Simple Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

This baked eggplant parmesan recipe is crispy, tacky, and stuffed with taste! It’s a straightforward vegetarian dinner that’s good for weeknight meals or entertaining visitors.

If there’s one Italian dish I can’t get sufficient of, it’s Eggplant Parmesan! There’s one thing so satisfying these golden brown breaded eggplant slices coated with tangy tomato sauce and stretchy melted cheese.

For years I’ve been researching and testing to search out the easiest way to make my favourite vegetarian dinner at house. This baked eggplant parmesan recipe has change into my go-to model as a result of it brings all that conventional Italian taste with out the mess of frying! I’ve simplified the method so you may make eggplant parm at house in about an hour. I like this model greater than what I can get at a restaurant!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This eggplant parmesan recipe strikes the proper stability between genuine Italian flavors and sensible house cooking:

Baked, not fried: The eggplant will get crispy and golden in a scorching oven: no must fry it.
Fast prep: You’ll solely salt the eggplant for 10 minutes as an alternative of the normal 1 hour, which cuts down considerably on prep time. (I’ve a necessity for velocity within the kitchen and discovered this trick!)
Unbelievable taste: Fireplace-roasted tomatoes and recent basil create a tomato sauce that tastes selfmade in minutes.
Crowd-pleaser: This vegetarian important course satisfies even probably the most devoted meat-eaters with its hearty, satisfying layers.
Customizable: The recipe works with gluten-free breadcrumbs or dairy-free cheese options.

5 Star Reader Evaluations

“This eggplant parmigiana recipe is totally thee greatest!!! My husband and I labored our little meeting line of flouring, egg dip then crumb prime so the method was seamless and really easy. Love love It is a must-do!!” -Suzette H.

“Made this tonight. Love the difference of the tomato sauce so as to add paprika and sugar smells and tastes divine. Wonderful! Thanks!!” -Elizabeth S.

Elements You’ll Want

Eggplant Parmesan (eggplant Parmigiana) is a traditional Italian dish made with layers of breaded eggplant, cheese, and tomato sauce, then baked till bubbly. Often called parmigiana di melanzane in Italian, it comes from the Southern areas of Calabria and Sicily however is now served all around the world. Right here’s what you’ll want for selfmade baked eggplant Parmesan:

Eggplant: Dimension issues right here: large eggplant rounds don’t look fairly as good within the dish. The secret’s utilizing 2 kilos of eggplant, and also you’ll get about 18 to twenty sliced rounds.
All-purpose flour, eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, and panko: This combination is used for dredging the eggplant. For gluten-free, you’ll be able to substitute almond flour or 1-for-1 gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko (see this Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan recipe).
Fireplace roasted crushed tomatoes, garlic, dried oregano, basil, and olive oil: Fireplace roasted tomatoes make the most effective taste for the sauce: they style candy and smoky proper out of the can. When you can’t discover them, substitute very best quality tomatoes with 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Recent basil can also be key to the flavour.
Shredded entire milk mozzarella cheese: If you will discover it, entire milk mozzarella melts higher than half skim and has a richer taste. For vegan, go to my Vegan Eggplant Parmesan recipe.

How one can Make Eggplant Parmesan

This baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe is quicker and simpler than most recipes, nevertheless it nonetheless takes about 1 hour to make and bake. Preserve this in thoughts in your meal prepping (and assessment the notes beneath on make forward suggestions). Listed below are a couple of notes in regards to the course of:

Place salt on the eggplant for simply 10 minutes. This seasons them previous to baking. Many recipes require salting the eggplant for 1 hour, however this isn’t essential. Previously, individuals would do that to take away a bitter taste, however immediately’s eggplants are bred to be much less bitter. Salting additionally permits the eggplant to launch moisture, however that’s not as necessary with this baked methodology as with frying.
Dredge the eggplant in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Doing this offers the crunchy outer coating for the eggplant rounds. This will get messy, so I often wipe my fingers after each few slices.
Bake the eggplant till crispy, about 20 minutes at 425°F, flipping as soon as. The recent oven makes them crispy and golden brown: like frying however with no further oil!
Make the fast tomato sauce. Combine crushed tomatoes, garlic, recent basil and olive oil.
Layer the eggplant with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese in a baking dish. Bake for quarter-hour till the cheese is bubbly.

Ideas for Success

Keep away from soggy eggplant parm: The important thing to crispy, not soggy eggplant parmesan is baking at excessive warmth (425°F) and flipping the slices midway by. Don’t skip the flip: it ensures even browning on each side.

Get even slices: Chopping uniform ½-inch slices helps every little thing cook dinner evenly. Too skinny and so they’ll get mushy; too thick and the facilities gained’t cook dinner by correctly. Try my information on learn how to lower eggplant.

Preserve the pores and skin on: I at all times depart the pores and skin on eggplant for eggplant parmesan. It helps the slices maintain collectively throughout breading and baking, plus it provides vitamins and a barely firmer texture that forestalls the eggplant from turning into mushy.

Let it relaxation: These 5 minutes of resting time after baking aren’t non-obligatory. The cheese wants time to set barely so while you lower into the eggplant parmesan, the layers maintain collectively as an alternative of sliding aside.

Storing leftovers and make-ahead suggestions

This Eggplant Parmesan recipe takes about 1 hour to make, so it’s not weeknight dinner candidate. I often make it on the weekends, however you too can meal prep a few of the elements. This recipe additionally freezes nicely. Listed below are a couple of suggestions:

Bake the eggplant slices upfront. This protects about 40 minutes! Refrigerate the slices, then layer the dish and bake the day of creating.
Leftovers retailer refrigerated for as much as 3 days. You may make all the dish upfront and refrigerate, nevertheless it’s so good freshly baked that we suggest the above possibility for make-ahead.
Freeze leftovers in a sealed container for as much as 3 months. Place on the counter or within the fridge to thaw, or you’ll be able to place it proper right into a 375F oven and reheat till warmed by and the cheese is melted. Drain any extra liquid earlier than serving.

What to Serve With It

Historically, Eggplant Parmigiana is served with pasta. However you too can serve with salads, sauteed veggies and extra. It makes a hearty, crowd-pleasing vegetarian dinner that’s nice for events and impressing a crowd. Listed below are a couple of concepts:

Pasta: Historically, eggplant parmigiana is served alongside pasta, like angel hair pasta or linguine pasta
Recent salads: I like serving with my favourite chopped salad, a brilliant an peppery arugula salad, or a traditional Caesar salad. A kale Caesar salad is one other good possibility.
Bread: I like like including a pleasant crusty bread or garlic bread.
Easy greens: Preserve vegetable sides easy and Italian-inspired, and make them on the stovetop for the reason that oven is full! Attempt my inexperienced beans almondine, sauteed broccolini, roasted broccolini, sauteed greens, sauteed rainbow chard, or sauteed kale.

Linguine Pasta

Chopped Salad

Garlic Bread

Inexperienced Beans Almondine

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.

Incessantly Requested Questions

Do you permit the pores and skin on eggplant for Eggplant Parmesan?

Sure, I at all times depart the pores and skin on. The pores and skin helps the eggplant slices maintain their form throughout breading, baking, and layering. It additionally provides useful vitamins and fiber. The pores and skin turns into tender because the eggplant cooks and provides a pleasant texture to the completed dish. Peeling is pointless and really makes the slices more durable to work with.

Why is my Eggplant Parmesan soggy?

Soggy eggplant parmesan often outcomes from a couple of points: not baking at excessive sufficient warmth (you want 425°F for crispy outcomes), not flipping the eggplant slices throughout baking, overcrowding the baking sheets so steam will get trapped, or utilizing an excessive amount of sauce. Be certain your oven is absolutely preheated, prepare the breaded slices in a single layer with house between them, and flip them midway by baking. Additionally, utilizing entire milk mozzarella as an alternative of part-skim helps as a result of it has higher melting properties and fewer extra moisture.

Can Eggplant Parmesan be made forward of time and reheated?

Sure! This is without doubt one of the greatest make-ahead Italian dishes. You’ll be able to bake the breaded eggplant slices and make the sauce as much as a day upfront, then retailer them individually and assemble when able to bake. Or, assemble all the dish and refrigerate unbaked for as much as 24 hours earlier than baking. Already-baked eggplant parmesan reheats nicely: cowl and heat in a 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes till heated by. It additionally freezes nicely for as much as 3 months.

What’s the most effective cheese to make use of for Eggplant Parmesan?

The most effective cheese mixture makes use of each mozzarella and Parmesan. For the mozzarella layers, I strongly suggest entire milk, low-moisture mozzarella cheese. It melts fantastically, creates these iconic cheese pulls, and has a wealthy, creamy taste. Half-skim mozzarella might be rubbery and releases extra moisture, which might make your dish watery. For the Parmesan, use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for the most effective nutty, savory taste.

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 16 evaluations

This baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe (aka eggplant parmigiana) is traditional Italian consolation meals at its most interesting, with crispy eggplant rounds, savory marinara, and gooey cheese. We’ve examined our recipe again and again to make it simpler than most selfmade variations, and it’s a complete crowd pleaser!

Writer: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook dinner Time: 35 minutes
Complete Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 to eight
Class: Most important Dish
Methodology: Baked
Delicacies: Italian Impressed
Weight loss program: Vegetarian

Elements

2 kilos eggplant (about 2 medium giant)
¾ cup flour*
3 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup plain panko (or bought or selfmade breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon dried oregano, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
28 ounces fireplace roasted crushed tomatoes*
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 handful recent basil, chopped, plus extra to garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded entire milk mozzarella cheese***

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Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 levels Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Minimize off the ends of the eggplant and lower it into 1/2-inch slices (to make roughly 18 slices). Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt divided between the slices, and permit them to sit down for 10 minutes when you put together the breading elements. (Don’t wipe off any salt or further moisture.)
Place the flour on a plate. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and set it apart. In one other shallow bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons oregano, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and set it apart.
Dip each side of every eggplant slice into the flour, then the eggs, then the Parmesan cheese combination. Place every slice onto the ready baking sheets. (Be aware: This will get messy; you might want to scrub or wipe your fingers off after each few slices.)
Place the trays within the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake 10 to fifteen minutes extra, till tender and golden brown.
In the meantime, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the hearth roasted tomatoes, grated garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, chopped recent basil, and olive oil. Combine nicely till all of the olive oil is integrated.
Take away the eggplant from the oven. Unfold 1 cup of the tomato sauce within the backside of a 9 x 13″ pan. Add half the baked eggplant in a layer (about 9 slices), then prime with 1 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Add the second layer of eggplant (we like so as to add them proper on prime of the primary layer to make 9 stacks). High with one other 1 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup shredded mozzarella on every stack. High with the remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake for quarter-hour till the cheese is melted and browned. Enable to chill for five minutes, then prime with extra chopped basil and serve. Retailer leftovers refrigerated for as much as 3 days (or frozen for 3 months); reheat within the oven till heat.

Notes

*You’ll have about &frac13; cup flour left over and about 1 egg, nevertheless it’s simpler for the breading. There additionally could also be some panko left over. This stuff should not included within the dietary information.

**Fireplace roasted tomatoes make the most effective taste: they style candy and smoky proper out of the can. When you can’t discover them, substitute very best quality tomatoes with 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Or, use 1 ½ cups very best quality marinara sauce.

***Complete milk mozzarella cheese melts a lot better than half skim mozzarella, and has a richer taste. It additionally melts higher when reheating leftovers.

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Extra eggplant recipes

Love working with this tasty vegetable? Listed below are a couple of extra eggplant recipes you’ll love:

Bake up beautiful eggplant lasagna or eggplant rollatini.
Attempt our eggplant meatballs, roasted eggplant or sauteed eggplant.
Go for eggplant caponata.
Attempt Japanese eggplant, or seize roasted eggplant pasta.