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This Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin is bursting with fabulous Italian flavor. A delicious, make-ahead, dinner party worthy meal!
The idea for this Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin has been rolling around in my head since mid-July when Scott’s garden began to prolifically produce beautiful, shiny purple eggplants. Each time he’d come in from the garden and his basket of goodies would include eggplant, I’d say, “Tonight I’m going to make you an eggplant gratin”. I had good intentions, but one thing or another seemed to always come in the way.
We finally had a quiet evening at home about two weeks ago and I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to try out my inspiration, which had been evolving over the summer. I got busy and started putting my ideas into action. About an hour and a half later, I brought Scott a bowl of the Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin. He took one bite, looked at me and said, “This might just be the most delicious thing you’ve ever made!”
I made it a number of times since for both family and friends. Everyone’s loved it. It’s perfect for dinner parties, as it can be made hours or even a day in advance and just popped in the oven for the final baking just before dinner. It’s also a great dish to take to a friend or family in need; delicious comfort food that can be delivered and then baked whenever it’s convenient for their schedule. I actually took a pan of it to a friend last week and got this text a few hours later:
Chris, our dinner was AWESOME! We both moaned throughout the entire meal. I’m not kidding!!
I love having treasures like this Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin in my recipe arsenal!
Although this dish might be a bit of a splurge for the diet-conscious, it doesn’t need pasta to be enjoyed, which saves in the calorie department. Also, the recipe calls for just twelve ounces of Italian sausage which is drained of extra fat after cooking. The sausage gives tons of fabulous flavor without adding a lot of fat.
And for another healthy alternative, I decided to roast my eggplant in the oven in lieu of frying it as many eggplant recipes call for. The thick slices of eggplant are brushed lightly with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and into the oven they go. Thirty minutes later they’re tender, and ready to be combined with the fragrant tomato sauce.
There’s one delicious splurge that takes this Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin over the top (literally!). While the eggplant is roasting and the tomato sauce simmers, you’ll make the topping sauce. It’s a simple combination of reduced heavy cream and a generous handful of both Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheeses. The cheeses melt into the thickened cream creating a silky and incredibly flavorful gratin topping.
Once the eggplant is roasted and the sauces are ready, it’s easy to put the whole thing together. Just layer the eggplant and tomato sauce in a gratin or casserole dish. Top with the luscious cheese sauce and pop the whole thing in the oven till it’s bubbly and golden. Serve in shallow bowls with some crusty bread (to mop up the fabulous sauce!) and a simple green salad.
It will be a meal to remember!
Buying and cooking eggplant
- When purchasing eggplants, look for ones with smooth, shiny, taut skin that are uniform in color and heavy for their size. Small and medium-size eggplants tend to be less bitter and their skin is thin and tender. Pass by the ones that have bruising and tan patches.
- Eggplants will keep well for several days in the refrigerator.
- Eggplant is also called aubergine and is part of the nightshade family. Potatoes and tomatoes also belong to this grouping of vegetables. There have been some claims that raw eggplant is poisonous. Raw eggplant does contain the toxin, solanine. It’s generally not harmful when eaten in reasonable amounts, although some people can be sensitive to it and experience gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Eggplant is high in fiber and a good source of vitamin B1, copper, manganese, vitamin B6, niacin, potassium, folate and vitamin K.
- When cooking eggplant, it has a tendency to absorb a lot of fat. That’s why in the instructions, I write to “brush tops of eggplant slices lightly and quickly with olive oil.” If you linger, while brushing the slices will “suck in” as much oil as they can. It’s pretty crazy!
Café Tips for making this Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin
- The perfect pan to cook and present this dish is an au gratin pan. Au gratin pans can be round, oval or rectangular and are usually about an inch and a half to two inches deep. They come in enamel cast iron, stainless steel, copper, ceramic or glass. There are lots of options. If you don’t have an au gratin pan, no problem, you can make this dish in a cast iron or stainless steel oven-safe skillet or a casserole dish. Just make sure it’s not too deep.
- The recipe calls for fire-roasted tomatoes. These can be found at most larger grocery stores with the other canned tomatoes. They have a wonderful flavor and a deep red color. If you can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes, regular diced canned tomatoes will be fine.
- Leftovers are delicious. They can be warmed up in the oven or in the microwave. The flavors almost get better, if that’s possible!
- I love to serve these Artisan Dinner Rolls or this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread with our eggplant gratin. The rolls can be made ahead and frozen. Take them out of the freezer a few hours before dinner and warm in the oven for 5-10 minutes. They’re perfect to sop up the wonderful sauce, no butter needed!
This Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin is bursting with delicious, universally beloved Italian flavor. It's a dinner party worthy meal that can be made in advance and just popped in the oven at the last minute!
- 2 medium eggplant sliced in 1/2-inch thick rounds
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces Italian sausage removed from casings
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 3 14 1/2- ounce can fire-roasted canned tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces grated parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line two sheet pans with foil for easy cleanup. Brush foil generously with extra virgin olive oil. Arrange eggplant slices in even layers on prepared pans. Brush tops of eggplant slices lightly and quickly with olive oil. Work quickly as eggplant likes to absorb lots of oil. You just want to lightly coat the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate pans and bake another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside
While eggplant is roasting, make the meat sauce and parmesan sauce. For the meat sauce, heat a medium-large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until lightly browned. Break the sausage up with a metal spatula and stir occasionally, as it cooks.
Drain excess grease and reduce heat to low. Add Italian seasoning and garlic and cook, stirring continually for 2 more minutes to soften the garlic and let the spices bloom.
Add fire-roasted tomatoes to the pot and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. Add fresh basil and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
For the parmesan sauce, pour 1 cup heavy cream into a medium-size saucepan. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Reduce heat and continue to cook, maintaining a medium-low simmer, until reduced approximately in half. This will take about 10 minutes. Add Parmesan and mozzarella. Stir over low heat, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Cover and set aside.
To assemble gratin, lightly grease a low enameled cast iron pan, gratin pan or low casserole. Arrange half of the eggplant in the pan. Spoon about 1/2 of the meat sauce over the eggplant and then repeat layers.
Stir the Parmesan sauce well and pour over the top of the eggplant and sauce. You can leave some of the eggplant mixture showing, if desired.
Reduce temperature to 350˚F and bake gratin until bubbly and beginning to turn golden in spots, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread.
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Denise Wolfsberger says
The recipe was delicious. DH loved it too! I’ve never really cooked eggplant before, but it was great.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! So happy you both enjoyed it, Denise!
Mercedes Whelan says
Made this for our church’s monthly fellowship. Not a morsel was left. A big hit! Even non-eggplant eaters commented on how much they liked it. Can’t wait to make it again for us…lol…so we can have the leftovers. SO DELICIOUS! Thank you for the recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
That is so cool, Mercedes! Thanks so much for sharing your results. Good thing my husband wasn’t there. He would have gobbled up several servings of it! 🙂
Lil says
Do you salt the eggplant to help drain it ?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lil, nope no need to salt the eggplant in this recipe! Enjoy! ❤️ Chris
Debbie Piccillo says
Do you peel the eggplant?
Chris Scheuer says
Nope, leave the peel on!
Holly Sturm says
This recipe is a keeper.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Holly!
Victoria says
If I want to make this recipe a day in advance, should I bake it straight away, or the following day?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Victoria, I would make it the day you want to serve it. Enjoy!
Jerry says
I fixed this dish, assuming we would have leftovers to enjoy the next day. There are only three of us! There was a small portion left after dinner, which my son enjoyed as a late night snack. This recipe is so good. Truth be told, that cheese sauce would make shoe leather a great meal. Thanks for sharing!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I totally get it! I’m thrilled that you’ve enjoy this gratin as much as we do, thanks so much for sharing your results, Jerry!
Dawn says
Thanks for the recipe! So delicious! I made it last night for my husband and I and we can’t wait to eat the leftovers tonight. That really says it all, I usually dread leftovers. Also, it may become my husbands’ favorite dish as I heard him moaning a few times.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Dawn! I’m so happy you both enjoyed it!
Kathy Freeman says
Hi Chris,
I love your recipes! I am excited to try this eggplant at gratin!
When you say slice the eggplant 1/2 inch thick do you mean just slice it in rounds 1/2 inch think or slice the eggplant lengthwise and then horizontally ? Not sure best way to slice an eggplant 🙂
Thanks,
Kathy
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kathy, thanks so much!
Yes, just cut it in rounds, 1/2-inch thick. Thanks for asking that question, I have clarified that in the recipe.
Enjoy!
diana miller says
OMG you did it again I love your blog my sons justed hosted the 33rd bday and your corn Mexican bean salad was the biggest hit! everyone wanted the recipe !! I am going to make this casserole tonight, does it freeze well! wasn’t sure with the fresh mozzarella any recommendations would be appreciated and FYI for your bloggers’ questions about fire roasted tomatoes amazon.ca has just started carrying the fire roasted tomatoes by Muir Glen diced and no frills does carry the crushed but are more acidy $3.89 can which is believably cheap in Canada for them
Chris Scheuer says
Hello Diana!
Thanks so much for your kind words, I love that everyone enjoyed the corn salad.
Regarding your question about this eggplant gratin, it does freeze well. Sometimes I freeze the leftovers in small 2-portion sizes and pull them out when we need a quick dinner.
Hope you enjoy it and thanks so much for the update on the fire-roasted tomatoes. I know our Canadian readers will appreciate that info!
If you ever get to the U.S. stock up on them at Aldi! They’re delicious and so… cheap!
mary says
Looking forward to making this; after roasting, can I cut the eggplant into small chunks before assembling?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mary, you can cut it but the eggplant gets so soft and tender that you can leave it in slices if you’d like. Then it’s a little more like an eggplant parmesan.
Courtney says
Delicious recipe. I didn’t make any changes and it was perfect. I was worried about the parmesan sauce but I trusted your directions and it was perfect.
Chris Scheuer says
Thank, Courtney, for taking the time to share your results. I’m so happy you enjoyed it. My husband will be a bit jealous though, that you had this, as it’s his favorite dish – ever! 🙂
Marcy McHallam says
Hello, and thanks for this wonderful recipe. I do need a little help with the Parmesan sauce before I make this again. I began reducing the cream but it was not cooperating. After 20 minutes, I turned the heat up. I added the cheeses when it was finally reduced and then stirred and stirred. I wound up with a really thick, not pourable sauce. I added new cream until it thinned a bit, enough to top the gratin. What did I do wrong??
This problem did not affect the finished gratin. This is soooo good, my husband and I ate half of it ourselves!! I know I want to make this again so hope to do it right next time!!
Chris Scheuer says
Hmmm, it sounds like maybe you cooked the cream too much or maybe cooked it too much after the cheese was added. Once the cheese is added, you can even turn off the heat and just let it sit until the Parmesan is melted. Hope this helps!
Catherine Hinners says
Looks like a great recipe! I love the pan, too! I have one just like it – Wolfgang Puck!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Catherine!
Ross says
What is “Italian seasoning?”
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ross, here in the U.S. you can find Italian seasoning with all the other spices. It’s a delicious combination of herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, savory…
If you can’t find it, here is a recipe:https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/34450/italian-seasoning-i/
Tam says
Really enjoyed this dish! Delicious! I look forward to making this again! Thanks for sharing!
,Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Tam – we love that you enjoyed it!