Whenever I see eggplant popping up in our garden, I start dreaming about ways to prepare it. Somehow my dreams always start the same way with one of my favorites- Grilled Eggplant Parmesan. I like to keep this summer version lighter than its cold-weather friend. I grill slices of eggplant and then layer them in a cast-iron pan with the sauce, parmesan cheese, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. It's "baked" on the grill and becomes golden and gooey. This is delicious and a perfect way to keep the kitchen cool.
Ingredients for Grilled Eggplant Parmesan:
2 pounds eggplant
olive oil
1/2-3/4 pound fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
4 cups tomato sauce
a handful of fresh basil
kosher salt
black pepper
Time-Saving Tip: Assemble the Grilled Eggplant Parmesan a few hours before baking.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to cook.
Trim the ends of the eggplant. Cut into thin slices no more than 1/4 inch. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the eggplant to a preheated medium-high grill. Once grill marks appear, flip the eggplant and continue cooking until the eggplant has softened.
Add some of the sauce to the pan. Make a layer of eggplant, add a little more sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, slices of mozzarella, and torn basil leaves. Continue layering until all of the slices of eggplant are used. The top layer will have the most sauce on top.
I like to skip the basil on top since it will darken while it cooks. Instead, I add fresh basil once it is cooked. Transfer the pan to a preheated 375- degree grill and cover the grill. Cook for about 30-40 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. If you want, you can do this in the oven, uncovered, at the same temperature. If the cheese doesn't brown, feel free to run it under the broil for a minute or two.
It's ready! Grilled Eggplant Parmesan is gooey, cheesy, and delicious. For me, it's a must every summer. Serve with a salad and dinner is served,
Enjoy!
Ingredients for Grilled Eggplant Parmesan:
2 pounds eggplant
olive oil
1/2-3/4 pound fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
4 cups tomato sauce
a handful of fresh basil
kosher salt
black pepper
Trim the ends of the eggplant. Cut into thin slices no more than 1/4 inch. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the eggplant to a preheated medium-high grill. Once grill marks appear, flip the eggplant and continue cooking until the eggplant has softened.
Add some of the sauce to the pan. Make a layer of eggplant, add a little more sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, slices of mozzarella, and torn basil leaves. Continue layering until all of the slices of eggplant are used. The top layer will have the most sauce on top.
I like to skip the basil on top since it will darken while it cooks. Instead, I add fresh basil once it is cooked. Transfer the pan to a preheated 375- degree grill and cover the grill. Cook for about 30-40 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. If you want, you can do this in the oven, uncovered, at the same temperature. If the cheese doesn't brown, feel free to run it under the broil for a minute or two.
Time-Saving Tip: Assemble the Grilled Eggplant Parmesan a few hours before baking.
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