{ Not here for the rambling, the tips, and all the details? Get the marinara recipe right this second or get the slow cooker eggplant parmesan recipe right this second. Don't worry: You can use jarred marinara if you prefer! }

Good leftovers are worth their weight in ... whatever thing is kind of expensive but probably not as expensive as gold, which is probably really expensive. Leftovers are worth the price of a pretty good hot meal in the middle of the day. Leftovers are a gift—food you don't even have to make. If you grew up in a large(ish) family, you know the joy of discovering the remnants of last night's supper before anyone else gets to it. Some food is better on the reheat because the extra time and heat gives the flavors a chance to get all up in each other's business. What do you do if you're craving leftovers and don't have any? The slow cooker makes brand new food taste like leftovers, in a good way.

Looking for more instant leftovers? Try my Slow Cooker Spinach and Sausage Lasagne for The Kitchn.

Eggplant parmesan is one of those better-off-as-leftovers dishes. It's good to begin with, but when you find the last serving a couple days later, wedged between a bag of broccoli you don't want and a block of cheese you might maybe want if there's nothing else, you let out a little "woohoo!" even if no one's there to hear it. In fact, if someone were there, you'd have to share the leftovers so you'd probably be more stealth about it.

Much like all my recipes, this one's pretty easy, though a little more time-consuming than most because of all the dragging of the eggplant through eggs and breadcrumbs. But it's worth it. I'm including a recipe for homemade marinara, because I was shocked to learn how easy it was. If you only know how to make one thing, marinara is a pretty good choice because it's mega versatile. It works on pasta, on pizza, with eggs in purgatory, and in any number of other situations. (As a vegetable dip! In omelets! In stuffed mushrooms! As a dipping sauce for fried mozzarella sticks!)

So how about a few random bits of advice before we get to the recipes? Here you go.

Do I have to salt the eggplant?

No, I guess not. There's no law saying you have to. If you like soggy eggplant, bitter taste, and wasting time adding extra salt to your dish along the way, skip it. But I think you should salt your eggplant, which removes moisture and makes it less bitter. We could all do with a little less bitterness. Besides, it's cool to see the moisture bead up on the eggplant before you press it with a towel. This is a perfect job for kids.

Semi-Pro Tip: Make kids do random tasks in the kitchen. They'll put it all together soon enough and start cooking for you.

Do I have to make my own marinara?

Absolutely not. But that should be an educated decision. You should know how very easy it is to do it yourself in a pinch, but if you see a jar of your favorite brand on sale at the grocery store, stock up, because I'm all about skipping steps. As for the recipe below, if you have a ton of tomatoes to use, or some time on your hands, feel free to double, triple, or even quadruple your recipe and freeze portions of it.

Making your own marinara is just so damn easy. If you happen to have tomatoes, olive oil (or butter or whatever), salt, and Italian seasoning (or similar or even just one thing like oregano or basil), you're basically done.

What's a cool trick? Deglazing with tomato juice.

The marinara recipe below starts with sautéed garlic in olive oil or butter, as do about a billion other recipes. If you aren't careful, the garlic can burn and you have to start all over because burned garlic is nasty. If your recipe also has tomato in it, use a little tomato juice to deglaze the pan and stop your garlic from burning. If you're using canned tomatoes, just pour in a splash of the liquid.

If you have fresh, cut a little cone out of the top, hold the tomato cut-side down over the pan, and squeeze. The acid from the tomato will deglaze the pan, and the juice will cool it down a little to stop your garlic from burning. Bonus: Now you can chop the remaining tomato without making a juicy mess.

Is mise en place absolutely necessary?

Mais non. Of course mise en place isn't required, but this will be so much easier if you set up your station first, with everything in order. That's all mise en place is: measuring out everything you need and arranging it in a way that's convenient. Getting organized means you won't accidentally leave out ingredients, too. So do it.

Mise en place is great for people with A.D.D. who like to cook. In other words, people like me!

I'm calling this dish "eggplant parmesan" because that's what people call it, but it doesn't even require parmigiano so a more apt description would be eggplant al formaggio or even melanzana al formaggio, if we want to go there. Like pretty much every damn thing I make, it isn't authentic anything other than mine, because I cut corners, make guesses, and hope for the best. So call it what you like!

Simple Marinara Sauce

◔ Makes 6-8 cups

⧖ 30 minutes

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic purée or 5-6 cloves minced garlic
2 28oz. cans tomatoes (whole, diced, or crushed) or 3½ pounds fresh tomatoes
1 heaping tablespoon prepared pesto or a couple spoonfuls Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Melt the butter (or heat olive oil) in a tall stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until oil is sizzling. (Don't let the garlic burn. You may need to turn down the heat.)

Cut the top off of a tomato and squeeze the juices in the pan to deglaze. If using canned tomatoes, spill a splash of juice into the pan.

Add the rest of the tomatoes, pesto, salt, and tomato paste. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until any whole tomatoes have burst open, the sauce has thickened, and it tastes ready to eat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Notes:

Use a long-handled wooden spoon to press any whole tomatoes against the side of the pot to break them open as they cook. Don't look down into the pot if you're pressing little grape tomatoes, because they can burst and shoot up into your eye. It hurts.
If your tomatoes are still too chunky for your taste, hit them with a few pulses of stick blender. If you're multiplying this recipe so you'll have some to freeze, the stick blender will be a lot more efficient than smashing tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
You can use any mix of tomatoes you happen to have on hand—beefsteak, Roma, grape, cherry, whatever. I often make marinara to use up over-ripe tomatoes from the fridge. You can even mix fresh and canned.
If you make too much sauce, just freeze it. You'll use it for something.
I made this recently with some oregano and basil pesto I'd made with a handful of herbs that were about to go bad. If you happen to have those things lying around, make some pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays to be used later for seasoning.
As for the tomato paste, you can use more. You can also use less, or skip it entirely. It adds some depth, but sometimes I just use it to add color and taste to a sauce I made with tomatoes that weren't quite ripe enough. My point? Don't go to the store in the rain for this one ingredient.

Printable Recipe

Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan

◔ Serves 6-8

⧖ 30 minutes if you don't make the sauce, maybe an hour if you do. 4-5 hours cooking time.

Cooking spray
2 large eggplants, about 1 pound each
2-3 cups bread crumbs
4 cups shredded cheese (fontina, mozzarella, provolone, or a mixture)
3-4 eggs
6 cups marinara (jar or homemade)
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, Asiago, plain old parmesan, or whatever cheese you normally use to achieve the same effect.
16 oz. linguine, spaghetti, angel hair, or whatever pasta you have in the pantry
fresh basil
dried chili flakes

Slice eggplant into ¼ to ½ inch thick rounds, lay them on a flat surface, and sprinkle them with salt. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes, then pat dry with a towel.

Spray the inside of a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Prepare your mise en place:

Sliced, salted, and blotted eggplant
Eggs, whisked in a low dish wide enough for one eggplant slice
Breadcrumbs spread on a plate. You don't have to put them all on the plate at once, but keep the excess nearby for when you need more.
Grated cheese
Marinara sauce, along with something to scoop and spread it

Start with one-quarter of your eggplant. Dredge each slice in egg, then breadcrumbs, and lay them on the bottom of the slow cooker, overlapping if necessary. Top with 1½ cups of sauce, followed by 1 cup of cheese.

Repeat for three more layers. If you have leftover bread crumbs, you can sprinkle them on top.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours, adding parmesan to the top for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Make the pasta according to the package directions, drain it in a colander, and add a splash of olive oil to the pot before transferring the pasta back to the pot. Stir it to distribute the olive oil.

Chiffonade basil and toss with pasta. Serve alongside eggplant parmesan.

Optional: Add chili flakes to each plate before serving.

Notes:

Keep a bowl of water beside your mise en place or work near the sink, because you'll want to rinse egg and breadcrumbs off your fingers between layers.
Learn how to chiffonade basil. You'll feel so fancy. I know chiffonade isn't really a verb, but that's okay.
As you've probably already figured out, this won't be as crispy as eggplant parmesan made with fried eggplant, but it's a lot less trouble and probably better for you, since the eggplant won't soak up a ton of frying oil.

Printable Recipe

Blog

Looking for more instant leftovers? Try my Slow Cooker Spinach and Sausage Lasagne for The Kitchn.

Do I have to salt the eggplant?

Semi-Pro Tip: Make kids do random tasks in the kitchen. They'll put it all together soon enough and start cooking for you.

Do I have to make my own marinara?

Making your own marinara is just so damn easy. If you happen to have tomatoes, olive oil (or butter or whatever), salt, and Italian seasoning (or similar or even just one thing like oregano or basil), you're basically done.

What's a cool trick? Deglazing with tomato juice.

Is mise en place absolutely necessary?

Mise en place is great for people with A.D.D. who like to cook. In other words, people like me!

Simple Marinara Sauce

◔ Makes 6-8 cups

⧖ 30 minutes

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic purée or 5-6 cloves minced garlic

2 28oz. cans tomatoes (whole, diced, or crushed) or 3½ pounds fresh tomatoes

1 heaping tablespoon prepared pesto or a couple spoonfuls Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Melt the butter (or heat olive oil) in a tall stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until oil is sizzling. (Don't let the garlic burn. You may need to turn down the heat.)

Cut the top off of a tomato and squeeze the juices in the pan to deglaze. If using canned tomatoes, spill a splash of juice into the pan.

Add the rest of the tomatoes, pesto, salt, and tomato paste. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until any whole tomatoes have burst open, the sauce has thickened, and it tastes ready to eat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Notes:

Use a long-handled wooden spoon to press any whole tomatoes against the side of the pot to break them open as they cook. Don't look down into the pot if you're pressing little grape tomatoes, because they can burst and shoot up into your eye. It hurts.

If your tomatoes are still too chunky for your taste, hit them with a few pulses of stick blender. If you're multiplying this recipe so you'll have some to freeze, the stick blender will be a lot more efficient than smashing tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

You can use any mix of tomatoes you happen to have on hand—beefsteak, Roma, grape, cherry, whatever. I often make marinara to use up over-ripe tomatoes from the fridge. You can even mix fresh and canned.

If you make too much sauce, just freeze it. You'll use it for something.

I made this recently with some oregano and basil pesto I'd made with a handful of herbs that were about to go bad. If you happen to have those things lying around, make some pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays to be used later for seasoning.

As for the tomato paste, you can use more. You can also use less, or skip it entirely. It adds some depth, but sometimes I just use it to add color and taste to a sauce I made with tomatoes that weren't quite ripe enough. My point? Don't go to the store in the rain for this one ingredient.

Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan

◔ Serves 6-8

⧖ 30 minutes if you don't make the sauce, maybe an hour if you do. 4-5 hours cooking time.

Cooking spray

2 large eggplants, about 1 pound each

2-3 cups bread crumbs

4 cups shredded cheese (fontina, mozzarella, provolone, or a mixture)

3-4 eggs

6 cups marinara (jar or homemade)

½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, Asiago, plain old parmesan, or whatever cheese you normally use to achieve the same effect.

16 oz. linguine, spaghetti, angel hair, or whatever pasta you have in the pantry

fresh basil

dried chili flakes

Slice eggplant into ¼ to ½ inch thick rounds, lay them on a flat surface, and sprinkle them with salt. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes, then pat dry with a towel.

Spray the inside of a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Prepare your mise en place:

Sliced, salted, and blotted eggplant

Eggs, whisked in a low dish wide enough for one eggplant slice

Breadcrumbs spread on a plate. You don't have to put them all on the plate at once, but keep the excess nearby for when you need more.

Grated cheese

Marinara sauce, along with something to scoop and spread it

Start with one-quarter of your eggplant. Dredge each slice in egg, then breadcrumbs, and lay them on the bottom of the slow cooker, overlapping if necessary. Top with 1½ cups of sauce, followed by 1 cup of cheese.

Repeat for three more layers. If you have leftover bread crumbs, you can sprinkle them on top.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours, adding parmesan to the top for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Make the pasta according to the package directions, drain it in a colander, and add a splash of olive oil to the pot before transferring the pasta back to the pot. Stir it to distribute the olive oil.

Chiffonade basil and toss with pasta. Serve alongside eggplant parmesan.

Optional: Add chili flakes to each plate before serving.

Notes:

Keep a bowl of water beside your mise en place or work near the sink, because you'll want to rinse egg and breadcrumbs off your fingers between layers.

Learn how to chiffonade basil. You'll feel so fancy. I know chiffonade isn't really a verb, but that's okay.

As you've probably already figured out, this won't be as crispy as eggplant parmesan made with fried eggplant, but it's a lot less trouble and probably better for you, since the eggplant won't soak up a ton of frying oil.