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Ricotta Eggplant Casserole Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 89 reviews

This Ricotta Eggplant Casserole is a hearty and flavorful baked dish featuring tender slices of roasted eggplant layered with a rich tomato passata, fresh herbs, creamy ricotta, and grated parmesan cheese. Perfect as a comforting vegetarian main, it offers a delicious medley of Mediterranean flavors baked to golden perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

Eggplant

  • 3 eggplants
  • Olive oil spray
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Tomato Sauce

  • 3 cups tomato passata (or marinara)
  • 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped (divided: 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp)
  • 2 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

Cheese Mixture

  • 14 oz (400 g) fresh ricotta cheese
  • 1.5 cups (about 155 g or 5.5 oz) parmesan cheese, grated, divided (1 cup + 1/2 cup)
  • 3 eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot enough for roasting the eggplant slices and baking the casserole.
  2. Prepare Eggplant Slices: Remove the ends of the eggplants and slice them lengthwise into thin pieces about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) thick.
  3. Arrange and Season Eggplants: Place the eggplant slices on parchment-lined baking sheets. Depending on oven size, use two sheets or bake in batches. Lightly spray the slices with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.
  4. Bake Eggplants: Roast the eggplant slices in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until tender and slightly dry in appearance. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  5. Make Tomato Sauce Mixture: In a bowl, combine the tomato passata with 1 tablespoon of chopped oregano and 2 teaspoons of chopped basil. Mix well.
  6. Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of grated parmesan, eggs, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oregano until fully combined.
  7. Assemble the Casserole: In a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, layer the casserole starting with one layer of eggplant slices, followed by a layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat with another eggplant layer and tomato sauce layer, finishing with the remaining cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan evenly over the surface.
  8. Bake Casserole: Bake the casserole at 430°F (220°C) for 30 minutes or until the cheese topping turns golden brown. Since oven temperatures vary, if browning happens too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 355°F (180°C).
  9. Cool and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serving to enhance flavor and texture.

Notes

  • For best results, slice eggplants evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
  • You can substitute the tomato passata with your favorite marinara sauce.
  • If you prefer a milder herb flavor, adjust oregano and basil quantities to taste.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
  • This casserole can be made vegetarian but is not vegan due to cheese and eggs.

Keywords: Ricotta, Eggplant, Casserole, Italian, Vegetarian, Baked, Tomato Sauce, Parmesan

Find it online: https://victoriablair.com/ricotta-eggplant-casserole-recipe/