Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan (Cassava Flour Version)
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 6 slices eggplant (about ¼ inch thick)
- 4 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil, separated (add more as needed)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cassava flour (I use Otto's, add more as needed)
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
Sauce
- 1 ½ cup marinara sauce
- 1 zucchini, diced or grated (optional)
Cheese
- 6 slices fresh mozzarella (can sub 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella)
- 1 cup parmesan, grated
Toppings
- fresh basil, to top (optional)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
Eggplant Prep
- Slice eggplant and lay out slices on a towel. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for up to an hour. This removes excess moisture from the eggplant and makes it easier to fry.
- Once the hour is up, pat each slice dry and remove any extra salt to avoid them being too salty.
Fry Eggplant
- Heat avocado oil or olive oil in a pan on the stove over medium/low heat for five minutes.
- Whisk egg in one bowl and the cassava flour with oregano in another. Set the two bowls and eggplant near the pan as you get ready to fry them.
- Coat each piece of eggplant in the egg wash, then coat evenly in the flour mixture.
- Once evenly coated, place eggplant into the heated pan and cook each side for a few minutes until browned. Only fry 2-3 pieces at a time to avoid overlapping. Once fried, place on a drying rack to cool slightly. Repeat until all eggplant pieces are coated and browned.
Eggplant Parmesan
- If you'd like, dice or grate zucchini to add it to your sauce. After dicing or grating, place zucchini in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with salt so that the excess moisture drains, then mix it into the sauce.
- Set oven to broil on high.
- Spread 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of an oven safe dish, then spread out the eggplant evenly.
- Top each eggplant piece with ¼ cup of sauce, then top with mozzarella and shredded parmesan.
- Place the dish in the oven with the door slightly cracked and broil for 2-5 minutes. Be sure to watch it closely so that it doesn't burn and remove it once the cheese is bubbling.
- Top with salt, pepper and fresh herbs.
To Serve
- Serve with pasta of choice, over greens or with roasted broccolini.