I had some eggplant leftover form earlier in the week and I was wondering what to do with it. When came across this recipe for a mozzarella and eggplant panini on Passionate Eater I knew that I had found my answer. Warm sauteed eggplant with gooey melted mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce all wrapped up in the form of a grilled sandwich! How could you go wrong with that? One of the reasons that I chose this recipe was that it would have me use up some of the marinara sauce that was in my freezer. Normally I do not like to saute eggplant in oil as it soaks up a lot of oil but when I was thinking about this sandwich it sounded like that was an essential component. (Normally I would broil my eggplant until golden grown and nice and tender.) The eggplant and mozzarella sandwich was really easy to make and tasted great! I do not have a panini maker so I just used a grill pan and pressed down on the sandwich with the bottom of a bowl. Luckily I have enough eggplant leftover for another of these sandwiches tomorrow.
Eggplant and Mozzarella Panini
ingredients
- * olive oil
- 1 eggplant (cut into 1/4 inch slices)
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 8 slices bread
- 8 slices of mozzarella
directions
- Saute the eggplant in oil in a pan in batches.
- Spread the marinara sauce over one side of each slice of bread.
- Place a slice of mozzarella on each slice of bread.
- Place the eggplant on half of the slices of bread and top with the other half.
- Lightly brush the bread with olive oil and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
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I never thought of putting eggplant in a sandwich. This looks just too good!
This is a great flavor combination Kevin!
Mmm, fabulous use for eggplant!!
Mmmm, you’ve created the perfect panini… YUM!! Eggplant and mozzarella are the best together!
This looks awesome!
This sandwich looks incredible! That oozey cheese and eggplant combo is something else.
Kevin..this looks like the perfect sandwich!!
Wow, that looks incredible with the cheese just oozing out of it!
Oh my gosh, looks amazing Kevin!
I’m not a big eggplant fan, but it comes in my CSA. This looks so good, I’ve bookmarked it to try.
yum 🙂 it’s like eggplant parm on a sandwich! sounds so mouth-wateringly delicious!
Wow! What a GREAT idea!!!
Oh that looks so delicious!
That is my perfect lunch. Right. There. I ♥ eggplant! And what a droolworthy photo!
fantastic! loving the oozy goodness 🙂
I’m hungry now…droolzz~~
Wonderful panino, Kevin!
Kevin,
From seeing all your recipes thus far, I’ve learned that your taste in food is just like mine! I love panini and the eggplant and mozza combo sounds absolutely delicious!
Drooling drooing..
I’m sold!!! Crazy about eggplant!
Looks good. I don’t have a panini grill either, but I find that the electric waffle iron usually does the job.
This looks really good. I also like the quinoa salad. Some nice heathier options there.
what an amazing looking sandwich. i dont have a panini grill either but i made one on a stove top grill and pressed it down with another to get the panini marks.
I love this combination! Looks delicious Kevin! 🙂
My hubby will like this!! now I know what to cook for him with eggplant!! thanks for sharing!
Yum yum – I love both eggplant and mozzarella!
great combo. i want a panini now! x
I love how the cheese just oozes out of that sandwich .. great combo for a panini.
Eggplant is one of my favorites. What a great idea to have it in a panini sandwich!
I will definately pass this on to my sister. She is an eggplant fanatic and will totally drool over it! Thanks (from my sister B) for posting it 🙂
This sounds very wonderful.
Kevin, I used one of your recipes and blog about it today. Hope you don’t mind. I also linked your site. Check it out.
Cassie
This looks totally wow-worthy. And it will definitely be making it into my lunchtime rotation.
This is such a wonderful idea!!! It must taste fantastic!
Look at that wonderful cheese melting! What a nice veggie panini!
Kevin- Eggplant is my favorite I have a hard time with the bitterness I must be doing something yours looks great.
Wow! Just perfect! Crunchy and gooey looks so delectable.
I don’t make nearly enough use of my sandwich press. This looks delicious!
This is our favorite way to enjoy leftover eggplant parm! Looks delicious.
I had a mozzarella, pesto and sun-dried tomato panini for my hilltop lunch today (walking the sidlaws)and it was good, but this sounds amazing 🙂
oh yummy, I’d love a bite of that right now! 🙂
Barbara
This looks seriously fabulous! Reminds me of the eggplant parm sandwiched my grandma used to make.
Mmm look at all that ooey gooey cheese! This looks perfect.
This looks really, good Kevin. What’s the bread… it looks like a multi-grain bread -??
No lie, totally making this..
–Marc
Hey Kevin, this looks so delicious! I luckily have eggplant, now I am inspired to try and cook it. If there is success – I’ll link back to you 🙂
How decadent! I could easily devour one of these.
Wow, I’m going to try that. So yummy. I love the marinara in there too.
That made my mouth water. It looks amamzing!
I am drooling! These look so good….We have a panini maker, and use it to make all sorts of sandwiches–our standard Sunday night dinner. Guess what’s coming to dinner next week?
I love eggplants! :))
We call them aubergine in Europe, and they are called eggplants in Asia too, not sure if it reflects variety..
Kevin, thanks again for the help.
This panini looks delicious.
Looks fabulous! So many great eggplant recipes out there lately!
NAOmni
Kevin, this looks amazing!! I love eggplant
Grilled sandwiches are great! Great idea to take an ordinary meal and give it a twist!
panini’s are great, they sound amazing with egg plant. This looks delicious Kevin!
Eggplant is a favorite and this panini looks like a winner of a recipe!
mmm eggplant and cheese, great combo!
I must tell you how wonderful your recipes are…everything I’ve made has turned out great. Your photos are very inviting and make me want to make the recipe immediately. Great work.
ohhhhhhhh Kevin … this panini makes me very happy! I feel an “mmmmm” building up inside me just by looking at your pic!
Sounds delicious. Can I get this for lunch tomorrow??? Gooey and wonderful, I like the addition of marinera sauce.
The gooey cheese is making me drool – great photo and recipe Kevin.
Oh gosh that looks decadent Kevin!! I bet it was delicious!
Simple yet so delicious!!! MMMMMM….Can I come over for lunch?
I love this combo! What a great idea.
I love eggplant, this looks fabulous! I just have the flat panini maker, I want the one with the grooves, it just looks so much nicer!
Kevin, this looks delish. I am cutting back on white stuff so even though a french bread would be fabulous with this and the marinara, I have to do whole grain. What kind of bread did you use?
What a great sandwich idea.
Wow this looks like the perfect lunch for a snowy day (like today)!
I have never eaten Eggplant, except in a dip, but I would scarf this right up!
What a great idea Kevin. I would have thought of adding eggplant in a sandwich and it does look awesome!
Rosie x
You have all kinds of yum going on over here! Great tip on how to make panini without a panini pan! I can’t wait to try it myself.
Your lasagna photos are simply gorgeous! It was one of my favorite meals as a kid too. Still is…
Ahhh! Believe it or not, I was JUST about to look for a recipe to use with the leftover eggplant I have. You are really tempting me with this one…
Sues
Quite a popular recipe here on the blogosphere! 🙂 It’s veggie good!
Yum! Looks like a great meal!
I want to eat that right now.
Kevin, YUM! What a perfect way to use up those leftovers!
I love eggplant panini sandwiches. I’ve never made my own though. This looks mouthwatering!!
Karen & j & j dish it out: I used a whole grain bread: Dempsters Ancient Grain. It contains things like flax, amaranth, quinoa, etc.
What a great sandwich! I really enjoy eggplant, and haven’t had any since last summer! Like how you created your own panini press! I do something similar … I heat up a cast iron skillet and press it on top of the sandwich.
What yummy gooey goodness.
I love a good vegetable sandwich. I think eating all the vegetables makes up for the large amounts of melted cheese.
I really shouldn’t look at your blog during lunch. I want this for lunch now!
I am so glad that you liked the panini idea!
That is a fabulous way to finish the leftover. Great combo!
I got a panini maker for Christmas, and this looks like a perfect sandwich for it!
Wow….never thought of an eggplant in a sanwich. The pic looks so delicious!
Eggplants are my fav, thanks for sharing the idea!
I never make anything but eggplant parmesan with my eggplant 🙂 It’s one of my favorite dinners!
eggplant and mozzarella happen to be two of my favorite foods. so this recipe made my day (: im definitely trying it this weekend!
Great idea. I've now got plans for those last few eggplant in the garden.
This looks sooo good … I think I will make it today! I have some leftover eggplant but no mozz. I will substitute with what I have. Thanks Kev!
i love all your eggplant recipes – am always looking for new uses of eggplant! thank you!
Wonderful food, beautiful pictures!
Great vegetarian option. Thanks for the idea.
I just changed tonight's menu so that I can save my eggplant to try this tomorrow! Looks delicious and I am drooling over just about every other post on this blog. I found it through a google image search for eggplant recipes 😀
Let's bump this up as this is a great idea! I actually am running my Monday special in our nursing home short order cafeteria in a similar manner…garlic butter brushed ciabatta with a thick fried eggplant cutlet, sauteed thick slices of onions and peppers, and mozzarella!
Kevin, I’m baffled…recipe says 1 serving, yet it says under ingredients 8 slices???? In any event, I used my culinary judgment and my sandwich was divine and heavenly gooeyness!!!! Are you Greek? Everyine of the greek recipes is absolutely perfect!
Tip for frying your eggplant in oil: learned this in culinary school and for some reason, it works, oil NEVER gets absorbed.
Dip each slice of eggplant into a bowl of 2 egg whites, coat well, fry immediately. You don’t have to add any more oil…