One of the most difficult fantasies for me to give up when we bought our house was having a garden. After six years of living in an apartment, I had romantic visions of planting my own vegetables, harvesting them with care, and using them to make beautiful summer recipes like today’s Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake with Garlic and Parmesan.
My produce dreams were circumvented by flora and fawna.
Our lot is filled with sweeping oak and maple trees which, while pretty, make the yard too shady to support even the hardiest of plants.
The only place that receives any direct sunlight is our driveway.
Even if Ben did sign off on replacing the concrete with rows of homegrown tomatoes and zucchini, the friendly pack of neighborhood deer, who like to help themselves to everything above ground, would eat them for lunch.
In some ways, the lack of sun and hungry neighborhood wildlife are a bit of a relief.
As much as I romanticize gardening, I know it is a labor of love and that (much like of the rest of our yard) there would be many weeks where I would neglect it for the chance to spend time with friends or at the lake.
Not having a garden of my own to tend also gives me the opportunity to rely on (and support!) the hardworking local farmers who already grow a gorgeous array of summer treasures like the fresh eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes in today’s recipe.
About This Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake
Every summer, zucchini and tomatoes have the run of our refrigerator, a problem that you wouldn’t suspect someone with a garden-free yard to have.
Every time I walk into the grocery store, I can’t seem to prevent myself from tossing a few extra into my cart “just in case.” Guess I’ll have to make this Zucchini Pasta too!
Today’s recipe came about on a summer night a few years ago, when I was in a rush to make dinner and frustrated by the self-inflicted zucchini supply usurping every surface in our kitchen.
I decided to simply chop all of the vegetables dominating our fridge, coat them in a reliable trio of olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan, and bake them together to see what happened.
Forty-five minutes later, this Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake emerged in a cacophony of colorful glory, and my home was perfumed with the aroma of an Italian grandmother’s kitchen.
As I breathed in its rich, garlicky scent and gazed at the rainbow of veggies in the dish, I marveled at the wonderful fact that a recipe can be so astonishingly simple and breathtakingly beautiful at the same time.
If your buying habits are anything like mine, I see a lot of zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes in your near future too.
This recipe, along with other favorite zucchini side dishes like this Roasted Zucchini are a great way to use up your summer produce supply.
Two final recipe notes:
- ONE: this Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake makes a striking impression in more ways than one. In addition to its stunning array of colors and aroma, the garlic flavor is not shy. I’d suggest avoiding in on a first date…unless, of course, you are looking to circumvent the first kiss or wish to live dangerously, in which case, bon appétit.
- TWO: As the summer goes on and eggplant becomes larger and more mature, its taste can be a little bitter. To avoid this, before making the recipe, slice and salt the eggplant, let it rest for 10 minutes, then pat it dry with paper towels.
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze This Recipe
- To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat gently in a large skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- To Freeze. I have not tried freezing this recipe, but I think it would work fine if you don’t mind the veggies being on the slightly mushier side (this tends to happen to tomatoes and zucchini when they freeze). Bake the recipe as directed, let cool completely, then freeze tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently in the oven or microwave. The veggies will lose some texture and might be a little overly soft, but they should still be tasty.
More Delicious Veggie Sides
Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake with Garlic and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1 small/medium eggplant about 3/4 pound—see notes if your eggplant is large
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided (about 2 1/2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil divided
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9×9-inch baking dish or similar 3 1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Quarter the zucchini then cut into 1/2-inch slices and place in a large mixing bowl (each piece of zucchini should be roughly 1/2 to 3/4 inches in size). Next, slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds, then stack the rounds and cut into roughly 3/4-inch pieces. Add to the bowl with the zucchini. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Drizzle the cut vegetables with the olive oil, then add the garlic, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the basil and parsley. Toss gently to combine.
- Transfer the vegetables to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, cover the pan with aluminum foil, then continue baking for 10 to 20 additional minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
- Larger, more mature summer eggplant can have a slightly bitter taste. If you’d like to avoid this (or find eggplant a bit bitter in general), salt the eggplant first, which helps mellow its flavor. Before starting the recipe, cut the eggplant into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Spread the slices on paper towels, then lightly sprinkle them with salt. Let sit 10 minutes. Pat the slices dry with additional paper towels, then proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave.
- I have not tried freezing this recipe, but I think it would work fine if you don’t mind the veggies being on the slightly mushier side (this tends to happen to tomatoes and zucchini when they freeze). Bake the recipe as directed, let cool completely, then freeze tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently in the oven or microwave. The veggies will lose some texture and might be a little overly soft, but they should still be tasty.
Nutrition
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This recipe is fabulous! I add a few sundried tomatoes to it as well as a bit of cayenne pepper. My family loves it!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Kellie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I had all the ingredients but wasn’t sure what to do with them and this recipe was PERFECT!!! Quick, easy, and delicious!!! I had leftover pasta sauce so I put a dollop of it on when surviving and it reminded me of a healthy eggplant Parmesan!!! Will definitely make this again!!!
So glad it worked out for you! Thank you so much for your kind review Brittany!
Excellent! Easy and tasty!
Hi Lisa! So glad you enjoyed this dish! Thank you for this kind review!
Mine didn’t look as nice once baked. Smells great….
Hi Lisa! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Love this recipe! I do grow tomatoes in the summer (that’s the only veggie I grow) and I was really happy to be able to use them. I enjoyed this dish several nights as it makes a lot. I used it as a side dish to salmon and also put over couscous with added curry powder the next night. Great recipe and so healthy!
Hi Lynne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I was just standing in front of my refrigerator wondering what I was going to do with all the zucchini, eggplant and cherry tomatoes. I went to Pinterest and what do I find but your wonderful recipe. Can’t wait to make it for dinner tonight. Thank you. 🍆🍅
Hi Beth! Hope you enjoy it!
Having a farm share has pushed me into new vegetables…tonight it was eggplant. I needed a recipe for eggplant that was easy and healthy. This recipe was delicious and easy! But it was more on the mushy side than crunchy. Is there a recipe that puts a crunch on zucchini and eggplant?
Hi Susan! So glad you enjoyed this easy recipe! It’s really hard to get zucchini or eggplant crunchy due to the amount of water they have in them. You might like these zucchini fries, they have a little crisp to them: https://www.wellplated.com/zucchini-fries/
I did the recipe step by step, I guess I messed up some place, it turned out ,dry, eggplant on the rubber side, an I bought them the same day I made this, any ideas, what I on how I messed up. Victoria Lee
Hi Victoria Lee! I’m so sorry to hear this. It’s hard to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you. I truly wished you would have enjoyed this recipe.
This is a great recipe. Smells delicious, looks beautiful, tastes great, but it was so wet! There’s was easily a cup + of liquid in the dish. I used all fresh veggies and they were room temperature. The eggplant and zucchini both were long and narrow with minimal seeds. Maybe I need to pick out the seeds from the cherry tomatoes. It tasted great but was way too juicy. A great way to use all of those summer vegetables.
Hi Linda! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this tonight with chicken and ciabatta on the side, not only was it the best meal I’ve made, but quite possibly the best meal I’ve ever had in general. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Hi Justin! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Overall the recipe Was really good,
HOWEVER felt the need to add a “flavor flare” by giving it a drizzle of MODENA Basalmic Vinegar ! Then it was “muy bueno” 👩🍳
Hi Erica! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Do you peel Eggplant? I dont see it
Hi Lola! You do not peel the eggplant! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This recipe is delicious and super simple. Followed it almost exactly, only I used dried basil & parsley instead of fresh because that’s all I had. Next time I’m going to add some cooked penne and increase the size of the casserole dish. Delicious!!
Hi Amber! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
This was wonderful. My Granddaughter went back for a large second helping! This will be great for the summer as we have ALL of the ingredients growing in the garden. — Inculding herbs – no cheese growing! LOL.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Geraldine! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is delicious!! I was looking for a recipe to use up an eggplant I had and found yours and I am SO glad I did! This is quick and easy and healthy and absolutely delicious!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Laura! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I had a large zucchini from a friend’s garden and a leftover eggplant and was looking for something to make. I came across this and it sounded excellent. I made it according to your directions but decided to add one can of fire roasted tomatoes and some red pepper flakes to my recipe. Very flavorful. I am serving it this evening with lightly breaded pork and sauteed red beets with crumbled goat cheese….and, of course….some red wine!
Hi Charlie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! Your meal sounds so tasty!
Your recipe for eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes turned out to be a big hit with my family! The next time I make it, though, I will make sure the eggplant is cooked a little longer. It was my first time cooking eggplant, and it really does take a while to become tender.
Hi Bonnie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Prior to this recipe, I was not a fan of eggplant. This is a very tasty and filling dish, I will be making it again. A perfect blend of herbs.
Hi Monica! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was delish thank you for the recipe. Used Chinese’s eggplant it wasn’t bitter at all. Very good combination of spices and vegetables will definitely make again😀
Hi Kim! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Tried this recipe tonight. It was very good. Changes I made include adding finely chopped red onion and chilli flakes. I cooked it uncovered for the whole time. Served over a bed of couscous….yummy
Hi Lena! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!