A Summer Tomato Eggplant Pie | Recipes - Posh in Progress (2024)

I am so tired of store bought, rotisseriechicken and a roasted veggie – our default, go-to, weekday meal. Needless to say, my husband and I have been on the hunt for new healthy recipes, that are relatively quick and easy. This Eggplant Tomato Pie hits all of those marks! Right now in the grocery store, with the beautiful summer vegetables and fresh herbs, the eggplant and tomatoes were by far the stars of store.

The eggplant tomato pie concept is extremely simple and highly customizable, as I riffed from this recipe. Tomatoes sandwich an eggplant mixture and act as a crust, the whole thing is topped with a little bit of cheese and a fresh herb, and baked.

In our experience, eggplant has proven to be a little bland, so don’t be shy with the seasoning. We left the recipe vague because vegetable flavor varies in different regions. (If in doubt, start with a 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.) We decided to follow the recipe and boil the eggplant for the sake of time, but you could easily roast it to bring out even more flavor.

Also, we sauteed the onions and garlic together, prior to adding them to the eggplant mixture, which was another departure from the recipe we found. Given the delicate eggplant flavor, we thought adding raw onion and garlic would be too powerful. Cooking the aromatics together, mellowed the flavor while adding some sweetness.

As I mentioned above, because it’s so simple, you can truly make this dish yours. For instance, you could use any number of cheeses separately or together (we used mozzarella instead of cheddar), use basil instead of parsley, use any variety of tomato or onion, etc. Alternatively, if you wanted to make this a vegan eggplant tomato pie, just nix the cheese altogether and I’m sure there are vegan breadcrumbs out there.

We also thought it better to add some parmesan to the eggplant mixture to add a combo punch of flavor and structure to the dish. We wanted to compensate for the all the moisture inherent in the veggies, and we nailed it.

Please make this dish and share it on Pinterest if you like it. How would you change this recipe to make it yours?

Yield: 8 servings

Summer Eggplant Tomato Pie

A Summer Tomato Eggplant Pie | Recipes - Posh in Progress (8)

Stacey shares her recipe for simple and rustic Eggplant Tomato Pie. It's healthy, quick, easy and takes advantage of some great summer veggies.

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 6 Roma tomatoes, sliced into half-inch rounds
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese,shredded
  • Fresh chopped, flat-leafed, Italian parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Peel and cube eggplant, and boil in salted water until soft, about 10 minutes.
  2. While eggplant is cooking, saute onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent and fragrant, being careful to not burn the garlic, then set aside.
  3. When eggplant is soft, drain water and mash. To eggplant mash, add sauteedonion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, melted butter, pesto, and mix well.
  4. Lubricate the pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  5. Layer on the bottom of the pan with tomato slices.
  6. Add eggplant mixture. Top mixture with the rest of the tomatoes.
  7. Add shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.
  8. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 211Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 49mgSodium 338mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 8g

Eggplant Tomato Pie Recipe

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
6 Roma tomatoes, sliced into half-inch rounds
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon prepared pesto
4 ounces mozzarella cheese,shredded
Fresh chopped, flat-leafed, Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and cube eggplant, and boil in salted water until soft, about 10 minutes. While eggplant is cooking, saute onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent and fragrant, being careful to not burn the garlic, then set aside.

When eggplant is soft, drain water and mash. To eggplant mash, add sauteedonion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, melted butter, pesto, and mix well.

Lubricate the pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Layer on the bottom of the pan with tomato slices. Add eggplant mixture. Top mixture with the rest of the tomatoes. Add shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

A Summer Tomato Eggplant Pie | Recipes - Posh in Progress (2024)

FAQs

How long to boil eggplant? ›

Place eggplant, garlic, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until eggplant cubes are cooked but still firm. Drain in a strainer and allow to cool.

How to prepare eggplant for cooking? ›

Here's how to prepare eggplant for cooking: Cut off the top and blossom ends, then cut the eggplant into ½-inch slices or ¾-inch cubes, unless your recipe states otherwise. A 1-pound eggplant equals 5 cups cubed. Some chefs recommend salting eggplants before using.

What is the secret to cooking eggplant? ›

"When you lay them on the tray to roast, make sure they're in a single layer and give them enough room to roast properly. Eggplant is about 80 to 90 percent water, so when you put them in the oven they need space to evaporate all that water and caramelize properly," says Covarrubias.

How do you know when eggplant is fully cooked? ›

When it's cooked, “it should turn fully tender, all the flesh should be somewhat custardy. If you have to, hammer it a bit, knock it around, let it start to collapse.” When you're roasting eggplant, like in YuChen's recipe, “make sure you give them enough space so they can cook evenly,” she says.

What happens if you don't salt eggplant before cooking? ›

Salting: Salting removes excess liquid and some of the bitterness. Today's eggplants are bred for mildness, though, so it's not as important as it used to be (if you are frying eggplant, salting will ensure a creamy texture and rich flavor). This method works for eggplant slices, cubes, or planks.

Why is eggplant tough when cooked? ›

If it's an extra-large eggplant, the vegetable could be older and the skin tougher, therefore, it's a smart idea to peel it. But small, young eggplant have thin, tender skins that add great texture to the vegetable when cooked.

Is boiled eggplant good for you? ›

Eggplants are rich in fiber and antioxidants. A serving of eggplant can provide at least 5% of a person's daily requirement of fiber, copper, manganese, B-6, and thiamine. It also contains other vitamins and minerals. In addition, eggplants are a source of phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants.

Do you have to boil eggplant? ›

Cook as desired. Eggplants can be grilled, steamed, braised, stir-fried, deep-fried and roasted. For a smoky flavour, turn whole eggplants over an open flame on the barbecue or stovetop until the skin is charred, then scoop out the flesh.

How long does eggplant take to get soft? ›

drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper then toss well in a bowl using a rubber spatula. spread out on tray and bake at 240°C/ 450°F for 20 minutes, flip, then for another 10 minutes, until the eggplant is super soft and caramelised on the edges.

How do you soften eggplant quickly? ›

A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking. This will further soften the eggplant preventing it from soaking up fat while cooking.

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