Eggplant Parmesan

Breaded slices of eggplant, lots of cheese, and marinara sauce make up this Eggplant Parmesan that the whole family will love.

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We love throwing in a meatless main dish every now and then, and this Eggplant Parmesan is one of the best! For more meatless mains, try this Baked Ravioli, Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash, or Roasted Red Pepper Linguine.

I have a family full of meat eaters. But I still try to incorporate a meat-free meal sometimes. And that is usually met with some resistance.

But this Eggplant Parmesan was not only eaten by every member of my family, but most of them went back for seconds.

That is when you know you have a winner.

Ingredients

• Eggplant: The star of the show! Choose eggplants that are firm, but not hard. You also want to make sure the skin is shiny and free from a lot of blemishes.
• Salt: You will salt the eggplant before you fry the slices to help some with the bitterness. It will also help with the texture of the eggplant. I like to use Kosher salt, but sea salt will work, as well.
• Flour: The flour is to coat the eggplant slices so that the egg will have something to hand onto. I use all-purpose flour.
• Eggs: The eggs will help the breading to stay on the eggplant. Make sure the eggs are whisked well to break up the eggs completely.
• Breadcrumbs: I will just use store bought Italian breadcrumbs, but homemade will work!
• Olive Oil: I like to use extra-virgin olive oil to fry the eggplant slices.
• Marinara Sauce: If you have the time to make homemade Marinara Sauce, it is totally worth it. If not, just make sure you use a brand that you really love.
• Mozzarella: My first choice is to use fresh mozzarella and slice it myself. You can also use shredded mozzarella.
• Parmesan: I like freshly grated Parmesan because it melts better.

How to Make Eggplant Parmesan

1 – Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices. Place them on a cooling rack and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let them sit for about an hour. (I like to put paper towels underneath to catch any draining liquid or salt.)

2 – Take a paper towel and blot off any excess salt and liquid.

3 – Working with a slice of eggplant a time, dip the slice into the flour, lightly coating each side.

4 – Next dip the slice into the eggs.

5 – Now dip the eggplant into the breadcrumbs, coating each side well.

6 – Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the eggplant until golden brown on both sides.

7 – Now it’s time to assemble! Spread a layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

8 – Top with a layer of the fried eggplant. You want to keep it in one layer as best as possible.

9 – Layer on half of the mozzarella cheese.

10 – Then sprinkle on half of the parmesan cheese.

11 – Spread half of the remaining marinara over the top.

12 – Top with another layer of eggplant.

13 – Add the remaining mozzarella cheese.

14 – Spread the remaining marinara on top.

15 – Last – sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top. Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, then let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Tips and Tricks

Do you have to salt the eggplant first? Technically, no. In fact, most eggplant today have had a lot of the bitterness bred out. But the older an eggplant is, the more bitter it will be, and sometimes, we just don’t know how long an eggplant has been sitting on the grocery store shelf. So I do it as a precaution. In order for the salting to make a difference, though, you can’t just salt the slices and then rinse them off. They need to sit a minimum of 30 minutes – I prefer an hour.

The eggplant can be peeled if desired. I like to leave the peel on for extra texture but I know sometimes it makes it a little harder to eat.

This is best served when it is fresh. The breading on the eggplant will get soggier over time, so I don’t like to make this ahead of time. I never turn the leftovers away, but they will be a bit more soggy than the fresh eggplant parmesan.

More Italian Inspired Recipes

Sausage and Peppers Pasta
Skillet Butternut Squash Lasagna
Antipasto Salad Recipe
Chicken Pepperoni
Easy Parmesan Pasta
Meatball Parmesan Skillet

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Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

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Breaded slices of eggplant, lots of cheese, and marinara sauce make up this Eggplant Parmesan that the whole family will love.

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 medium sized eggplants
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 eggs lightly beaten
• ▢ 1 cup fine Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1/3 cup olive oil
• ▢ 4 cups marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
• ▢ 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Wash and dry the eggplants. Slice into 1/4-inch slices. (You can peel the eggplant, if desired, but I usually leave the skin on.) Lay the slices on a cooling rack. Sprinkle both sides with the salt, then let them sit for about an hour. After the hour, blot any excess salt and liquid off with a paper towel.
• Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Place the eggs in a second bowl, and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
• Working with one slice of eggplant at a time, dip the slice into the flour, then into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all of the slices have been coated.
• Heat about half of the oil in a large skillet – I like to use cast iron. Once hot, add several slices of eggplant and cook until golden brown. Flip, and cook the second side. Repeat, adding more of the oil as needed, until all of the eggplant slices have been fried.
• While you are frying the eggplant, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
• Spread a layer of marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with a single layer of eggplant. Top the eggplant with half of the mozzarella, then half of the parmesan. Add half of the remaining marinara and spread as evenly as possible. Top with another layer of eggplant, and then the remaining mozzarella. Spread the remaining marinara on top, then sprinkle on the remaining parmesan.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the eggplant parmesan sit for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe Notes:

SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use shredded mozzarella instead of sliced, fresh mozzarella. Jarred marinara will work, but homemade makes it so much better!

Can’t find eggplant? Try this Zucchini Parmesan instead!

STORE: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can reheat in the oven (covered with foil) or you can reheat individual portions in the microwave. It will be a bit more soggy as leftovers, but it is still delicious!

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/8 of recipe, Calories: 496kcal (25%), Carbohydrates: 33g (11%), Protein: 27g (54%), Fat: 30g (46%), Saturated Fat: 12g (75%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 113mg (38%), Sodium: 1470mg (64%), Fiber: 9g (38%), Sugar: 4g (4%)

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