Roasted Eggplant Caprese Stacks {A Meatless Monday Recipe

Roasted Eggplant Caprese stacks are made of mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes and eggplant, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and basil.

A taste of the Mediterranean in one mouthful with a twist to the beloved Italian summer classic Caprese salad, these roasted eggplant Caprese stacks are made with fresh basil, melted mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and eggplant slices, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

This recipe makes a perfectly satisfying summer Meatless Monday meal, an appetizer, or even a side dish. Unless your name is David Spivey, then perhaps you better find something else to eat…lol!

As you know, I’ve never been much of a raw tomato eater; I have mentioned that before. But if you roast or cook that tomato, just five minutes, it’s out of this world. David is the exact opposite. He loves a juicy ripe tomato and even eats them on sandwiches. Perhaps that’s why we had a different opinion about this dish.

It doesn’t happen often, but I make some dishes that David doesn’t like. I’m not sure why he didn’t like these Roasted Eggplant Caprese Stacks, but he didn’t. I watched him struggle with it for about 3 or 4 bites. I ended up eating what he left on his plate. It just meant there was more for me. I watched him make a pimento cheese sandwich when my eyes were rolling in my head from the Mediterranean goodness inside my mouth. It didn’t hurt my feelings; He tried…

Ingredients Needed:

• Eggplant: a nice medium size eggplant will about the same diameter as the tomato needed.
• Tomato: Sliced about ¼-inch thick.
• Seasoning: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and dried oregano, all to taste. I used about ¼ teaspoon of each.
• Cheeses: Fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch slices, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
• Optional Ingredients For Serving: balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil leaves.

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How to make Eggplant Caprese Stacks

• Salt the Eggplant:
  1. Wash the eggplant, slice crosswise into ½-inch thick slices, and sprinkle the slices heavily with salt. Place in a strainer for 30 minutes.
     Click HERE to find out about salting eggplants.
  2. Rinse the eggplant well under cool water; place the slices onto a paper towel to blot dry.
• Prepare the Stacks:
  1. Brush a large baking sheet and eggplant with olive oil.
  2. Top the eggplant with a slice of tomato that fits it the best. The sizes will be a little different. You may need to cut some of the slices in half or quarter to fit the smaller eggplant slices.
  3. Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and dried oregano to taste.
• Roast:
  1. Place the baking sheet into the preheated 400 degree F.
  2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and the eggplant is tender. During the last few minutes of roasting, turn on the broiler to brown the cheese on top, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Serving:
  • To serve, carefully stack two of the eggplant and tomato slices melted with cheese on top of one another. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and garnish with fresh basil.

I hope you take my word for just how good they really are and give the recipe a try. They’re good no matter what David thinks!