I love eggplant! I love how it becomes a creamy, gooey texture when it’s been slow cooked. I love it even more in this Eggplant and Tomato Casserole. As Autumn settles in and winter is slowly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about all those lovely warming foods like soup and casseroles. I serve this sometimes on the top of jacket potatoes or with steamed quinoa. Sometimes I add brown lentils or spoon it over eggs. It’s a versatile dish that you can serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Enjoy.
Eggplant and Tomato Casserole
A warming and hearty casserole perfect with potatoes, grains, eggs or lentils.
- 1-2 tablespoons ghee (coconut oil or butter)
- 1 large eggplant or 3 smaller ones (peeled and chopped fairly small)
- 1 large brown onion diced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic diced or minced
- 1 rib of celery or 1 zucchini diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 tin diced tomatoes
- 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 – 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs dried or to taste
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1 tin brown lentils or 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed, soaked and cooked optional)
- In a large pot or skillet heat the ghee or coconut oil.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the carrot, celery or zucchini and cook another 5 minutes.
- Add eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Vegetables should all be fairly soft by now.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Add water until you get enough liquid to cover veggies.
- Add Italian herbs, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes so that flavours are absorbed and eggplant is really soft.
- Add lentils, if using, 5-10 minutes before finish cooking time.
- Add fresh basil leaves just before serving.
