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5.0 from 9 votes

Eggplant Casserole

Southern Eggplant Casserole is a delicious way to enjoy fresh garden vegetables. This easy recipe is a satisfying vegetarian dinner or a simple side dish!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
10 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6 - 8 (as a side dish) or 4 as an entree
Calories: 3489 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 (1-lb.) eggplant, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups total)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup diced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
  • 1 ½ cups Ritz cracker crumbs (about 37 crackers total)
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch or 9-inch square casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add diced eggplant and cook just until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Drain well.
  3. In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, melted butter and grated cheddar cheese. Set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion and garlic to the skillet and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Combine celery mixture with the eggplant, milk, eggs, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gently fold in half of the cracker crumb mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
  5. Top with the remaining half of the cracker crumb mixture.
  6. Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is hot and bubbly. Allow the dish to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Any good melting cheese will work in this recipe. Cheddar is a classic choice, but you can also use American, mozzarella, gruyère, fontina, provolone or any combination of these.
  • I used an eggplant that was about 1 lb. here, but you can use a larger eggplant if that's what you have on hand. More eggplant will not impact the recipe.
  • Salt the cooking water really well before adding the eggplant. This is a great opportunity to season the eggplant itself so that it has great flavor in the dish.
  • Ritz crackers add so much buttery, salty flavor to the dish. I don't recommend substituting with plain breadcrumbs. You can use crushed saltines, crushed Corn Flakes or other crushed butter crackers in a pinch.
  • Serving a larger family as an entrée? Double all of the ingredients and prepare the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
  • Feel free to add other vegetables to the casserole, too. You can sauté sliced mushrooms or bell peppers with the celery and onion, for example.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/6 of the casserole Calories 348.9kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 19.4g (6%) Protein 9.9g (20%) Fat 27g (42%) Saturated Fat 13.6g (68%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3.6g Monounsaturated Fat 7.8g Cholesterol 114.6mg (38%) Sodium 370.9mg (15%) Potassium 293.1mg (8%) Fiber 2.1g (8%) Sugar 5.8g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6- 8 (as a side dish) or 4 as an entree

Amount Per Serving

Calories 3489

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/6 of the casserole
Calories 348.9kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 19.4g 6%
Protein 9.9g 20%
Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 13.6g 68%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.6g 21%
Monounsaturated Fat 7.8g 39%
Cholesterol 114.6mg 38%
Sodium 370.9mg 15%
Potassium 293.1mg 6%
Fiber 2.1g 8%
Sugar 5.8g 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.