If you’re looking for a delicious meatless main dish, you’ve got to try this baked eggplant parmesan. Unlike many other recipes, we bake the eggplant slices to perfection with a crispy coating, avoiding the extra oil from frying. The eggplant turns out tender on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. Trust me, this dish is so good, that even the meat lovers in your life will be asking for seconds.
For another delicious way to use eggplant, give our Oven Roasted Baba Ganoush a try!
Why Our Recipe
- Baked, not fried, for a crispy exterior with the perfect texture.
- Fresh mozzarella, marinara, and freshly grated parmesan create ooey gooey perfection.
- Clear and simple instructions make it easy to prepare a restaurant-quality dish at home.
This dish looks and tastes like something you’d order at a fancy Italian restaurant. 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. With layers of rich marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and freshly grated parmesan cheese, every bite is packed with gooey, cheesy deliciousness.
Ingredient Notes
- Eggplant: Choose firm, medium-sized eggplants with smooth, shiny skin. They should feel heavy for their size. Slice them into 1/4-inch rounds for even cooking.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the initial coating that helps the egg mixture and breadcrumbs stick to the eggplant slices.
- Eggs: Acts as the binding agent for the breadcrumbs to adhere to the eggplant slices.
- Panko: Adds extra crunch to the coating. You can find these in the baking aisle or near the regular breadcrumbs.
- Italian Style Bread Crumbs: These are pre-seasoned with Italian seasoning.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought brand or homemade marinara sauce. This adds a rich tomato flavor to the dish.
- Fresh Mozzarella: Sliced fresh mozzarella melts the best for gooeyness. If using shredded mozzarella, use the same amount (8 ounces) and sprinkle evenly.
- Fresh Basil: Best flavor when using fresh. If using dried basil, substitute 1 teaspoon dried basil for 1/4 cup fresh basil.
- Parmesan: Grating your own parmesan ensures the freshest flavor and perfect melting. Use half in the breadcrumb mixture and half for sprinkling on top.
To Peel or Not to Peel
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.
Salting Eggplant
Salting your eggplant slices before cooking is a crucial step in this recipe. This process helps draw out excess moisture from the eggplant, which can make it soggy if not removed. Additionally, salting helps to remove any potential bitterness, especially from larger eggplants. By drawing out the moisture and bitterness, you ensure that your eggplant slices bake up tender on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside, giving your eggplant parmesan the best possible texture and flavor.
Tips for Breading
Set Up an Assembly Line: Prepare your breading stations in advance. Have your flour mixture, beaten eggs, and breadcrumb mixture in separate shallow dishes. This makes the process efficient and less messy.
Dry the Slices: Make sure your eggplant slices are well-patted dry after salting. Excess moisture can prevent the breading from sticking properly.
Even Coating: Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour mixture first, ensuring it’s evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour before dipping it into the beaten eggs. Let any excess egg drip off before moving on to the breadcrumbs.
Press the Breadcrumbs: When coating the eggplant slices in the breadcrumb mixture, press the crumbs gently onto the surface to ensure they adhere well. This helps create a thicker, crispier crust.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate any leftover eggplant parmesan in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave by placing a portion of eggplant parmesan on a microwave-safe plate and covering it with a microwave-safe lid or another plate. Heat on medium power for 2 minutes, then check the eggplant. Microwave in additional 30-second increments as needed until heated through. This method is quick but may not keep the breading as crispy.
Reheat in the oven by preheating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the eggplant parmesan in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil to prevent drying out. Heat for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a crispier top, remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of reheating.
More Italian favorites…
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.
Love this recipe, easy to assemble, delicious, has become a go to recipe.
Best recipe I ever made, my family, totally loved this. Especially when the eggplant came fresh from my garden.👍👍👍
This is a recipe I use in my meatless Monday. Always a hit with hubby and even easy enough to make in the motor home. Just yummy!
Hands down the best Eggplant Parm recipe! The eggplant was perfectly crispy and using the fresh mozzarella just made it next level.
I only make this once a year when the eggplants are ready and this recipe is amazing!!! Perfect combination of ingredients and not to saucy Just perfect!!!
Made it and it turned out so yummy .I was scared it wouldn’t come out as it looks but it did not too hard to make .I will be making it for family more offen !
This was tasty but the recipe required 5 eggs for two large eggplants and would have been much better if twice the amount of sauce was used. The sauce amount was too skimpy. I cut the eggplant in 1/4 “ slices but the video looks like the slices are 1/2”. Needs more Parmesan. Low fat which was great! I will make this again and adjust quantities as needed now that I’ve made it once.
First time making this and pretty easy and very good. I only had shredded mozzarella so I used it. Next time I’m using the good stuff.
Loved this so much!!!
This recipe is SO delicious! It was my first time making eggplant Parmesan and this is now seriously a new fave in our house. Thank you!
Hi, my name is Lina and I am 100% Italian, born in Naples Italy, I never tried eggplant parmigiana the way you just showed in this recipe, I did and let me tell you, this recipe is 100% very good, I love that the eggplants are not fried, I will keep this recipe in one of my favorites recipe, and I want thank you so much for sharing the recipe on the website, I will tell everyone that I know that instead of fry eggplant for eggplants parmigiana, it can be easily made it in the oven too.