Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is a delicious, vegetarian option to its counterpart, chicken parmesan.  Eggplant coated in a bread crumb mixture, layered with marinara and bubbly cheese, this dish is mouthwatering.

Serve with an amazing Garlic Bread Twists Recipe and finish with Instant Pot Lava Cake for a great meal.

I love that I can have a little bit of a healthier option to chicken parm, by replacing chicken with eggplant and still having all the yummy, cheesy, marinara goodness.

While I love a good Chicken Strip Parmesan dish, sometimes I want a vegetarian option and reduce the meat intake.

What You Need to Make Eggplant Parmesan

Look over the list and let’s get shopping.

Eggplants

• 2 Pounds Eggplant
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper
• Salt
• Bread Crumbs
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
• All Purpose Flour
• Large Eggs
• Vegetable Oil

Sauce

• Diced Tomatoes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Minced Garlic
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Italian Seasoning
• Freshly Chopped Basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

The Rest

• Whole-Milk Mozzarella Cheese
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Basil Leaves

Supplies

• Chef Knife
• Paper Towels
• Baking Sheet
• Wire Rack
• Casserole Dish

How to Make Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is such a fun meal.  First prep and slice the eggplant.  Prepare outer coating.  Coat eggplant with flour, then dip into egg, and lastly into outer coating.  Cook eggplant rounds and prepare and cook sauce.  Lastly, remove eggplant rounds from the oven and layer sauce, eggplant rounds and cheese in a pan.  Cook and then garnish and serve.

Step One: Prep Your Eggplant

Step Two: Preheat and Prep Oven

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower middle positions. Place two baking sheets in the oven.

Step Three: Prep For Eggplant Coating

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a metal cooling rack, spray rack with non-stick spray, and set aside. 

1. Combine Dry Ingredients for Outer Coating: In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine, and set aside. 
2. Combine Flour and Pepper: In a ziplock bag combine flour, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and shake to combine. Set aside. 
3. Beat Eggs: In a shallow dish, beat eggs with a fork, until frothy.

Step Four: Dredge and Coat Eggplant

• When eggplant rounds are ready, place about 8 at a time into the ziplock bag, and shake to coat with flour. 
• Then remove from bag, and dip into the egg mixture. Let any excess egg run off. 
• Lasly, dip eggplant rounds in the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese mixture. 
• Repeat until all are done.
• Set each round on the prepared tray lined with the sprayed cooling rack.

Step Five: Bake Eggplant

• Remove hot baking sheets from the hot oven, and add vegetable oil to each sheet.
• Place half the eggplant rounds down into the oil in each pan, and return the pans to the oven. 
• Bake for 30 minutes, at 10 minutes in, switch and rotate the pans. At 20 minutes in, use a spatula to flip the eggplant rounds. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven,  leaving the oven on.

Step Six: Make Sauce

• While eggplant is cooking, place all sauce ingredients except fresh basil, into a food processor and blend until smooth. 
• Pour into a sauce pan, and turn on to medium high heat. Once it starts a slow boil, turn down to medium-low, and let simmer 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces. 
• Stir fresh basil into sauce, taste, and adjust seasonings to preference.

Step Seven: Assemble

• Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick spray. 
• Scoop 1 cup of sauce into the bottom, and spread it evenly.
• Layer in half the eggplant slices, overlapping as needed to fit. 
• Pour 1 cup of sauce over the top of the eggplant. 
• Add half the cheese in another layer. 
• Layer remaining eggplant, with 1 more cup of sauce and a remaining cup of mozzarella cheese.

Step Eight: Bake Assembled Dish

• Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. 
• Remove from the oven, and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Step Nine: Garnish and Serve

Top with fresh basil, and serve with the remaining cup of sauce.

Tips and Tricks

Making this recipe is Eazy Peazy but here are some helpful tips and tricks so it turns out great every time…

• You Can Eat the Peel of the Eggplant: You can eat the peel of the eggplant, but if you have an eggplant that is more mature, the outer peel can have a more bitter taste.  
• Eggplant is Lower Calorie than Chicken:  Not only is eggplant a great substitute for chicken when you want a vegetarian option, it is also lower calorie than chicken.
• Make Eggplant Less Bitter by Removing the Seeds:  Soaking your eggplant is one way to reduce the bitterness.  However, a faster alternative to counteract the bitterness is to remove seeds.
• Pay Attention to how Thick you Cut the Eggplant: If eggplant is too thin it will burn.  Cut slices at about 1/4 inch thickness and make sure it is uniform so you get even cooking time.
• Adjust Seasonings Based on Preference:  Feel free to use a combination of Italian seasonings that fit your flavor profile.

Make Ahead and Storage

There is a risk that your eggplant parmesan will get soggy if stored ahead of time.  Fresh is best.

However, you can store Eggplant Parmesan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer Meal:

Fresh is still best, but here is a make ahead freezer meal option.

• Follow directions as usual.
• Let meal cool completely.
• Tightly wrap with plastic wrap in a freezer safe pan and freeze.
• When ready to eat, put the frozen meal in the oven for about 1-1.5 hours at 350.  Cover with foil.

Other Great Recipes:

• Homemade Marinara
• Chicken and Cheese Manicotti
• Instant Pot Lasagna
• Baked Ziti
• Baked Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

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Eggplant Parmesan

Easy to make Eggplant Parmesan, a delicious, vegetarian option to its counterpart, chicken parmesan.  Eggplant coated in a bread crumb mixture, layered with marinara and bubbly cheese, this dish is mouthwatering good.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: eggplant, eggplant parmesan, vegetarian main

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Cool: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 622kcal

Author: Rachael

Equipment

• Paper Towels
• Rimmed Baking Sheet
• Metal Cooling Rack
• Zip Top Bag
• Bowl
• Shallow Dish
• Food Processor of Blender
• Sauce Pan
• 9 x 13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

Eggplant + Breading

• 2 pounds Eggplant sliced into ¼ inch rounds
• 3 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoon Pepper
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 4 cups Bread Crumbs
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 4 Eggs large

Sauce

• 6 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 14.5 ounces Diced Tomatoes (1 can)
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 teaspoons Minced Garlic
• ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• ⅓ cup Basil freshly chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

The Rest

• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese whole-milk
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
• 10 Basil Leaves fresh, roughly torn

Instructions

Eggplant:

• Slice eggplant into ¼ inch thick rounds, and toss with 3 teaspoons of kosher salt
• Set on a paper towel lined baking sheet, and set aside for 30-40 minutes. During this time the eggplants will weep out excess water.
• After 30-40 minutes are up, wipe off excess salt from eggplant, then use additional paper towels, to press gently down on the eggplant rounds, and remove additional water.
• Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with a metal cooling rack, spray rack with non-stick spray, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower middle positions. Place two baking sheets in oven to heat along with the oven.
• In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine, and set aside.
• In a zip top bag combine flour, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and shake to combine. Set aside.
• In a shallow dish, beat eggs with a fork, until frothy. Set aside
• When eggplant round are ready, place 8-10 at a time into the zip topped bag, and shake to coat with flour. Then remove from bag, and dip into the egg mixture. Let any excess egg run off. Then dip in the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese mixture.
• Set each round on the prepared tray lined with the sprayed cooling rack.
• Repeat until all the eggplant is dredged.
• Remove hot baking sheets from hot oven, and add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to each sheet, and carefully tilt the sheet around to evenly spread the oil across the pan.
• Place half the eggplant rounds down into the oil in each pan, and return the pans to the oven.
• Bake for 30 minutes, at 10 minutes in, switch and rotate the pans. At 20 minutes in, use a spatula to flip the eggplant rounds. After 30 minutes, remove from oven, but leave oven on.

Sauce:

• Meanwhile, place all sauce ingredients except fresh basil, into a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.
• Pour into a sauce pan, and turn on to medium high heat. Once it starts a slow boil, turn down to medium-low, and let simmer 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces.
• Stir fresh basil into sauce, taste, and adjust seasonings to preference.

Assembly:

• Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non stick spray.
• Scoop 1 cup of sauce into the bottom, and spread it evenly.
• Layer in half the eggplant slices, overlapping as needed to fit.
• Pour 1 cup of sauce over the top of the eggplant.
• Add half the cheese to form another layer.
• Next layer remaining eggplant, dot with 1 more cup of sauce. And a remaining cup of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in hot oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
• Remove from the oven, and let cool 5-10 minutes.
• Top with fresh basil, and serve with the remaining cup of sauce.

Notes

Pay Attention to how Thick you Cut the Eggplant: If eggplant is too thin it will burn.  Cut slices at about 1/4 inch thickness and make sure it is uniform so you get even cooking time.

Adjust Seasonings Based on Preference:  Feel free to use a combination of Italian seasonings that fit your flavor profile.

Nutrition

Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1997mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 638IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 513mg | Iron: 5mg

Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

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