Eggplant Casserole w/ Ground Beef (Easy & Cheesy!)
If you love eggplant parm but want something heartier and more filling, this cheesy eggplant casserole with ground beef is the answer! Tender eggplant bakes into marinara, seasoned beef, and melty cheese; all topped with crispy breadcrumbs for a weeknight dinner everyone will love.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds eggplant (about 2 medium), sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds
- 1 ¼ pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided plus more for salting the eggplant
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon no salt-added Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons low fat milk
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- ¾ cup Italian cheese blend
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepare the Eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Add the sliced eggplant to a large strainer. Sprinkle each slice evenly with salt on both sides and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Make the Meat Sauce
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil, then add the ground beef, breaking apart into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and add the marinara sauce, stirring to combine.
Bread the Eggplant
- Gently press the eggplant to squeeze out any excess water. Optional: Quickly rinse to remove excess salt. Blot each slice with a paper towel to dry.
- On a large plate or baking dish, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined.
- On a separate large plate or baking dish, whisk together the egg and milk until well combined.
- Dip each eggplant slice quickly into the milk-egg mixture, then coat each side evenly with the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until each slice is breaded.
Assemble the Casserole
- Coat a 9x13 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Add ⅓ of the beef-marinara sauce to the bottom, spreading into an even layer.
- Shingle about half of the eggplant slices into an even layer on top. Repeat the layers, adding ⅓ sauce, the remaining half of the eggplant slices, and ending with the remaining ⅓ sauce.
- Sprinkle the top with an even layer of the Italian cheese blend and parmesan cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil and cook for 50 minutes, or until the eggplant is very tender. Uncover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For Gluten Free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- For Vegetarian: Leave out ground beef.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 (of 8) | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 879mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 492IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 3mg
