- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup quinoa
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (such as Hunt's®)
- 1 (16 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 (16 ounce) package shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant slices a single layer at a time, replenishing oil between batches, until golden brown and soft, about 1 minute per side.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add turkey and onion; cook and stir until turkey is crumbled and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa and season with salt and pepper. Pour in spaghetti sauce; cook until sauce is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Spread a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Top with even layers of eggplant slices and Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat layering sauce, eggplant, and cheese, ending with sauce on top. Spread mozzarella cheese evenly on top. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until top is golden, about 15 minutes more.