Keto Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic ‘Bread’ with Eggplant
By Carine Claudepierre
Published on 10/14/2015 - Last updated on 10/26/2023
This recipe may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you are obsessed with garlic bread, but you don’t want to max out your carbs intake, this Keto Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread recipe is for you. The surprising thing about this recipe is the whole eggplant which works as a bread substitute.
These eggplants are generously coated with garlic and herbs olive oil and then stuffed with grated mozzarella cheese. The result is absolutely surprising. Each bite is tender, and cheesy with a lovely garlic taste. You won’t believe it’s made with eggplant!
Is Garlic Bread Keto-Friendly?
Classic Garlic Bread is made from a traditional bread loaf, and therefore it contains high-carb wheat flour. A small slice of a typical garlic bread loaf would reach about 50 grams of net carbs!
Compare this with the 3.7 grams per serving with this recipe!
Is Eggplant Keto-Friendly?
Eggplant, also called Aubergine, is a low-carb vegetable with about 5.5 grams of net carbs per 100g.
How To Make Keto Pull-Apart Eggplant
It’s very easy to make this recipe if you are craving garlic bread!
Ingredients
Let’s see what ingredients you need:
- Eggplants – Eggplants are low-carb vegetables. They tend to have slightly higher carbs when cooked, but a fair amount of them are surprisingly in the skin. Don’t eat the skin to reduce your carbs even more!
- Grated Mozzarella – to bring the perfect melted cheese experience. Mozzarella is a perfectly keto-friendly dairy product.
- Olive Oil
- Garlic – use some fresh cloves.
- Cilantro – for a fresh taste.
- Salt
Making the Breadless Keto Garlic Bread
To make this breadless garlic bread, all you need is an oven, a knife, and 5 minutes of preparation!
Start by washing your eggplants thoroughly.
Then prepare a garlic paste by combining olive oil, garlic, and cilantro in a small ball.
Slice the eggplant in half, then cut them in a wafer pattern.
Use your fingers to stuff the interstices with the garlic mixture and the shredded mozzarella.
Repeat several times to make alternating layers of garlic and cheese!
Baking Pull-Apart Eggplant
Once all the eggplant halves are stuffed, place the eggplants on a baking sheet and wrap the eggplants in aluminum foil.
This will ensure you get the best baking and will melt the cheese to perfection.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in your oven preheated to 350°F (180°C).
Tasting The Garlic Eggplant
I wasn’t sure how it would hold together as eggplants can soften very fast when baked in the oven. But lucky me, the result was exactly what I was hoping it would be.
Big bites of baked eggplants with lots of cheese strings. I actually couldn’t believe it wasn’t bread. It was so soft, and it melts in your mouth as a buttery garlic bread should do.
It was really amazing. Read the step-by-step instructions below to guide you through this process. It’s a bit messy to prepare, as you will have a lot of marinade and cheese all over the benchtop, but it’s worth it!
Last thing! If you want to make a similar recipe with no dairy and low calories, just don’t add cheese and instead stuff the eggplant with lots of minced fresh herbs mixed in tomato paste.
Follow the same baking instructions, wrap the eggplant into a large piece of foil and close very well to not let the moisture out. It will be delicious!
Storage Instructions
You can store the cooked cheesy eggplants for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Rewarm them in the oven or in the air fryer for 10 minutes.
Similar Appetizer Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, you’ll love these other keto-friendly appetizers!
Did You Like This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page for tips, our Instagram page for inspiration, our Pinterest for saving recipes, and Flipboard to get all the new ones!
Low-carb Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic “Bread” Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 Eggplants
- 1 cup Grated Mozzarella
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Clove
- 4 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
- Salt pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Wash the eggplant and dry with a towel or absorbent paper.
- In a mixing bowl add the olive oil, chopped coriander, finely crushed garlic – I used a garlic press to squeeze more taste. It makes a very thin garlic paste and prevents garlic bites into the mixture. Adjust with salt and pepper if you like.
- Using a small and sharp knife, cut lines lengthwise into the eggplant but don't cut all the way through the eggplant as you would do for classic garlic bread.
- Now cut lines perpendicularly to make cubes. Same here, don't cut all the way through, as you don't want to cut the bottom of the eggplant.
- Use your finger to gently open the cracks between each eggplant cube, and using a teaspoon, insert the garlic oil mixture into each crack. You can also use a silicone pastry brush. It helps spread the mixture to the bottom of each crack and gets the flavors all around the eggplant.
- Proceed the same way to insert the grated cheese. It's a bit of a messy process and you have to proceed carefully, gently stuffing each crack with cheese without breaking the eggplant cubes.
- Place the stuffed eggplant onto a long piece of thick aluminum foil paper and wrap the eggplant into the foil. Leave some space on the top not to let the foil stick to the melting cheese. Close well as you want to keep the moisture into the foil paper papillote. Using thick foil paper accelerates the baking process keeping the warmth in the papillote.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and all the cheese is melted and runny.
- Remove from the oven and serve on a plate.
- Let cool down for 5 minutes before eating as it will be very hot.
- You can prepare these eggplants 24 hours before and bake them before serving. Stuff the eggplant, wrap it in foil, and store it in the fridge until needed.
Tools
Getting Started What Is Keto? Macro Calculator Sweetener Converter Intermittent Fasting Keto Fruits Keto Vegetables Keto Flours Fighting Keto Flu Healthy SweetenersWant My Kitchen Equipment?
Nutrition
About The Author
Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, published author of a cookbook, and founder of Sweet As Honey.
I have an Accredited Certificate in Nutrition and Wellness obtained in 2014 from Well College Global (formerly Cadence Health). I'm passionate about sharing all my easy and tasty recipes that are both delicious and healthy. My expertise in the field comes from my background in chemistry and years of following a keto low-carb diet. But I'm also well versed in vegetarian and vegan cooking since my husband is vegan.
I now eat a more balanced diet where I alternate between keto and a Mediterranean Diet
Cooking and Baking is my true passion. In fact, I only share a small portion of my recipes on Sweet As Honey. Most of them are eaten by my husband and my two kids before I have time to take any pictures!
All my recipes are at least triple tested to make sure they work and I take pride in keeping them as accurate as possible.
Browse all my recipes with my Recipe Index.
I hope that you too find the recipes you love on Sweet As Honey!
Posted In:
Category:
BreadDisclaimer
The recipes, instructions, and articles on this website should not be taken or used as medical advice. You must consult with your doctor before starting on a keto or low-carb diet. The nutritional data provided on Sweetashoney is to be used as indicative only.
The nutrition data is calculated using WP Recipe Maker. Net Carbs is calculated by removing the fiber and some sweeteners from the total Carbohydrates. As an example, a recipe with 10 grams of Carbs per 100 grams that contains 3 grams of erythritol and 5 grams of fiber will have a net carbs content of 2 grams. Some sweeteners are excluded because they are not metabolized.
You should always calculate the nutritional data yourself instead of relying on Sweetashoney's data. Sweetashoney and its recipes and articles are not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose, or treat any disease. Sweetashoney cannot be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or advice found on the Website.
Share this post!
If you enjoyed this post, share it with your close ones!
Leave a comment
I love your recipes.
Thank you! So glad you found my blog, Enjoy, XOXO Carine
I have enjoyed reading the comments for this recipe.
incidentally eggplant is known as aubergine in U.K. we use coriander and buy it in the supermarket as a plant (potted) or in a pack near the chilli peppers.
I am French and we also call eggplant “une aurbergine” in French. I am surprise that you also use the same word in England, very interesting ! Enjoy the recipes on the blog, XOXO Carine.
I just baked this and my eggplant did not become soft (well, softer than not cooked, but…) or melt in my mouth. The final result isn’t bad, but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Thanks for the recipe and easy to follow instructions. 🙂
It probably means that your eggplant was bigger than mine and required a longer cooking time. It is great to check the texture by opening the foil, prick with a knife and see. If it is not soft and moist, close the foil again and return to the oven by extra 10 minutes burst. That is what I would recommend to get the eggplant soften, moist and juicy. Enjoy the recipes on the blog and thank YOU so much for trying out some of them. XOXO Carine.
It’s not bread? Why the misleading title?
It is not a proper bread but when you are on a low carb diet you don’t eat regular bread. You tend to call ‘bread’ anything that looks like a bread with the same taste without the carbs! That is exactly what this pull appart eggplant garlic bread is about. It taste like garlic bread but there is no carbs!
Could this be cooked in a slow cooker on low
Hi Wanda, I don’t have a slow cooker so I am not sure how it will cook in there. I am worried that a slow cooker soften too much the eggplant and that you won’t be able to pull appart the bites on the top. Let me know if you try though ! I am sure that many others readers would love to use a slow cooker for that recipe 🙂 Thanks for reading the blog and testing my recipes !!! xoxo Carine.
I tried mine with parmesan cheese and it was lovely!!! a full family hit!!! had to bake it longer though, a full 45 minutes! thank you!!
Hi Andrea, Parmesan looks like a great combo with eggplant. I must try next time! I guess the baking time really depends on the eggplant size too. I noticed that if I have a hue eggplant it took longer too. Thanks for trying my recipes and sticking around with me! xoxo Carine.
Whenever I have cooked eggplant in the past, I have always peeled the skins…Do you eat the skins too? Do you think it would work good with peeling it? Or would it not cook well?
Hi Marlene,
I love eggplant skin. When it is well cooked in the oven it gets tender and soft. I never tried this recipe peeling the eggplant – I am not sure if the eggplant flesh will hold well without the skin. If you try let me know! It is an interesting experience. Enjoy the recipe on the blog! Carine.
Hi, I was wondering if you could use jarred pesto sauce in place of the oil mixture?
Hi Susan, I am sure it will work. It is a great idea and it will even had a lovely taste to the eggplant! It may change the cooking time – you may have to cook the eggplant longer – as olive oil is slightly more moist. Enjoy ! Carine.
Where can I find fresh coriander ? I never see it at the market, and on the spice isle it is ground seed.
In the US it is usually in the fresh vegetable area wirh tbe fresh parsley It is called Cilantro.
Amazing ! thanks for adding this precision. XOXO Carine.
Look for Cilantro!
Hi Teresa, I am not sure where you live but if you are based in New Zealand too I buy coriander from any Pak n Save or Countdown (Woolworth) store. It is usually sold in the fridge where you buy packaged lettuce. You can also buy a plant for few dollars in a plant store. It grows easily in the kitchen. However, if you don’t find coriander I recommend to substitute with parsley or basil. It goes very well with eggplant too. Enjoy!
Might be worth noting that coriander leaves are known as cilantro in many parts of the world, I assume that is what is wanted for this recipe? Or rather cilantro seeds are known as coriander?
Yes Rob I used coriander leaves but as I am French I did not know that some others part of the world use the word cilantro. I will update that in the recipe for sure! Thanks Rob for this great input 🙂 Carine.
Pardon, je ne parle pas bien, mais cette recette est BRILLIANTE! Je le fait ce soir et je ne peux pas attendre pour faire à nouveau!! Merci!
Hi Sara, thank you for putting so much effort to write in my birth language! it means a lot to me. Your French is really good! J’espere que vous aimerez cette recette d’aubergine au four. Elle as beaucoup de succes avec ma petite fille de 3 ans. A bientot sur le blog pour d’autres recettes ! Carine.
I have a question.
How about the bitter taste which is often present when cooking with eggplant unless the slices are salted and drained?
Hi Valerie, I never found eggplant bitter and I cook eggplant in many dishes like ratatouille without adding a salt/drain process. In this recipe the eggplant is wrapped in foil then baked. The foil maintain the moisture coming out from the veggie and spread the garlic olive oil flavour from all around the eggplant. It taste absolutely amazing to me, a lot like garlic bread. If you love eggplant try this you will be surprised it is delicious!
I too have never salted eggplant [brinjal] I cook slices of eggplant in a flat pan in the oven with garlic butter.
No bitterness!
publish my e-mail if you want!