My husband discovered he had Type 2 Diabetes in January. Immediately his diet needed to change. No pasta, no rice, no potatoes, no bread and of course – no sugar. It’s been a whirlwind of doctor visits and endless monitoring of his blood sugar. It took a while, but he is stabilized now, and allowed small portions of whole grains and other starches.
I adore eggplant. He has never been a fan. I’ve made eggplant parmesan in the past, but he has pretty much turned up his nose. I admit, I’ve struggled to find a great recipe that didn’t taste overly greasy or mushy. I also wanted a recipe that tasted fresh and healthy. I went took out Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook and decided to give her recipe a go. Like Mollie, I too made my sauce from scratch. This way I was assured there was no added sugar. Amazing! My husband devoured it. So, here it is slightly revised and more appropriate for smaller proportions and a family of 2-4 people (4 servings).
Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant (about 7 inches long)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup Italian or whole wheat bread crumbs
- 2 cups chunky marinara sauce
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
- Slice the eggplants into circles, about 1/3 inch thick. Pour milk into shallow bowl and bread crumbs on to a lipped plate. Dip each slice in the milk, moistening both sides. Then, press on to bread crumbs ensuring both sides are thoroughly coated. Place slices on the baking sheet and bake until tender about 25 minutes.
- Spoon some marinara sauce, about 1/4 cup, on to the bottom of a deep casserole dish or 8 x 8 square baking pan. Add a layer of eggplant slices and cover with more sauce. Sprinkle some mozzarella over the sauce, then repeat the layering until you’ve reached the end of your eggplant slices. Top the slices with the last bit of sauce and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes. Casserole should be bubbly and brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let the the eggplant parmesan set for about 10 minutes before serving.
(Thanks to Older’n Dirt for the nutritional values below!)
450 Calories; 21g Fat (42.2% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 1745mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat.
Two Sisters That Cook 
where can I find that eggplant shaped dish?
It’s Le Creuset!
If you don’t know the nutritional information, then how do you plan his meals? Diabetics have to count carbs. I get tired of people posting “diabetic” recipes online when they really have no idea what the carb count is.
Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate it. I wrote this post directly after he was diagnosed. I think all doctors must have different strategies. He was never taught to count carbs. He was told what to cut. To this day, he eats no sugar, rice, or potatoes. He is allowed to eat as many vegtatbles and proteins as he likes. He is allowed to eat apples, oranges and berries and was asked to limit melons. He has no more than one slice of whole wheat bread per day. Following this regime, he has been extremely successful, however, every body is different. Best wishes to you!
I think if youre diabetic, or taking care of one you would know how to calculate the carbs from a recipe yourself? Its really common sense..and like she said, everyone is different, my husbands diabetes is under control now and he eats carbs still, just not as much.
As someone whose blood sugar spikes very easily with diabetes Eggplant Parmesan is the only Italian dish that diabetics can eat without it shooting blood sugar up to easily.
Do you have nutritional info available?
I do not – so sorry 😦
Can i make this a day before i bake it?
The crumbs might lose their crispness if you try it. Let me know if it works! Haven’t done it yet.
This was excellent! Loved not having to fry the eggplant.
I agree! I love eggplant parm but hate having to fry it first so this is the perfect solution for me 🙂
I was wondering do you in yours peel it first some do I never do but wasn’t sure couldn’t tell with the sauce on it.
I leave the peels – I think it tastes great that way – plus it’s faster to make.
FANTASTIC recipe! Thank you!!
Made this last night and it was awesome! GREAT recipe!
I made this recipe for my family tonight. My husband is a type two diabetic and my youngest is a vegetarian by choice. It was a hit all around! It came out perfectly! Thank you!
I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know!
My father-in-law has just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and is in the same boat your husband was in. He can not have any starches carbs, etc. What were some recipes that you used to help get his diabetes under control? He has always been a meet and potatoes kind of guy, so this is a huge change for him. Is there any other advice you can offer about making these healthy changes?
It’s good news that he is a meat person,so he can have all the meat he likes! Unfortunately, the potatoes will have to go, though. My husband has done extremely well since his diagnoses and careful attention to his diet. He limits himself to 1 slice of whole grain bread a day, and some days doesn’t even have that. He basically follows an Atkins like diet. Eggs in the morning, sometimes he adds sausage or bacon and cheese. Lots of omelettes. Lunch he typically has a Chef or Cobb salad. He enjoys deli meats and cheeses, hard boiled eggs, avocados, tomatoes. He really likes lettuce salads with fruits like apples, peaches, strawberries; add some blue or feta cheese – awesome! Finally for dinner, it’s usually meat and grilled vegetables. He eats pork chops, steaks, chicken, hamburgers. Sides are grilled peppers, onions, green beans, asparagus. In the winter I fed him a lot of roasted winter squash. For snacks, he likes nuts of all kinds, cashews, walnuts, almonds. And he also eats Yoplait 100 Greek Yogurts. Those are low in sugars.Hopefully he will notice how much better he feels while eating these foods and he will continue to stick to it! Best wishes to your father-in-law! It’s a hard road, but a healthier one…
My father-in-law has just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He is in the same boat your husband was in with the strict diet. He has always been a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so this is a huge change for him. What are some other great diabetic friendly recipes that you were able to use to help your husband after his diagnosis? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
It’s good news that he is a meat person,so he can have all the meat he likes! Unfortunately, the potatoes will have to go, though. My husband has done extremely well since his diagnoses and careful attention to his diet. He limits himself to 1 slice of whole grain bread a day, and some days doesn’t even have that. He basically follows an Atkins like diet. Eggs in the morning, sometimes he adds sausage or bacon and cheese. Lots of omelettes. Lunch he typically has a Chef or Cobb salad. He enjoys deli meats and cheeses, hard boiled eggs, avocados, tomatoes. He really likes lettuce salads with fruits like apples, peaches, strawberries; add some blue or feta cheese – awesome! Finally for dinner, it’s usually meat and grilled vegetables. He eats pork chops, steaks, chicken, hamburgers. Sides are grilled peppers, onions, green beans, asparagus. In the winter I fed him a lot of roasted winter squash. For snacks, he likes nuts of all kinds, cashews, walnuts, almonds. And he also eats Yoplait 100 Greek Yogurts. Those are low in sugars.Hopefully he will notice how much better he feels while eating these foods and he will continue to stick to it! Best wishes to your father-in-law! It’s a hard road, but a healthier one…
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if he can’t have bread, how do you use the breadcrumbs? is there a way around using breadcrumbs?
So, my husband’s physician told him he could have limited amounts (1/2 slice) of whole wheat bread per day when he began following the new diet and regulating with Metformin. I used whole wheat bread crumbs, you an also use wheat germ. I have made the Eggplant Parmasan without the bread crumbs just to see what would happen. Go through the process the same way, spraying the baking sheet with olive oil spray and bake the slices as prescribed on each side Assemble following same directions. You won’t have the crisp of the crumbs, but you will have a delicious eggplant casserole.
Thank you!
Oats or nuts ground up can replace breadcrumbs
Love this idea! Thanks 🙂
do you use any seasonings for this recipe? Salt and pepper?
Do you use any seasonings for this recipe? Salt and pepper? Thanks in advance! I am looking forward to trying this recipe!
Great question! You know, I really didn’t use any additional seasonings. I think you can add salt/pepper, but there is a lot of saltiness in parmesan cheese and the sauce. So, for my taste it worked without!
This recipe looks so good, I’m making it for Sunday dinner today. Thanks for sharing!
I made this for dinner and my husband and I thought it was soooo good!! I made the chunky marinara sauce and this will now be my “go to” sauce recipe. Easy and worth the extra time! The only thing was my eggplant was mushy. I followed the recipe closely. Any suggestions? I left it to sit for ten mins. Before serving. It still was excellent!!! I just wish the eggplant was not mushy in consistency but a little firmer. Thanks!
Thanks for letting me know, glad you liked it. One way to add crispness is to use a little less sauce in the casserole, and add on the side. Another thing I have been trying is to spray the top of the breadcrumb coated eggplant with olive oil before placing it in the oven to bake. It’s not the same as frying, but it will help with a little extra crisp.
I’m going to give your recipe a try. Two things in reading through the comments. First is to sweat your eggplant first. Peel (if you choose), slice and place on a pan with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant with kosher salt and let set for at least 20 minutes. Blot the water that has been pulled out, and the salt, from the eggplant and proceed as normal. You can also rinse the salt off and blot the eggplant dry. This helps the eggplant to not get so mushy. Second is to cut back on the breadcrumbs and substitute it with some grated parm cheese (mixed together). You’ll still get that crunchiness your looking for.
I am going to try this evening – thanks for the recipe. I have been managing my type 2 diabetes like you have described since 2009 and have done very well – A1c always right at 6. It has worked for me – along with checking my blood sugar after meals to get an idea of how much of what is too much – if that makes sense! Thanks again, LJM
Thanks for sharing your comments! I hope everything turns out well for you! Glad to hear you have gotten your diabetes under control. That is wonderful!
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I made this last night and it turned out so delicious!! I did tweak the recipe a bit to make it even lower carb- instead of bread crumbs I ground up pork rinds with parmesan cheese and mixed that in with some almond flour. That’s my go-to coating when I want to do low carb fried chicken, chicken kiev, etc. And I also added an egg to the milk, as well as some salt and pepper. After I baked the eggplant pieces I finished the process by broiling for 2 minutes, that made the them very crispy and golden. It was absolutely scrumptious! It was my first attempt at making eggplant parmesan, and it was a success. Can’t wait to have the leftovers for dinner tonight! Thank you!
First off, to everyone b****ing about carb counts – it’s not necessary, just use basic common sense and lay off the white bread. Trust me, I’m a doctor (really). Just eat your carbs in moderation and eliminate the simple sugars (i.e. candies). Up your exercise (even if it’s just walking 10 000 steps – done in 2 hours no problem) and monitor your blood sugar.
Being diagnosed as a diabetic doesn’t mean your life is over! And great substitutes like this meal go a long way in redefining someone’s lifestyle and healthy habits.
If you really want to figure out the nutritional value, there are several calorie and macronutrient counting apps out there for each ingredient. All in all, be grateful that someone posted a great recipe.
I am a diabetic also. I try very hard to watch my diet – and yes I think watching / counting carbs is extremely important, doctor or not. Candy is not the only source of sugar. I have discovered with a blood sugar test for both, I can eat a small portion of chocolate easier and with less impact than any amount of oranges. The real issue with diabetes is that its impact is so different for every person. Testing is crucial at first to determine your “demon” foods. My friend can’t go near a banana, I can eat a whole one. Two foods that are helpful for me are spaghetti squash – I love pasta and this allows me to have my favorite pasta dishes. It also actually has much more taste – in my opinion. My other new favorite is cauliflower. It “rices” very well (check online sources for directions) and works perfectly for dishes calling for rice. And again it has more taste to me. By the way, this dish looks really good and has all my favorite ingredients.
WOW! Such nasty comments regarding this woman NOT adding in the nutritional values of her recipe. How many recipes have these very same people posted WITHOUT the nutritional information?
I too have type 2 Diabetes and regularly get recipes from Pinterest and many “other” places on the web that do not have any nutritional values information. Most don’t even have the number of servings. I don’t find it necessary to belittle those posters. I take the time and do my own nutritional values research. So unlike those here who find it necessary to belittle this person because THEY are too lazy to figure this out for themselves here’s what my cookbook says the nutritional values per serving of this recipe are, for 4 servings.
450 Calories; 21g Fat (42.2% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 1745mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat.
Thanks for the information! I appreciate it. It’s been an amazing journey learning about diabetes. It is a condition that definitely is different for everyone. In my husband’s situation, he is continually advised not to concern himself with nutritional values, but to focus on what types of foods he can eat and what he shouldn’t eat. He has been very fortunate that he has been able to bring his diabetes under control with exercise, healthy eating, and low dosages of Metformin. The information you provided really helps! I will add it to the recipe post – thanks so much!!!!
You could further cut the carbs if you replace half the breadcrumbs with almond meal (Trader Joe’s) even adds a little more crunch.
LOVE that idea!!! I’m trying it, thanks!
Delicious! To cut carbs even more, I used almond flour in place of breadcrumbs, and it turned out perfect. Oh, and I added an egg to the milk used before dipping in the breading. Thank you for this recipe!
Great suggestion, thanks!
I can’t even count the number of times I have made this. My husband LOVES it every time and so does anyone I have served. It’s a great recipe and pretty simple. Thank you so much for sharing it
Oh! That is so wonderful to hear 🙂 thank you for sharing so:)
Thank you for this recipe. I have been looking for a good eggplant recipe for some time. This one is easy, flavourful and healthy. I had some beautiful tomatoes and even made my own sauce. Delicious!
Thank you Barbara, I’m so glad you enjoy it! Appreciate your feedback 🙂