Grilled Eggplant Parmesan: the easy, vegetarian main dish recipe for your summer

Looking for an easy, vegetarian, summery dish that’s even suitable for meat-eaters? Then you have to try this Grilled Eggplant Parmesan. This recipe is healthier than the regular baked eggplant parmesan. It’s a great recipe for a keto diet, so if you follow a low-carb diet. This is the recipe for you.

The dish is rich in tomato-umami flavor, and you to make it, you don’t need any fancy ingredients. Get some eggplant, onion, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan, and get cooking. If you’ve been looking for a filling vegetarian dinner, this might be just what you need. We think you won’t even miss the meat.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan Ingredients

Eggplants – use fresh, plump eggplants.

Mozzarella – use balls of fresh mozzarella or grated mozzarella.

Parmesan cheese – add a cheesy flavor.

Onion and garlic – add flavor to the tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce – use a high-quality or make your own tomato sauce.

How To Make Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Before cooking the eggplant, it’s necessary to salt them. Eggplants have a very high moisture content. Salting draws the water out, so when you cook the eggplants afterward, they absorb much less oil. If you skip the salting process, you will end up with soggy, oily eggplants. The salting should be done for 30 minutes, after which you can blot them dry with kitchen paper (or towel paper).

If you’re in a rush, there is an alternative—the quick microwave salting technique. Sprinkle chopped eggplants with salt and place them in a single layer on kitchen paper. Microwave until the pieces shrink to about half their size—they are now ready to be fried!

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add in the tomato sauce and cook. Add the basil, season with salt, and cook for about 20 minutes. While the tomato sauce is cooking, grill the eggplant in a grill pan. Now assemble the parmigiana with layers of tomato sauce, grilled eggplants, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 50 minutes.

Tips

To make it ahead of time, grill the eggplant and assemble the dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. Bake before serving.

There is no need to peel the eggplants.

If you prefer the added texture, you can add a sprinkle of Panko breadcrumbs before baking.

Use store-bought tomato or marinara sauce, or make your own.

Add more flavor by adding more herbs or veggies. The following would work great: Kalamata Olives, Roasted red peppers (use store-bought jar peppers, or roast your own), Feta cheese, Sautéed mushrooms, Wilted spinach.

How To Store Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

The Grilled Eggplant Parmesan can be stored in the fridge. Cool the baked dish, cover it, and refrigerate. If you’re ready to serve the dish, heat it in the oven.

Instructions

Pour the olive oil into the pot over medium heat. Add the garlic clove and onion, and fry until the onion is soft. Pour the store-bought or homemade tomato sauce.

Add the basil and season with salt and cook for about 20 minutes.

Slice the eggplants and transfer them to the grill pan and grill them on both sides.

Then start assembling the parmigiana first adding the tomato sauce.

Then, add the grilled eggplants.

Add more tomato sauce on top of the eggplants and then arrange the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Repeat the process three more times.

Bake in the oven at 180°C/360°F for 50 minutes. Let it rest for a while, then slice and serve.