This recipe combines two of my favorite things: my slow cooker and Eggplant Parm.
While it does use the slow cooker, it is still labor intensive. First you have to Prepare Your Eggplant for Cooking. Then, you need to fry up the eggplant.
The slow cooker is used simply to meld all the flavors together and to get the dish hot.
However, it is the perfect recipe to make up on a weeknight when you have to shuttle the kiddos around and need a hot, satisfying meal when you get home.
Or, head out to a matinee on a Saturday. Then, return home and dinner will be cooked. How relaxing does that sound? Plus, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper to make Eggplant Parm in the slow cooker than it is to go to a restaurant! In fact, this recipe only costs about $10 to make. You can’t even get fast food for a family of four for that!
Here’s how to make Eggplant Parm in the Slow Cooker:
Ingredients
- 3 large, firm eggplants, peeled, sliced and prepped
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 1 16 ounce block mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, water and flour.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Carefully dip eggplant into egg mixture then add to the hot oil. Fry just until golden. Remove and allow to drain on paper towels.
- Place 2/3 cup of marinara sauce in bottom of slow cooker. Layer with 1/3 of eggplant slices. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup bread crumbs. Layer with 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Repeat 2 more times, starting with another 2/3 cup marinara sauce. Pour the remaining sauce around the edges and over the top of the eggplant slices. Top with the Parmesan cheese.
- Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
All you need is a nice green salad to accompany this Eggplant Parm and you have a healthy and satisfying dinner that cooked while you were away.
I haven’t friend eggplant in 23 years. I bread it and bake it in the oven. It’s much better than fried because it’s not greasy and of course it’s less fattening. I dip them in egg, then Italian breadcrumbs, spray some cooking spray on top of the eggplant slices before putting them in the oven, bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flip and bake 15-20 more minutes. Your oven may differ from mine, so keep an eye on them after you flip. My husband will eat these little eggplant chips just by themselves and then sometime I’ll put a slice of tomato and mozzerella on top. Of course the eggplant parm is our favorite.
That sounds delicious Patsy! We don’t fry often, so I’m willing to indulge since olive oil is a healthy oil. I bet you could broil the eggplant the way you described then add it to the slow cooker and follow the rest of the directions – if you were so inclined!
Andrea