This hearty eggplant casserole is a delicious meatless meal that is perfect for any day of the week.
Combined with the delicious combination of eggplant, tomato sauce and crispy melted cheese – yum!
Keto Hearty Eggplant Casserole
Incredibly delicious with a little bit of a kick from the paprika, it will make you fall in love with eggplants.
Crisp and cheesy on the outside, yet juicy and tender in the middle with the tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves adding an earthy, Mediterranean taste that will instantly transport you to Italy.
Bonus, the leftovers make a wonderful bruschetta topping that you can quickly whip up with a keto cloud bread for the next day.
Are Eggplants Healthy?
Not only are eggplants full of flavor, they also pack quite the punch when it comes to health benefits.
They are a perfect addition to any meal and have a similar texture to tomatoes which make them great in soups and stews!
Benefits of Eggplants
- Source of Vitamins and Minerals: A great source of vitamins C, K, B6 and minerals thiamine, niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, folic acid, potassium and money more – a real superfood!
- Great for Digestion: Eggplants are packed with fiber which will help keep you regular and improve your gastrointestinal health.
- Healthy Heart: Not only does fiber improve your digestion, but it is also a key factor in improving your heart health by reducing the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs!
- Healthy Bones: The iron and calcium found in eggplants are crucial for not only improving but preserving bone health. Eggplants have been linked to stronger bones and increased bone density.
- Improved Brain Function: Rich in phytonutrients which are a natural chemical known to improve mental health as a result of increased blood flow into the brain.
- Low in Carbs: Eggplants are a great choice for keto-ers due to their low net carb content. They are a non-starchy vegetable and 1 pound of eggplant has only 137 calories, 1g of fat, 32g of carbs, 16g of fiber, 5.4g of protein and a net carb count of only 16g!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Eggplant: For this recipe, you’ll need 2 eggplants. Look for eggplants that are firm with smooth skin.
- Tomato Sauce: Try to find a low-carb variant with no extra sugar added.
- Cheese: We’ll be using grated Mozzarella and Parmesan for this recipe.
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh basil leaves to garnish, salt and black pepper, and some paprika to give it a kick!
How to Make Eggplant Casserole
1. Preheat the oven’s grill to 390°F/200°C and line a wide baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices, arrange on the prepared baking pan and drizzle with half the amount of the extra virgin olive oil.
3. Season with a pinch of salt, paprika and black pepper and grill for 10-15 minutes until slightly charred.
4. Take the pan out of the oven, transfer the eggplants into a smaller pan, and pour the tomato sauce in the baking pan with the eggplant slices.
Season with the remaining salt, paprika and black pepper.
Top with the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
5. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes until the cheese melts and gets golden brown and bubbly.
Serve hot.
Ingredients
- 2 large Eggplants
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese grated
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil extra virgin
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil Leaves to garnish
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven’s grill to 390°F/200°C and line a wide baking pan with parchment paper.
- Slice the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices, arrange on the prepared baking pan and drizzle with half the amount of the extra virgin olive oil.
- Season with a pinch of salt, paprika and black pepper and grill for 10-15 minutes until slightly charred.
- Take the pan out of the oven, transfer the eggplants into a smaller pan, and pour the tomato sauce in the baking pan with the eggplant slices. Season with the remaining salt, paprika and black pepper. Top with the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
- Return to the oven for 10 more minutes until the cheese melts and gets golden brown and bubbly. Serve hot.
