kale (torn into pieces with center ribs removed)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)
  • ¾ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons curry powder
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet or pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the yellow squash, bell pepper, and salt to the skillet and cook stirring occasionally about 5 minutes. Add the kale and garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add curry powder and combine with vegetables. Add coconut milk and water. Combine and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer coconut curry sauce for about 5 minutes.
  • Add more salt, to taste, if desired.
  • Garnish with cilantro and enjoy warm over brown rice or quinoa.
Keyword coconut curry, curry, vegetable coconut curry