Eggplant Parmesan — Sliced Eggplants coated in Panko breadcrumbs and (egg + milk) mixture, partially cooked in a skillet, and then layered in a baking dish (like you would layer a lasagna) with Marinara Sauce, and loads of Mozzarella Cheese.
When this comes out of the oven, you see the bubbly cheese on the edges, that looks so inviting that you’d want to take a slice right away.
Generally, Eggplant Parmesan Recipe is just like Chicken Parm or Cauliflower Parm. It’s just instead of Chicken or Cauli we are using Eggplant.
In my home, Baked Eggplant Parmesan is a total game-changer. Whenever I have made this, I have got happy faces and heard sweet nothings!
Basically, Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe is just 4 steps:
- Sear Eggplant Partially: Season Eggplant with Salt and Pepper. Sear them partially in the skillet.
- Coat Eggplant: Coat Eggplant in Egg mixture and then in Panko Mixture.
- Layer with Cheese and Marinara: Layer in a baking dish with Marinara Sauce and Cheese
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 20–25 minutes.
I know there are tons of Recipes out there for Baked Eggplant Parmigiana. But, if you want to learn how to make the BEST Eggplant Parmesan from scratch then you’ve come to the right place.
Tips to Keep in Mind:
Before we learn the steps involved in making Eggplant Parmesan. You need to have a look at these important tips. Most people skip these tips and what they end up with is soggy eggplant slices. I am sure you don’t want that.
- Do not use Eggplant just after seasoning them. Allow them to sit for 1 hour so that they release all the liquid.
- Dap of excess salt and moisture with a paper towel. You don’t want them to be salty.
- Use a good quality Marinara sauce for the best flavors.
- Spoon Marinara Sauce on top of each Eggplant slice. Do not spread with a spoon. Or else your eggplant will become soggy.
- Layer with loads of Mozzarella Cheese and top with grated Parmesan cheese for best flavors.
Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan
- Eggplant: Make sure you choose an eggplant with fewer seeds. Fewer seeds translate to less bitter.
- Salt and Pepper: The basic seasoning for Eggplant slices so that they release their liquid.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: One of the most popular breadcrumbs that are easily available in most supermarkets.
- Dried Oregano: I love the flavors of oregano in an Italian Eggplant Parmesan recipe.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Just a bit of Red Pepper flakes ensure the dish doesn’t fall flat.
- Milk and Egg: Egg and Milk wash ensures an even crispy coating on the eggplant. It forms a protein matrix on the eggplant making it crispy on the outside.
- Marinara Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
- Chopped Basil
How to Make Eggplant Parmesan
I know you are asking yourself how to cook Eggplant Parmesan. These step-by-step photos are going to make your work so much easier.
Before we begin let me tell you that Baked Eggplant Parmesan is the same as Eggplant Parmesan Casserole.
STEP 1: Season Eggplant and let them release the liquid
Season the top of your Eggplant with Salt and Pepper. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow them to sit for 1-hour so that they release all the liquid.
Once they have released all the liquid, wipe off the excess salt with a damp paper towel since you don’t want them to be too salty.
The recipe for Eggplant Parmesan is so easy. But, most people make these mistakes. The major mistakes people make in this step are:
- Not allowing Eggplant to sit for 1 hour after seasoning it with salt and pepper.
- Not wiping excess salt and moisture from eggplant slices after they’ve released their liquid.
STEP 2: Make Breading for Eggplant Parmesan
Take two shallow plates. Make Panko Mixture on one plate and egg mixture on another plate.
Panko Mixture:
In a shallow plate, combine Panko Breadcrumbs, Dried Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes, some salt, and a pinch of ground black pepper.
You can use any other spices that you like. Want some smoky flavors — add some smoked paprika. Add a pinch of Italian Seasoning for a better taste.
Egg & Milk Mixture:
On another plate, combine milk and eggs. Stir well.
So, there you have it. Two basic things with which you are going to coat your eggplant slices.
STEP 3: Coat Eggplant Slices
First, dip both sides of Eggplant slices into Egg and Milk Mixture. Pick them up and place them in the Panko mixture. Shake off any excess. Place in a large baking sheet.
As you can see Eggplant Parmesan Recipe is so easy. All we are doing is coating eggplant in two mixtures. I really don’t understand why people make a fuss about this.
To make the Best Eggplant Parmesan you must not forget the sequence in which we coated our eggplant.
- First coat your Eggplant in Eggmixture.
- Then coat it in Panko Breadcrumb mixture.
If you don’t have Panko breadcrumbs just get it. Generally, the regular breadcrumb contains corn syrup, sodium, and potential allergens. And, therefore it isn’t healthy. So, to make Healthy Eggplant Parmesan consider using Panko Breadcrumbs.
You can find Panko breadcrumbs just beside traditional breadcrumbs. And since it is so popular you can find it in most supermarkets. In case you don’t find it in the baking aisle you should check it in the Asian section.
STEP 4: Partially Cook Eggplant in Skillet
Heat a pan with some Olive Oil. Once your skillet is hot, add eggplant slices. Just keep two eggplant slices at once. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook both sides until they are golden brown.
Take them out on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Heads up, this is NOT a Fried Eggplant Parmesan recipe. The idea behind searing Eggplant is so that they get a crispy coating on the outside and do not get soggy when baked.
I learned this trick from “Table for Two Blog”. And, trust me, this is the easiest way to make the Best Eggplant Parmesan at home.
STEP 5: Layer in a baking dish
- In a large baking dish, pour Marinara Sauce. Spread it out with a spatula.
- Add eggplant slices. Now Spoon Marinara sauce on top of each eggplant slice. DO NOT SPREAD
- Sprinkle shredded Mozzarella Cheese. Repeat the layers.
- Top the final layer with a generous amount of Mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese.
Bake it in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 20–25 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly on top. Serve with freshly chopped basil on top.
Eggplant Parmesan Calories
Since there are so many layers of cheese, I am sure you are asking yourself, how many calories are there in Eggplant Parmigiana?
Well to simply put, Eggplant Parmesan is packed with calories.
- One serving of Eggplant Parmesan contains 356 calories.
- One serving of homemade Eggplant Parmigiana contains 21g of carbohydrates. According to food experts, a daily value of 300 grams of carbs per day is essential for your body. So, if you are counting the carbs in Eggplant Parmesan, I would say, it is not much.
- This Easy Eggplant Parmesan recipe contains 25g of fat.
NOTE: This is just an approximate calculation of Nutritional value for Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan. The actual result may vary depending upon the cooking procedure and the ingredients used.
Other Variations of this recipe:
Baked Healthy Eggplant Parmesan is so popular that it is bound to have variations. It is made worldwide with so many different ingredients and techniques. Let’s have a look at them.
- Grilled Eggplant Parmesan: Instead of baking your Eggplant Parmesan you can grill it in an outdoor grill. It works the same and gets those gorgeous grill marks.
- Eggplant Parmesan Chicken: If you love chicken, then add some cooked shredded chicken in between each layer of your eggplant slices.
- Eggplant Parmesan Ricotta: Ricotta has a tarty taste and works really well while making Eggplant Parmesan. You can add a layer of ricotta between each slice of eggplant while you are layering it up in a baking dish.
- Eggplant Parmesan no breading: If you want to make a lighter Eggplant Parmesan (No frying, No breading), you can simply skip the frying and breading part. Just season them with salt and pepper. Allow them to sit for 1 hour. And then layer in a baking tray as stated in the recipe. Bake as you would bake Eggplant Parmesan and then serve with fresh basil.
- Eggplant Parmesan with Pasta: The recipe for Healthy Eggplant Parmigiana is so versatile that you can make it into so many things. Such as adding pasta. You can add Penne or Spaghetti to your Eggplant parmesan and then bake it in the oven. It would be so good. Try this Baked Spaghetti recipe.
- Eggplant Parmesan Boats: You can go a totally different direction and make Eggplant Parmesan boats. Just slice them vertically. Season them with salt and pepper. Allow it to release liquid. And, finally add marinara sauce, Mozzarella cheese, and then bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F for 8–10 minutes.
Can I Make Eggplant Parmesan without Eggs?
If you don’t like Eggs you can skip them. You can just coat it in Milk. But, Eggplant Parmesan without Egg won’t be as delicious as it would be with eggs. The reason being, Egg creates a protein matrix around Eggplant making them crispy on the outside.
What to Serve with Eggplant Parmesan?
This classic Italian Eggplant Parmesan needs a proper side dish to complement it. Take a look at these Ideal Eggplant Parmesan sides.
- Meatballs — Try these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Marinara Sauce. or try these Vegetarian Meatballs.
- Garlic Bread — Try this Cheesy Garlic Bread as an easy side dish for Eggplant Parmesan.
- Roasted Broccoli — Try this Crispy 2-ingredient Air fryer Broccoli.
- Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette — So fresh and so healthy. Perfect side for Eggplant Parmesan.
- Sauteed Green beans — Green beans make the best side. And, it is no news.
Other Eggplant Recipes
Low Carb Eggplant Pizza Casserole
Baked Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry
Eggplant Lasagna | Vegetarian | Low Carb | Healthy Dinner Recipe
If you are making this Eggplant Parmesan using this recipe, please leave a rating below. It will help me work on myself and my blog. Also, take a snap of your final Eggplant Parmesan once it is done and post it on Instagram with #recipemagik. Tag me @recipemagik and let me know how it turned out.
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