This Baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe fills your mouth with crisp eggplant, flavorful marinara, and plenty of melted cheese to replicate a classic Italian dish.
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
Servings: 6servings as a side dish
Calories: 477
Prep Time: 20 minutesmins
Cook Time: 55 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Ingredients
2lbseggplant, 2 large/3 medium/4 small, cut into 1/3" thick rounds
Olive oil, to drizzle over eggplant and 1 Tbsp for the sauce
1large or 2 small garlic cloves, pressed or minced
24ozgood quality marinara sauce
1/4cupfresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped, (optional, but nice)
1lbshredded mozzarella, grated on the large holes
Instructions
How to Bake Eggplant for Eggplant Parm:
Preheat Oven to 375˚F. Grease 2 baking sheets. Set up 3 rimmed dishes in this order: In the first one, stir together 3/4 cup flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. In the second, beat 3 large eggs. In the third combine 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs and 1/2 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 drizzle tops with olive oil or spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 375˚F for 32 min, flipping the eggplant rounds and rotating the pans halfway through (my baking sheets didn't fit on one rack so I put them on separate racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven). Once done baking, remove from oven and reposition rack to the center of the oven.
How to Make the Sauce:
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 coarsely chopped basil. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
To Assemble Eggplant Parmesan:
Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 or 9x12 casserole dish. Add 1/2 eggplant slices, overlapping if needed to fit, then top with 1/2 marinara sauce and 1/2 mozzarella, Repeat with 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.
Nutrition Facts
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.