Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

Eggplant Parmesan Stacks, adapted from a Mario Batali recipe, are a quicker and healthier twist on  the classic fried Eggplant Parmesan dish. In this version, thin rounds of eggplant are layered with marinara sauce, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and finished with a sprinkle of toasted gluten free bread crumbs. Simple and scrumptious!

Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
Gluten Free
Serves Three (2 Eggplant Stacks per Person)
Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients--
1 eggplant
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons gluten free breadcrumbs*
1.5 teaspoons chili flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup marinara sauce, check for gluten
1/2 of an 8 oz. ball of mozzarella (cut into 12 thin slices)
salt and pepper, to taste


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line (2) cooking sheets with parchment paper. Slice off the bottom end of eggplant and discard. Starting from the bottom, widest end, slice eggplant into 12 (1 inch) slices. (Save any extra eggplant for another use)

2. Lay out eggplant rounds on cookie sheets in single layers. Season with salt and pepper and then  drizzle with 1 tbsp. of olive oil.

3. Transfer eggplant to oven and roast until tender and cooked completely, about 12-15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, stir together breadcrumbs, chili flakes, and thyme in a small bowl.

5. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and add in remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil.

6. Add bread crumb mixture to skillet and toast until golden brown, 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Remove bread crumbs from skillet and transfer back into small bowl.

7. Remove eggplant from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Move all of the eggplant slices onto one cookie sheet and then use the empty sheet to build the eggplant stacks.

8. Begin with a slice of eggplant and layer with 2-3 leaves of basil, top with a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce and finish with a slice of mozzarella. Repeat the ingredients (eggplant slice, basil leaves, marinara,  and mozzarella) to form two layers.

9. Repeat with remaining ingredients to create 6 Eggplant Parmesan stacks, each 2 layers high. Top each stack with a sprinkle of toasted breadcrumb.

9. Place the eggplant stacks back into the oven and bake 4-6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread crumbs are toasted.

Nutrition Information--approximately 280 calories per serving (2 eggplant stacks)

* To make gluten free breadcrumbs--toast one slice of light gluten free sandwich bread. Let cool slightly, then tear into pieces and place in the bowl of a small food processor. Season bread pieces with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 1/4 tsp dried basil. Pulse bread until crumbs are formed. One piece will yield approximately 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs.