Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan Casserole combines two Italian classics into one hearty casserole. Fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and sausage smother eggplant rounds for an easy dinner with leftovers. The traditional flour breading is replaced by coconut flour and parmesan cheese to achieve a crispy breading making this recipe low carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly.

Best Eggplant Parmesan Casserole - Keto, Low Carb, Gluten-free, LCHF, Sugar-free, Grain-free

I'm on a casserole kick lately which must mean I'm moving into the tail end of musical season. This is that period in my year where time is on short supply. We rehearse after school and on Saturday, so meal prep becomes essential. It's surprising to believe this is my eighth high school musical.

Sometimes I don't know where the time went, but I suppose that's a sign that you are living a productive life. However, if I don't plan and prepare, I find myself making poor eating decisions. We all have those stretches in our lives. When you got yours, I've got you covered.

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole is born of those weeks when you have no time to cook. I love this dish because it's hearty, seasonally versatile, and will supply you with several meals in one.

This dish is a cross between traditional Eggplant Parmesan and a lasagna. I've added ricotta and hot Italian sausage to ensure that the dish is hearty, but should you be eating vegetarian, you can easily omit the sausage and still have a ton of flavor. I'm of the mind that ricotta cheese could simply be everywhere and the world would be a better place.

How to make Keto Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• eggplant
• olive oil
• Hot Italian sausage, crumbled
• dehydrated parmesan cheese
• coconut flour
• roasted garlic powder
• Italian seasoning, divided
• marinara sauce
• whole milk ricotta cheese
• shredded parmesan cheese
• large eggs
• fresh mozarella cheese
• shredded mozarella cheese
• salt
• pepper

Keto Eggplant Lasagna Tips & Tricks

The recipe itself is not overly complicated, but my greatest take-away in this process is making sure to bake the eggplant rounds ahead of time. Create yourself a breading station, dip your eggplant rounds in an egg wash, coat with the coconut flour/parmesan mixture, and lay the rounds on an baking rack nestled inside a sheet pan. I recommend oiling your baking rack as I find that even with the coating, the eggplant can stick and will require a little finesse with a spatula to get free.

Why use a baking rack? Well, I know it seems like an unnecessary step when you could simply put down a piece of parchment, but by providing that airflow underneath the eggplant, you'll have a better chance at a crispier crust and nice browning. You'll never miss the traditional flour breading with this low carb and keto-friendly alternative. 

Once you have baked the eggplant, put a thin layer of your marinara sauce of choice in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole/baking dish. Rao's Homemade is my brand of choice since has no added sugar and contains only natural ingredients making it the best low carb and keto option out there aside from making your own sauce at home.

Layer your eggplant, its perfectly find if the rounds overlap a bit, a big slab of fresh mozzarella, the ricotta mixture, crumbled sausage, more sauce, and lastly even more mozzarella and parmesan on top. If you're feeling fancy a chiffonade of fresh basil always looks just lovely on top.

Other Keto Low Carb Casseroles you'll love:

• Cheesy Chicken Bacon Broccoli Casserole
• Spinach Artichoke Cauliflower Casserole
• Low Carb Mexican Casserole

Yield: 6 servings

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Eggplant Parmesan gets a face-lift with the addition of hot Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella, and basil.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplant
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage, crumbled
• 1/4 cup dehydrated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp roasted garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
• 3 large egg
• 8-10 slices of fresh mozarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh mozarella cheese
• 2 tsp salt
• pepper

Instructions

1. Slice eggplant into 8 -10 1/2 inch rounds. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp salt and place in colander to drain, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat off residual moisture with a paper towel.
2. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add crumbled sausage and cook until lightly brown and no longer pink. About 8 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and place a baking rack on top of the tray.
4. Create yourself a breading station. In a shallow medium sized bowl, crack 2 eggs and whip with a fork until mixed. In a second shallow medium sized bow, combine parmesan, coconut flour, garlic powder, italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper. Dredge egg plant round into egg mixture, shake off excess. Place on parmesan mixture, coat each side and shake off excess. Place "breaded" round on baking tray. Repeat until all rounds are prepared.
5. Bake eggplant for 20 minutes until golden brown.
6. Combine ricotta, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of parmesan, remaining italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
7. In a 9X13 casserole dish, cover the bottom with half of the marinara sauce. Place eggplant rounds next. Cover with the cheese mixture. For the next layer, add a slice of fresh mozarella, top with sausage and a final layer of marinara. Sprinkle mozarella cheese and reserved parmesan on top.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese has browned.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

8
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 442Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1200mgCarbohydrates: 13gNet Carbohydrates: 8gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 25g

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and calculated to the best of my ability using online databases. It is suggested that you perform your own check to ensure that a recipe fits within the scope of your dietary needs.

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