24oz jar of marinara sauce (I used Rao’s Bolognese)
16oz cottage cheese
8oz shredded mozzarella, divided
2oz finely-grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly-ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees
Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch thick rounds. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil onto a large sheet pan. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sheet pan, it’s okay if they overlap a bit because they will shrink down.
Season slices with 1½ teaspoons of the salt and black pepper.
Roast until fork-tender and the undersides are beginning to brown, around 12-15 minutes.
Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, basil, red pepper flakes, 1½ cups of the mozzarella cheese, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds black pepper.
In a smaller mixing bowl, stir together the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and a pinch each salt and black pepper.
Once the eggplant is done roasting, take off of sheet pan and move on to a plate and pat dry.
On the now-empty sheet pan, spread 2 cups of the marinara sauce all the way to the edges. Arrange all of the eggplant slices on top of the marinara (they should mostly fit in one layer, but it’s okay if they overlap slightly). Pour over the remaining sauce then dollop on the cottage cheese mixture.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella evenly over the eggplant, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. (Be generous around the edges of the sheet pan). Bake on the center oven rack until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned in spots, 25-30 minutes. Let sit at least 5 minutes before topping with more basil and serving.
Pair with a leafy green salad, crusty bread, or a side of pasta!
