Red, White, & Blue/Black Casserole

This casserole borrows from both caprese salad and eggplant Parmesan but simplifies everything down to four ingredients and one visual trick: slicing the eggplant, tomatoes, and mozzarella into half-moons and standing them upright in alternating rows so the dish looks like red, white, and dark purple stripes from above.

No breading, no frying, no heavy sauce. The eggplant softens as it bakes, the tomatoes release their juices, and the mozzarella melts into gooey pools that hold everything together. Basil and oregano are the default seasonings, but the recipe leaves that choice to you.

Standing the slices upright rather than layering them flat changes the texture entirely. Each slice gets heat on both exposed faces, and the tops brown and crisp slightly while the bottoms soak in tomato juice and melted cheese.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the eggplant semidisks to ¾ inch thick. Thinner slices won’t stand upright, and thicker ones won’t cook through.
• Use firm, ripe tomatoes that hold their shape when sliced. Overripe tomatoes will collapse and flood the dish.
• Pack the rows tightly so everything supports each other and stays standing during baking.
• Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after pulling it from the oven. The cheese firms up slightly and slicing is easier.

Variations

• Add thin slices of onion between the other ingredients for a sharper, sweeter flavor.
• Layer in fresh basil leaves between the tomato and mozzarella for a true caprese treatment.
• Drizzle with balsamic reduction after baking for a sweet-tart glaze.