Saucy and Cheesy Oven-Baked Eggplant Bites
These saucy, cheesy oven-baked eggplant bites are so simple and so good. I make these when I want a simple vegetable dish that reminds me of lasagna, but veggie and gluten-free. So I get my vegetables for the day plus all the melty, saucy cheese I'm craving. And although they're bites, they're filling. I love pairing them with pasta, roasted veggies, or an Italian side salad. I usually throw this together when I'm craving eggplant and want to bake something without a lot of prep.
The eggplant softens as it bakes and the cheese melts right over the top, which is exactly what I'm looking for most nights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Leftovers reheat well
- Bakes in the oven with minimal hands-on time
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Works as a side dish or light meal
- Good way to use fresh eggplant
Ingredients
Eggplant Base
- 1 large eggplant, sliced into ⅓ inch rounds
- Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
- Salt
Toppings
- Tomato sauce
- Dried oregano
- Parmesan cheese
- Low moisture mozzarella cheese slices
Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. While it heats up, slice the eggplant into rounds about a third of an inch thick. Lay the slices out on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Give them a small sprinkle of salt so the flavor starts building right away.
Slide the tray into the oven and let the eggplant roast for about 10 minutes. When you pull the tray out, you’ll notice the slices starting to soften. Flip each one over and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes so they cook evenly and start turning lightly golden.
Once the eggplant is tender, take the tray out again and start building the topping. Spoon a little tomato sauce onto each slice, then add a hint of oregano. Finish with grated parmesan and a layer of shredded low moisture mozzarella.
Set the oven to low broil and place the tray back in. In a few minutes the cheese will start to melt and bubble. Let it go until the top is lightly golden and everything smells warm and savory.
Serve them while the cheese is still soft and melted. The eggplant underneath will be tender and creamy, and the tomato and cheese make it feel almost like a lighter version of eggplant parmesan.
Tips
Slice the eggplant evenly so everything cooks at the same rate
Brushing both sides with olive oil helps the eggplant roast instead of dry out
Flip the eggplant halfway so it browns evenly
Don’t overload the sauce or the eggplant can become soggy
Serve right away while the cheese is still melted
If You Like This, You’ll Love These
Here are a few others I’ve made and loved:
If you make saucy cheesy oven-baked eggplant bites, leave a comment. I love reading your comments and will try to get back to every single one.
Saucy Cheesy Oven-Baked Eggplant Bites
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice eggplant into ⅓ inch rounds.
- Arrange eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the slices and bake another 10 minutes until tender.
- Remove from oven and top each slice with tomato sauce, oregano, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Set oven to low broil and cook for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
- Serve warm.
