Baked Eggplant Casserole With Cheese

Eggplant Casserole With Cheese Recipe

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This eggplant casserole is a tasty dish that's just bursting with flavor. The eggplant is cubed and cooked with a combination of cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic, and chopped vegetables. 

Feel free to add some mushrooms to the eggplant casserole, or change the type of cheese. Monterey Jack cheese, fontina, or another kind of melting cheese, may be used.

Serve with a tossed salad or as a side dish with baked chicken or pork.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a dash, divided

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 cup soft breadcrumbs, divided

  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for eggplant casserole recipe gathered

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  2. Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

    Greased casserole dish

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  3. Put eggplant cubes in a colander and sprinkle with a dash of salt (reserve the 1/4 teaspoon of salt for seasoning later). Let drain for about 5 to 10 minutes.

    Eggplant cubes in a colander

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  4. Put in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil.

    Eggplant chunks in pot

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  5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes.

    Eggplant chunks in covered pot, simmering

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  6. Drain well and add salt, pepper, and garlic.

    Cooked eggplant chunks in pot with seasoning

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  7. In a second saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until just softened.

    Onion sautéed in skillet

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  8. Add bell pepper and continue cooking until pepper is tender.

    Bell pepper chunks added to skillet

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  9. Stir into eggplant mixture.

    Eggplant chunks, onion, and red pepper in eggplant casserole recipe

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  10. Stir beaten egg, 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese into the eggplant mixture.

    Egg added to mixture in pot

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  11. Spoon into prepared casserole.

    Uncooked eggplant casserole in prepared casserole dish

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  12. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over casserole.

    Cheese on uncooked eggplant casserole

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  13. Combine melted butter with the remaining 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs. 

    Melted butter and breadcrumbs in bowl

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  14. Sprinkle buttered breadcrumbs over cheese layer.

    Breadcrumbs on cheese layer

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  15. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly around the edges. 

    Eggplant casserole with cheese

    The Spruce Eats

Recipe Variations

  • Add some sliced mushrooms or spinach to the mix for added texture and flavor.
  • Throw leftover chicken or pork into the casserole.

How to Choose Eggplant

Overly mature eggplants can be bitter. Choose an eggplant that is firm to the touch with no soft spots. The leaves on the end of the eggplant should be green, not brown and dry.

How to Store

Any leftovers of this casserole will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Just put in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
454 Calories
26g Fat
36g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 454
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 13g 67%
Cholesterol 123mg 41%
Sodium 592mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 37mg 185%
Calcium 469mg 36%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 434mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)