Whole 30 Eggplant “Hold the Parmesan”

A few summers ago, when I was on whole30, I still had a taste for eggplant parm.  Eggplant parmesan is slices of eggplant layered in a baking dish like lasagna and topped with mozzarella cheese.  I knew that to amend this for the whole30. I would need to find a whole30 approved breading agent and make this dairy-free.   Check out this oven-baked eggplant “hold the parmesan” only using whole30 approved ingredients! 

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Eggplant parmesan is the one dish that I order at Italian restaurants—every time.  My love for Eggplant parmesan runs deep.  As I will eat eggplant parmesan without parmesan, without sauce, like a pizza, and eating breaded eggplant slices straight out of the fridge, still cold was my favorite snack as a child and still is my favorite snack as an adult.

So last month, when I decided to try Whole 30, I freaked out a little inside because I didn’t think I would be able to have any breaded eggplant slices! After the first day, I started to brainstorm how I would get Eggplant Parmesan to fit into the whole 30 realms.

Ingredients 

One eggplant cut into thin slices

1 cup of almond meal

Two teaspoons of garlic powder

One teaspoon of kosher salt

Four eggs

olive oil

no sugar added tomato sauce

fresh basil

Optional Ingredients caramelized onion would also taste amazing with this eggplant!  If you’re not on whole30 but still want to make this gluten-free low-carb eggplant, you can add some parmesan cheese.

Note: I prefer to eat my eggplant parmesan one slice at a time.   You can also place layers of eggplant in a casserole dish to make it a bit more traditional.   This is a fantastic vegetarian keto dinner option.

Equipment needed

baking sheet

parchment paper

You can also use a Cuisinart griddle instead of baking this in the oven.

Step One: Prepare your Eggplant 

• Leave the skin on!  You might as well get as many nutrients as possible!
• Slice your eggplant into 1/2 inch slices
• Remember to pat your eggplant slices dry with a paper towel before the cooking begins!

Cooking Options

I use my Cuisinart skillet when I make this eggplant.  Any Panini maker or a George Foreman Grill will also work great.  If you don’t have a grill like this, I would recommend cooking these on a stovetop grill pan.

You can also try cooking these eggplant slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

Print

Whole 30 Eggplant Hold the Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 cup almond meal
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 jar no sugar added marinara sauce
• basil

Instructions

1. Prep your eggplant.  Cut your eggplant into 1/2 inch slices and pat dry. 

2. Prep your dipping station.  In one bowl, mix almond meal, garlic powder, and salt in another bowl beat four eggs. 

3. Heat your skillet.  

4. Put a few slices of eggplant in the egg mixture at a time.  Let the eggplant soak 1-2 minutes.  Take the eggplant slice out of the egg with tongs, and coat each eggplant slices with the Amond meal mixture. 

5. Place each slice of eggplant on the skillet, and drizzle with a little olive oil.  Flip, and cook the other side, until each side is toasty brown.  Remove from heat. 

6. Place the cooked eggplant slices on a dish. Cover with marinara sauce and basil and serve. 

I cannot emphasize how delicious this almond meal eggplant was. These were so crispy and did not get soggy overnight in the fridge. I ate the leftovers for a whole 30 breakfast.

This is a great main dish and also makes a delicious side dish! If you tried this recipe, please let me know how it turned out for you! Comment on this blog post or tag me on social media and let me know how it turned out for you. You can find me on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok.