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Extra Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan
You don’t need to be vegetarian to enjoy and appreciate an eggplant parmesan dinner. This cheesy Italian dinner is a universal crowd pleaser that’s just as yummy as anything you’d get from some fancy five-star restaurant. Pair it with some simple veggies to complete the meal.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 1x
- Category: Entrées
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
- 3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 cups prepared marinara sauce
- 8 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
- 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
- Fresh thyme, for garnish
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place the eggplant slices on top. Sprinkle the salt over the eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse the salt off the eggplant and pat dry.
- In a shallow dish or pie plate, whisk together the eggs and milk. In another shallow dish or pie plate, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Spray the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Dip the eggplant into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, then into the bread crumb mixture, pressing to coat.
- Layer one-third of the eggplant over the sauce. Top with 1 cup of the remaining marinara sauce and dollop with 1/3 of the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella and layer with 1/3 of the provolone. Repeat these layers twice more.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.
