Delicious Baked Eggplant Parmesan with crispy coated eggplant slices smothered in cheese and marinara.

-
What does eggplant parmesan taste like?
Eggplant parmesan tastes very similar to regular chicken parmesan. People often wonder what flavor the eggplant itself lends the dish. Eggplant has a very mild flavor, like spaghetti squash. Because it has such a mild flavor, it’s easily used in recipes that have bold flavors. In something like eggplant parmesan, the eggplant flavor itself isn’t even really tasted. -
How thick do you cut eggplant for eggplant parmesan?
Eggplant should be sliced about 1/4 inch thick when making eggplant parmesan. Simply cut off the end and slice into large, 1/4-inch thick circles. -
Do you have to peel eggplant before you cook it?
The peel of an eggplant is completely edible. However, as the eggplant grows bigger and matures, the peel may become tough and bitter. People often prefer to peel larger eggplants because of this, but smaller eggplants do just fine unpeeled. It ends up being a matter of personal preference.
If you like this recipe you may also be interested in these other eggplant recipes:

Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Best Baked Eggplant Parmesan

- 3 medium eggplants
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds. Lay out in a single layer on a paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 1 hour to release moisture.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 1-2 large baking sheets.
- Set up 3 shallow dishes for dredging. In the first dish, stir together flour, salt and pepper. In the second dish, whisk eggs. In the third dish, stir together panko bread crumbs, Italian bread crumbs, and garlic powder.
- Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture, and then coat in bread crumb mixture. Place onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Sprinkle on a light coating of parmesan cheese.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, flipping eggplant slices halfway through.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of marinara into the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 dish. Layer half of the eggplant slices onto the bottom. Top with half of the remaining marinara, and then layer on all of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle on half of the basil and half of the parmesan cheese.
- Place remaining eggplant slices on top and cover with remaining marinara, basil, and parmesan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, in the 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and the top is bubbling and lightly browned.
I’ve made this three times in three weeks! Best recipe ever – I am a terrible cook and its fool proof!
Thank you I am too, but I love eggplant, have made it a few times horrible terrible outcome, will be loving to try and make this one!
Very quick to put together. I used the Michaelangelos frozen eggplant slices which are already breaded and put this together and froze for part of our hurricane supplies this year.
Awesome idea
Very easy and very tasty! I used way more bread crumbs than recipe called for so make sure you keep them on hand. I increased the sauce measurement aswell.
Rachel I just found your blog and youtube channel today and I am blown away by the ease and simplicity of your recipes and tutorials. I saw an article on KSL and I clicked on it and loved your video about self worth, I had no idea about what your cooking tutorials would be like but I looked you up on youtube anyway. WOW! So far the videos I’ve watched have been great. No babbling and crazy exotic ingredients and fluff. It’s simplicity at its finest and makes me feel like I have a friend standing in my kitchen with… Read more »
I love your recipe and I love you your a great person. Gods blessings.
This my 3rd time making this. It is delicious . I use more cheese and more of all dry ingredients also. What it t calls for to me isn’t quite enough. I even had to use another egg to get all the slices coated. It does take a lot of time and I had to read instructions carefully. But it is very very good.
Just made this recipe and loved it. However, 2 eggs did not do it, I actually used 4!!!!
Best Eggplant Parmesan ever!
Never thought anything could be SO easy and SO delicious! I”ve been making eggplant parmesan from “scratch” for years. It always tasted good but was a huge production. Finding this recipe was wonderful. I made it exactly as written ingredient wise. I shortened the sweating process by about fifteen minutes and baked at 425 degrees from start to finish. Had plenty of fresh basil in the garden. Cheated on the marinara sauce using a 24 ounce jar of Classico sauce with plum tomatoes.
Probably not going to make my former L O N G recipe ever again! Thank You.
Made this for the first time tonight. Absolutely wonderful. Will never fry eggplant again for this dish. Definitely a keeper recipe.
My wife and I just love this recipe. The first bake is just so much better than frying (as my mother used to do). It makes the eggplant so meaty and satisfying, we use it as a main course with a side salad.
I love this recipe and have made it four times now. It is so tasty and the neighbours I have shared with believe it is the best EggPlant Parmesan they have ever eaten. It is a go to meatless meal and I tell everyone where the recipe is…..you get the credit!!! Hmmmmm, they wait for me to make it!!!
i always love your recipes and they are not hard to complete. You are lovely to watch and listen to. Keep up the goodwork.
I love all your recipies!
Blessings for you & your family
Has anyone tried skipping the salt sprinkling/“sweating” of the eggplants? I wonder if it really makes much difference.
love this recipe! made it a couple of times!