Eggplant Parmigiana Pasta Casserole
Eggplant Parmigiana pasta casserole is a gluten-free casserole recipe with all of the Italian flavor of a traditional eggplant Parm recipe.
It’s one of my favorite days of the month – Improv Challenge Day. This month we were improving with Pasta and Cheese. I decided to reinvent a classic Italian-American dish into a much simpler comfort food recipe in my Eggplant Parmigiana Pasta Casserole.
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When I was getting close to my due date with Baby Smiles, every time I whined complained casually mentioned that I was ready to have this baby, someone undoubtedly mentioned Eggplant Parmigiana. Have you heard about this? Apparently anytime a woman near her due date visits Scalini’s in Georgia and eats the eggplant parm, they go into labor within a couple of days.
They also have the recipe online for those that don’t live nearby, and I received many suggestions to make it. Yeah, I could barely stand on my feet for ten minutes, was in major pain, have a tummy that hates fried food, wicked indigestion, gestational diabetes, a wheat allergy. Clearly eggplant parmigiana wasn’t happening. I’d continue to whine incessantly wait patiently.
Heck, even in tip top shape, I have no desire to stand over a stove frying individual slices of eggplant and make this time- and labor-intensive dish that would just end up giving me a tummy ache. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think it tastes super-yummy. So I decided to make a simpler version that is just as saucy and cheesy and comforting, simple enough for a weeknight meal, but special enough for a nice Sunday dinner, and easy enough to just sub in some gluten free ingredients.
I baked the eggplant Parmigiana pasta casserole early in the day, so I could get you nice, cheesy, gooey photos. By the time we ate it, the gluten free pasta had absorbed a lot of the moisture from the sauce. So you may want to think about having a little extra sauce on the side, if you like your pasta especially saucy, like The Hubby. I loved it just as it was. And the aroma that filled my house as it was baking was incredible. Just like being in a fabulous Italian restaurant. It was all I could do to keep myself from shoving all the cheesy bites in my mouth as I was photographing it.
I can’t guarantee that it’ll help induce labor, but I can guarantee that it’ll induce smiles and “Mmmmmmmssssss” from your family.
As I mentioned, this recipe is part of the Improv Challenge, which is a blog hop hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. A theme is given, which is two assigned ingredients. Then it is up to the participating bloggers to let the creative juices flow, and see what they can come up with. Then on the third Thursday of the month, we will all publish our new recipes based on the theme. This month’s theme – pasta and cheese.
Pasta and cheese is the perfect theme to fit my recipe for eggplant Parmigiana pasta casserole, right?
Check out the links at the bottom of this post to more great Pasta & Cheese Recipes! I can’t wait to see what everyone has come up with!
What is your favorite pasta & cheese dish?
Eggplant Parmigiana Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- About 4 c of eggplant cut into about 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 t kosher salt
- 1/2 T olive oil
- half of a large or one medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 t dried oregano
- 1 t dried parsley
- 1 t dried basil
- 1/8 t crushed red pepper optional
- 1/2 c dry red wine
- One 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes I always use Tuttorosso
- salt and pepper
- 8 oz. penne or ziti cooked slightly al dente, according to package instructions (I used gluten-free quinoa pasta
- 8 oz. mozzarella thinly sliced (I used fresh mozzarella, though I am sure the regular kind will work just fine)
- 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs I used gluten-free
- Optional: additional pasta sauce and/or parmesan cheese for serving.
Instructions
- Place the eggplant in a bowl or colander, and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for abut 10 minutes, and squeeze out the moisture with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, until fragrant.
- Add the eggplant and dried herbs, and saute for 5-6 minutes, until eggplant is starting to soften.
- Add the red wine, reduce for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes, and simmer till heated through.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F, and prepare the pasta. Coat a casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Combine the pasta with the eggplant and sauce mixture, and layer about half in the casserole dish.
- Layer about half of the mozzarella slices on top of the pasta mixture, sprinkle with 1/4 c parmesan cheese and 1/4 c breadcrumbs.
- Layer the remaining pasta mixture in the casserole dish, and top with the remaining mozzarella, parmesan and bread crumbs.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Eggplant Parmigiana pasta casserole not your style? I have more pasta and cheese recipes!
- Two-Cheese Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese
- World’s Best Lasagna
- Potato Cheese & Pot Cheese Pierogies
Check out what the other Improv-ers have made…
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And here are some pasta and cheese recipes from my friends…
- Homemade Spaghetti-Os from A Pinch of Glitter
- Ranch Ham, Cheese & Veggie Pasta from Crumbs & Chaos
- Spaghetti with Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce from Skinnytaste
Jennifer says
I love this recipe and I’m going to share your link with my CSA newsletter this week! 🙂
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Oh great, thanks!
Kate | Food Babbles says
Ha! I have heard about the famous eggplant parm inducing labor 🙂 I remember my mother-in-law finding the recipe online and giving it to me. Much like you, at that point the last thing I wanted to do was make myself eggplant parm. But this, oh my goodness. This sounds wonderful! Love all those gooey, cheesy pictures. I definitely need to make this. Yum!
Brianne Izzo says
Yeah, no way I was going to make it. But this is much easier!
Melissa @Serendipity and Spice says
I tried the Scalini’s Eggplant Parm when I was pregnant and it didn’t work for me 🙁 but I did find a new favorite meal! I did recreate it and it was oh so yummy– but I like your easier version– slaving away over a hot stove is no fun! I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try!!!
Brianne Izzo says
I bet their eggplant parm is amazing, but not an undertaking at 9 months pregnant!
Karen - Cinnamon Freud says
Oh my this looks amazing. Love the gooey, stringy cheese you get with it. YUM.
Brianne Izzo says
Nothing wrong with gooey cheese!
Kristen says
I would like to dive right in an devour a plate full of that dish. I adore Eggplant Parmesan and the thought of having it with pasta and all of be gluten free, too has me already planning a grocery list! This is a keeper!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks Kristen!
Melody says
yummy! I’ve never tried quinoa pasta. I shall have to look for it.
Brianne Izzo says
I use it a lot. I think it is the best of the gluten free pastas I have tried.
Deanna Segrave-Daly says
LOVE this! (And pick my favorite pasta dish? That’s impossible 🙂 I keep getting huge eggplants in my CSA share and did a random pasta eggplant recipe last week that I’m posting next week. BUT I sure hope I get more because I’m totally making this – pinned!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks Deanna. Looking forward to your parm-ish dish.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
That oooey gooey cheeeeese, it’s calling to me! LOVE this!
(I also find it oddly random that apparently eating some place’s eggplant parm makes you go into labor lol)
Brianne Izzo says
Oh there are just way too many pregnancy wives’ tales. And nothing ever wrong with ooey gooey cheese.