Eggplant Casserole (with Ground Beef)
Eggplant casserole layered with seasoned ground beef, marinara, and melty Italian cheese. A hearty, make-ahead weeknight dinner the whole family 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.
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
