3 Cheese Eggplant Casserole by Lady Rose

By Rose Mary Mogan
@cookinginillinois

I purchased these eggplants from the farmers market, & wanted to make something other than Eggplant Parmesan.

This is the recipe I came up with, My husband really loved it. It made a 9X13 size dish, & it was very cheesy. I just started adding ingredients I had in the pantry that I thought would make it taste good. It made the Family Favorite list, & my husband kept calling it Zucchini, & I had to keep reminding him that it was eggplant. Adding Bacon & the spices added lots EXTRA of flavor.

So the moral of the story is no matter what you choose to call it, it is still very tasty & good.

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

14 Comments

Serves:

8 or more depending on portion size

Prep:

30 Min

Cook:

1 Hr 15 Min

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

2 large: eggplants peeled seeded & cubed
2 can(s): cream of chicken soup
4 large: eggs room temperature
8 oz: sliced mushrooms fresh or canned (drain if using canned, saute if using fresh)
2 large: onions chopped
1 large: red bell pepper, seeded & chopped
1 large: green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
2 c: panko bread crumbs (japanese bread crumbs)
1 can(s): diced tomatoes (15 oz. size)
1 c: shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c: shredded cheddar cheese (sharp or mild)
1 1/2 lb: sliced fresh mozzarella (squeezed dry)
1 1/2 c: real bacon bits
1/2 stick: butter
2 Tbsp: olive or canola oil
2 tsp: steak seasoning
1 Tbsp: italian seasoning
3-4 clove: garlic, minced

How to Make 3 Cheese Eggplant Casserole by Lady Rose

Step-by-Step

1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. These are some of the ingredients used to create this tasty side dish.Spray casserole dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside till needed.
2Peel eggplants, then cut in half, then cut each half into wedges, and remove seeds as desired from the pointed side with knife, then cut into cubes.
3Add eggplant to large bowl and cover with water, and allow to sit at least 1 hour or so, then drain. Add to a large pot, cover with water and cook till tender 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and drain in colander or strainer, squeezing out excess water.
4Add soup, egg and spices to a large bowl, then beat till blended together. Add the drained eggplant, & stir with a spoon to blend.
5Add oil and butter to a large skillet or pot,& heat over medium high heat, add the chopped peppers & onion mixture, minced garlic & fresh mushrooms if using, and sauté till tender, Remove from heat.
6Drain the canned mushrooms if using canned, and add along with sautéed vegetables to the eggplant mixture. Stir to combine.
7Add the panko bread crumbs, diced tomatoes, parmesan cheese and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon bits, then stir to combine together.
8Add half of casserole mixture to prepared dish, then top with half of fresh mozzarella cheese. I almost forgot to take a picture of this step.
9Then add remaining eggplant mixture to dish and top with remaining fresh mozzarella cheese and the remaining half cup of cheddar cheese.
10Place in preheated 350 degree F. oven and bake for 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven allow to rest at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving, then serve as desired.