Mediterranean
Baked Ricotta Eggplant Stacks
Roasted eggplant rounds are layered with herbed ricotta and tomato sauce, then baked until bubbly. The stacks hold together for neat plating without frying.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Photo: @MSG (CC BY). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Oven roasting keeps the eggplant tender without heavy oil.
- Herbed ricotta adds protein and creaminess between layers.
- Individual stacks look composed but use simple assembly.
- Tomato sauce balances the mild eggplant flavor.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 425°F. Brush eggplant rounds with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange in a single layer on two sheet pans.
- 2
Roast 20 minutes, flipping once, until golden and soft.
- 3
Mix ricotta, Parmesan, basil, and garlic in a bowl.
- 4
Lower oven to 375°F. In a baking dish, layer eggplant, a spoon of ricotta mixture, and marinara; repeat to make 4 stacks of 3 rounds each.
- 5
Top stacks with mozzarella and bake 12 to 15 minutes until cheese melts and sauce bubbles.
- 6
Rest 5 minutes before serving so the stacks hold their shape.
Pro tips
- Salt eggplant lightly before roasting if it tastes bitter.
- Use firm ricotta so the filling does not weep.
- A spatula helps lift each stack intact onto plates.
Easy substitutions
- ricotta
- cottage cheese blended smooth
- marinara
- crushed tomatoes simmered with garlic
- mozzarella
- provolone or fontina
Storage and reheating
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Reheating
Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
Moderate · Oven · Vegetarian
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