Sheet Pan Garden Veggie Parm

Sheet Pan Garden Veggie Parm
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, or a combo (about 1 pound total)
1-2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 (16-ounce) container full-fat or 2% cottage cheese (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 small clove garlic, grated or finely minced
1/2 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
1-2 ears corn, shucked, about 1.5 cups (frozen corn works great too!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven: 450 F. Adjust oven rack to the center.

2. Prep the eggplant: Trim ends, slice into 1/4 inch slabs. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer.

3. Prep the other veggies: Trim zucchini and squash, slice evenly. Trim and deseed bell peppers, slice into 1-1.5 inch strips. Toss zucchini, squash, peppers, and thinly sliced red onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Spread on a second baking sheet.

4. Roast: Bake veggies 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway, until tender.

5. Make the cottage cheese layer: In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, lemon zest, grated garlic, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. This creates a lighter ricotta-style filling.

6. Prep the panko topping: In a small bowl, stir together Parmesan, panko, dried oregano or thyme, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

7. Assemble the sheet pan: Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce over an empty sheet pan. Layer all roasted veggies on top. If using corn, cut kernels from cob and sprinkle over the vegetables. Dollop spoonfuls of the cottage cheese mixture over the veggies. Drizzle remaining sauce then spread cheese dollops and sauce to fill in large gaps. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top, then finish with the panko-Parmesan mixture.

8. Bake & broil: Bake uncovered at 450 F for 20-25 minutes until sauce is bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes to get a lightly blistered, golden top.

9. Serve: Let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh basil. Slice into rectangles or squares. Serve on it's own or with pasta, a crisp salad, or crusty bread.