Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
This Baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe fills your mouth with crisp eggplant, flavorful marinara, and plenty of melted cheese to replicate a classic Italian dish.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs eggplant, 2 large/3 medium/4 small, cut into 1/3" thick rounds
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, or Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more to grease the pan and drizzle over eggplant*
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 32 oz good quality marinara sauce, homemade or storebought
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped, (optional, but nice)
- 1 lb shredded mozzarella, grated on the large holes
Instructions
How to Bake Eggplant for Eggplant Parm:
- Preheat Oven to 375˚F. Generously grease 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Set up 3 rimmed dishes in this order: In the first one, stir together 3/4 cup flour, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. In the second, beat 3 large eggs. In the third combine 1 cup bread crumbs and 1 cup grated parmesan. Dip eggplant slices in flour, then beaten eggs, then in the panko/parm mixture.
- Place breaded eggplant onto greased baking sheets and sprinkle the tops lightly with salt. Drizzle tops with olive oil or spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 375˚F for 30-35 min, flipping the eggplant halfway and rotating the pans if using 2 baking sheets. Once done baking, remove from the oven.
How to Elevate Storebought Marinara:
- If using homemade Marinara, you can skip this step, but here's how to make a storebought marinara even better: Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Once oil is hot, add garlic and stir 1 min until fragrant. Add marinara sauce and bring to a simmer. Add coarsely chopped basil, stir for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
To Assemble Eggplant Parmesan:
- Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Add 1/2 eggplant slices, overlapping if needed to fit, then top with half of your marinara sauce and half of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices, marinara and mozzarella. Bake uncovered at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
Notes
*To avoid bitter eggplant, it's very important to use eggplant that is ripe and cook it soon after it's picked or purchased.
*You can grease the pan and the tops of the eggplant with cooking spray instead of olive oil if you prefer. It's quicker and you'll get a more even coating on the bread crumbs.
*You can grease the pan and the tops of the eggplant with cooking spray instead of olive oil if you prefer. It's quicker and you'll get a more even coating on the bread crumbs.
Nutrition Facts
Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
477
% Daily Value*
Fat
23
g
35
%
Saturated Fat
12
g
75
%
Cholesterol
149
mg
50
%
Sodium
1728
mg
75
%
Potassium
866
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
40
g
13
%
Fiber
7
g
29
%
Sugar
12
g
13
%
Protein
29
g
58
%
Vitamin A
1280
IU
26
%
Vitamin C
12
mg
15
%
Calcium
546
mg
55
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
