Name: Eggplant and Rice Parmesan
Ingredients: 2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced, 1/2-inch thick; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2/3 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs; 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided; 3 cups cooked rice; 1 30-ounce jar prepared spaghetti sauce; 2 cups (8-ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Why it works: Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,093 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓

Eggplant and Rice Parmesan

Oven375°F

Time20 minutes

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced, 1/2-inch thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
3 cups cooked rice
1 30-ounce jar prepared spaghetti sauce
2 cups (8-ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Prepare the eggplant

Cook eggplant in oil with garlic in large skillet over medium‑high heat; set aside.
Combine breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Assemble and bake

Place eggplant slices in a 13x9‑inch glass casserole, overlapping slices if necessary.
Sprinkle eggplant with breadcrumb mixture.
Combine rice, sauce and remaining Parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
Pour mixture over eggplant.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

1014Calories

35 gProtein

29 gFat

151 gCarbs

Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 7 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Flour	1 cup (125g) all-purpose	455
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Parmesan Cheese	1 oz (28g)	110
Mozzarella Cheese	1 oz (28g)	85
Eggplant	1 cup cubed (82g)	35
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Sauce	not in our table	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Parmesan cheese + mozzarella cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together1,093 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Eggplant + garlictop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together801 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Eggplant + clovetop 6% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together154 recipes

Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
Parmesan cheese + ricetop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together879 recipes

Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Eggplant + ricetop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together111 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Eggplants: Forms the main bulk and tender layers that soften and absorb flavor while baking.
Mozzarella cheese: Melts into a stretchy layer and browns on top, adding richness and gooey texture.
Parmesan cheese: Adds savory, salty flavor and helps the breadcrumb topping brown.
Italian-style breadcrumbs: Forms a crisp, golden topping that adds texture over the soft eggplant.
Cooked rice: Adds body and bulk, soaking up sauce moisture so the layers hold together.
Spaghetti sauce: Supplies moisture and tomato acidity that keeps the casserole juicy and flavorful.

The step that matters

Cook eggplant in oil over medium-high heat. Eggplant acts like a sponge and absorbs oil quickly. Cooking it in hot oil until tender and lightly browned keeps it from turning greasy or watery in the casserole.

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (eggplant, garlic, parmesan cheese, rice, sauce, mozzarella cheese):

Basilfits better
Oreganofits better
Capersfits better
Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against eggplant, garlic, parmesan cheese, rice, sauce, mozzarella cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

Rice and Cheese Casserole23 recipes

Cheese Rice12 recipes

Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes

Rice Fritters84 recipes

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Eggplant and Rice Parmesan