Eggplant Parmesan with Crispy Baked Eggplant and Melty Cheese
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
20 min
Cook
55 min
Total
75 min
Servings
8
Level
Medium
Salting the eggplant helps draw out moisture so that it doesn't become soggy with sauce when breaded. This recipe for Eggplant Parmesan has breaded eggplant slices baked and served with marinara sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, also baked until bubbly and browned.
Hard, shiny eggplants are sliced 1/4 inch thick and salted, rinsed, and dried before breading. A flour, egg, and breadcrumb breading will stick to eggplant slices when baked. Breadcrumb mixture includes Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried basil. Eggplant lasagna includes marinara sauce and mozzarella and parsley toppings.
The first baking step is brief but important. Bake eggplant slices coated with other ingredients on both sides until golden brown to improve adhesion of other ingredients. Squeeze water from washed eggplant slices before coating with flour to ensure even coating. Unpressed baked eggplant slices coated with other ingredients will not be evenly coated. When baking a casserole dish containing eggplant and other ingredients, check to see that all ingredients, including cheese, are evenly browned.
Serve the casserole with a side salad and lemon garlic dressing, and breadsticks with marinara sauce. It can be assembled ahead of time, unbaked, as a time-saving measure. If you have leftovers, reheat them in the broiler or air fryer for a few minutes.
Why we keep this one around
- Salting the eggplant slices before cooking removes excess moisture and helps the breading stick when baked, avoiding a soggy eggplant texture under the marinara sauce.
- A flour and egg wash and breading on both sides of the meatballs helps adhere breadcrumbs and other seasonings to the meatballs during cooking and piling.
- Short baking time at high temperatures helps both sides of the eggplant slices brown and become firm, so topping them with tomato sauce and cheese doesn't make them too soggy.
- Sauce added between and below layers of eggplant will give the eggplant a tomato flavor while keeping the top cheese exposed enough to brown.
- The casserole dish is a way to prepare breaded meat in the oven rather than pan-fried, with less mess but a similar breaded taste and texture.
- Make-ahead preparation is a possibility. Steps in the recipe can be completed without baking to create a cheesy casserole that can be baked at a later date.
Ingredients
- •2 lb eggplant
- •1 tbsp kosher salt
- •4 large eggs
- •½ cup all-purpose flour
- •2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
- •1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (divided)
- •½ tsp garlic powder
- •½ tsp dried basil
- •26 oz marinara sauce
- •¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped, or basil)
- •10 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- •cooking spray
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2
Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch-thick rounds.
- 3
Sprinkle the salt over the eggplant slices, tossing them to coat evenly.
- 4
Let the salted eggplant slices sit on a rack or a paper towel-lined pan for 20 minutes.
- 5
Whisk the eggs in one shallow bowl.
- 6
Place the flour in a second bowl.
- 7
Combine the seasoned bread crumbs, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried basil in a third bowl.
- 8
Rinse the salted eggplant under cold water and pat it dry with paper towel.
- 9
Dredge each eggplant slice in flour.
- 10
Dip each floured slice in the egg.
- 11
Coat each slice with the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
- 12
Place the coated eggplant slices on the prepared pans and spray with cooking spray.
- 13
Bake for 5 minutes, flip, and bake for another 5 minutes until golden brown.
- 14
Remove the eggplant from the oven and reduce the temperature to 400°F.
- 15
Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- 16
Layer the dish with half each of the eggplant, parsley, remaining marinara sauce, mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan.
- 17
Repeat the layers, finishing with cheese.
- 18
Bake for 23 to 28 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- 19
Garnish with additional basil and parsley if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
386
Calories
23g
Protein
16g
Fat
40g
Carbs
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