This baked eggplant parmesan recipe is crispy, cheesy, and full of flavor! It’s an easy vegetarian dinner that’s perfect for weeknight meals or entertaining guests.
If there’s one Italian dish I can’t get enough of, it’s Eggplant Parmesan! There’s something so satisfying those golden brown breaded eggplant slices covered with tangy tomato sauce and stretchy melted cheese.
For years I’ve been researching and testing to find the best way to make my favorite vegetarian dinner at home. This baked eggplant parmesan recipe has become my go-to version because it brings all that traditional Italian flavor without the mess of frying! I’ve simplified the process so you can make eggplant parm at home in about an hour. I like this version more than what I can get at a restaurant!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This eggplant parmesan recipe strikes the perfect balance between authentic Italian flavors and practical home cooking:
- Baked, not fried: The eggplant gets crispy and golden in a hot oven: no need to fry it.
- Quick prep: You’ll only salt the eggplant for 10 minutes instead of the traditional 1 hour, which cuts down significantly on prep time. (I have a need for speed in the kitchen and figured out this trick!)
- Incredible flavor: Fire-roasted tomatoes and fresh basil create a tomato sauce that tastes homemade in minutes.
- Crowd-pleaser: This vegetarian main course satisfies even the most devoted meat-eaters with its hearty, satisfying layers.
- Customizable: The recipe works with gluten-free breadcrumbs or dairy-free cheese alternatives.
5 Star Reader Reviews
“This eggplant parmigiana recipe is absolutely thee best!!! My husband and I worked our little assembly line of flouring, egg dip then crumb top so the process was seamless and so easy. Love love
This is a must-do!!” -Suzette H.
“Made this tonight. Love the adaptation of the tomato sauce to add paprika and sugar smells and tastes divine. Excellent! Thank you!!” -Elizabeth S.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Eggplant Parmesan (eggplant Parmigiana) is a classic Italian dish made with layers of breaded eggplant, cheese, and tomato sauce, then baked until bubbly. Known as parmigiana di melanzane in Italian, it comes from the Southern regions of Calabria and Sicily but is now served all over the world. Here’s what you’ll need for homemade baked eggplant Parmesan:
- Eggplant: Size matters here: massive eggplant rounds don’t look quite as nice in the dish. The key is using 2 pounds of eggplant, and you’ll get about 18 to 20 sliced rounds.
- All-purpose flour, eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, and panko: This mixture is used for dredging the eggplant. For gluten-free, you can substitute almond flour or 1-for-1 gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko (see this Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan recipe).
- Fire roasted crushed tomatoes, garlic, dried oregano, basil, and olive oil: Fire roasted tomatoes make the best flavor for the sauce: they taste sweet and smoky right out of the can. If you can’t find them, substitute best quality tomatoes with 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Fresh basil is also key to the flavor.
- Shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese: If you can find it, whole milk mozzarella melts better than part skim and has a richer flavor. For vegan, go to my Vegan Eggplant Parmesan recipe.
How to Make Eggplant Parmesan
This baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe is faster and easier than most recipes, but it still takes about 1 hour to make and bake. Keep this in mind in your meal prepping (and review the notes below on make ahead tips). Here are a few notes about the process:
- Place salt on the eggplant for just 10 minutes. This seasons them prior to baking. Many recipes require salting the eggplant for 1 hour, but this is not necessary. In the past, people would do this to remove a bitter flavor, but today’s eggplants are bred to be less bitter. Salting also allows the eggplant to release moisture, but that’s not as important with this baked method as with frying.
- Dredge the eggplant in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Doing this provides the crunchy outer coating for the eggplant rounds. This gets messy, so I usually wipe my fingers after every few slices.
- Bake the eggplant until crispy, about 20 minutes at 425°F, flipping once. The hot oven makes them crispy and golden brown: like frying but with no extra oil!
- Make the quick tomato sauce. Mix crushed tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and olive oil.
- Layer the eggplant with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Tips for Success
Avoid soggy eggplant parm: The key to crispy, not soggy eggplant parmesan is baking at high heat (425°F) and flipping the slices halfway through. Don’t skip the flip: it ensures even browning on both sides.
Get even slices: Cutting uniform ½-inch slices helps everything cook evenly. Too thin and they’ll get mushy; too thick and the centers won’t cook through properly. Check out my guide on how to cut eggplant.
Keep the skin on: I always leave the skin on eggplant for eggplant parmesan. It helps the slices hold together during breading and baking, plus it adds nutrients and a slightly firmer texture that prevents the eggplant from becoming mushy.
Let it rest: Those 5 minutes of resting time after baking aren’t optional. The cheese needs time to set slightly so when you cut into the eggplant parmesan, the layers hold together instead of sliding apart.
Storing leftovers and make-ahead tips
This Eggplant Parmesan recipe takes about 1 hour to make, so it’s not a good weeknight dinner candidate. I usually make it on the weekends, but you can also meal prep some of the components. This recipe also freezes well. Here are a few tips:
- Bake the eggplant slices in advance. This saves about 40 minutes! Refrigerate the slices, then layer the dish and bake the day of making.
- Leftovers store refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can make the entire dish in advance and refrigerate, but it’s so good freshly baked that we recommend the above option for make-ahead.
- Freeze leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Place on the counter or in the refrigerator to thaw, or you can place it right into a 375F oven and reheat until warmed through and the cheese is melted. Drain any excess liquid before serving.
What to Serve With It
Traditionally, Eggplant Parmigiana is served with pasta. But you can also serve with salads, sauteed veggies and more. It makes a hearty, crowd-pleasing vegetarian dinner that’s great for parties and impressing a crowd. Here are a few ideas:
- Pasta: Traditionally, eggplant parmigiana is served alongside pasta, like angel hair pasta or linguine pasta
- Fresh salads: I love serving with my favorite chopped salad, a bright an peppery arugula salad, or a classic Caesar salad. A kale Caesar salad is another nice option.
- Bread: I like like adding a nice crusty bread or garlic bread.
- Simple vegetables: Keep vegetable sides simple and Italian-inspired, and make them on the stovetop since the oven is full! Try my green beans almondine, sauteed broccolini, roasted broccolini, sauteed vegetables, sauteed rainbow chard, or sauteed kale.
Dietary Notes
This baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free, use almond flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs or go to Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan. For vegan, to to Vegan Eggplant Parmesan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I always leave the skin on. The skin helps the eggplant slices hold their shape during breading, baking, and layering. It also adds beneficial nutrients and fiber. The skin becomes tender as the eggplant cooks and adds a nice texture to the finished dish. Peeling is unnecessary and actually makes the slices harder to work with.
Soggy eggplant parmesan usually results from a few issues: not baking at high enough heat (you need 425°F for crispy results), not flipping the eggplant slices during baking, overcrowding the baking sheets so steam gets trapped, or using too much sauce. Make sure your oven is fully preheated, arrange the breaded slices in a single layer with space between them, and flip them halfway through baking. Also, using whole milk mozzarella instead of part-skim helps because it has better melting properties and less excess moisture.
Yes! This is one of the best make-ahead Italian dishes. You can bake the breaded eggplant slices and make the sauce up to a day in advance, then store them separately and assemble when ready to bake. Or, assemble the entire dish and refrigerate unbaked for up to 24 hours before baking. Already-baked eggplant parmesan reheats well: cover and warm in a 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
The best cheese combination uses both mozzarella and Parmesan. For the mozzarella layers, I strongly recommend whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella cheese. It melts beautifully, creates those iconic cheese pulls, and has a rich, creamy flavor. Part-skim mozzarella can be rubbery and releases more moisture, which can make your dish watery. For the Parmesan, use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for the best nutty, savory flavor.
Easy Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Pin Recipe
Print RecipeThis baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe (aka eggplant parmigiana) is classic Italian comfort food at its finest, with crispy eggplant rounds, savory marinara, and gooey cheese. We’ve tested our recipe over and over to make it easier than most homemade versions, and it’s a total crowd pleaser!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 to 8
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant (about 2 medium large)
- ¾ cup flour*
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup plain panko (or purchased or homemade breadcrumbs)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, divided
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 28 ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes*
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 handful fresh basil, chopped, plus more to garnish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese***
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut off the ends of the eggplant and cut it into 1/2-inch slices (to make approximately 18 slices). Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt divided between the slices, and allow them to sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the breading ingredients. (Don’t wipe off any salt or extra moisture.)
- Place the flour on a plate. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and set it aside. In another shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons oregano, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and set it aside.
- Dip both sides of each eggplant slice into the flour, then the eggs, then the Parmesan cheese mixture. Place each slice onto the prepared baking sheets. (Note: This gets messy; you may need to wash or wipe your fingers off after every few slices.)
- Place the trays in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until tender and golden brown.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the fire roasted tomatoes, grated garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, chopped fresh basil, and olive oil. Mix well until all the olive oil is incorporated.
- Remove the eggplant from the oven. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13″ pan. Add half the baked eggplant in a layer (about 9 slices), then top with 1 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Add the second layer of eggplant (we like to add them right on top of the first layer to make 9 stacks). Top with another 1 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup shredded mozzarella on each stack. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and browned. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then top with additional chopped basil and serve. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days (or frozen for 3 months); reheat in the oven until warm.
Notes
*You’ll have about ⅓ cup flour left over and about 1 egg, but it’s easier for the breading. There also may be some panko left over. These items are not included in the nutritional info.
**Fire roasted tomatoes make the best flavor: they taste sweet and smoky right out of the can. If you can’t find them, substitute best quality tomatoes with 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Or, use 1 ½ cups best quality marinara sauce.
***Whole milk mozzarella cheese melts much better than part skim mozzarella, and has a richer flavor. It also melts better when reheating leftovers.
More eggplant recipes
Love working with this tasty vegetable? Here are a few more eggplant recipes you’ll love:
- Bake up stunning eggplant lasagna or eggplant rollatini.
- Try our eggplant meatballs, roasted eggplant or sauteed eggplant.
- Opt for eggplant caponata.
- Try Japanese eggplant, or grab roasted eggplant pasta.
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/worhNmf
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