Eggplant Parmesan is such an easy, quintessential vegetarian Italian recipe! This version features sliced eggplant coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, which are baked, not fried. Then, they’re stacked with marinara sauce, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, and plenty of grated parmesan, and baked to bubbly, golden brown perfection. Serve with cooked pasta and more sauce for a complete meal!
Eggplant parmesan is cheap to make, feeds a crowd, and is a great make-ahead meal. You can assemble it ahead of time and stick it in the oven when you’re ready, and after it’s cooked the leftovers make great lunches throughout the week!
This recipe features eggplant slices breaded in panko breadcrumbs, which are roasted instead of fried (which is more traditional). If I can avoid frying things I do – not only because it’s often healthier but because it’s much less messy. If you’re heating up the oven to bake the eggplant parmesan anyway, why not also use the oven to roast the eggplant? I also skipped salting the eggplant before cooking with it (which I don’t really think of as a necessary step).
Often when I’m craving eggplant I don’t even bother breading it and just make these easy roasted eggplant parmesan stacks which are super light and healthy. But this eggplant parmesan recipe is a step up – easier than a fried version, and a little heartier than the stacks.
Ingredients in Eggplant Parmesan (and substitutions)
- Eggplant – grab two large, or three medium eggplants for this recipe.
- Eggs
- Milk – whole, low fat, skim, or plant-based will work here.
- Italian seasoning
- Panko breadcrumbs – or regular breadcrumbs, or seasoned breadcrumbs (if using seasoned, omit any added salt and Italian seasoning). Gluten free breadcrumbs may also be used, or a low-carb substitute like crumbled pork rinds.
- Olive oil
- Fresh mozzarella – you can use shredded mozzarella to make it easier and cheaper if you like.
- Fresh grated parmesan – or other hard aged Italian cheese like asagio or pecorino Romano.
- Marinara sauce – homemade marinara or store bought is fine (I recommend Rao’s for store bought).
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
How to make Baked Eggplant Parmesan
- First, bread the sliced eggplant by dipping in egg, then seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
- Roast the eggplant on olive oil covered baking sheets.
- Assemble the eggplant parmesan by layering a little sauce, the eggplant slices, more sauce, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan, repeating one more time with eggplant, sauce, and cheese.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly!
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips and Tricks for Easy Eggplant Parmesan
- Slice 24 slices of eggplant, so you can easily layer 12 in a 3×4 grid in two layers in a 9×12 baking dish. It’s OK if they overlap a little.
- On a similar note, slice 24 slices of fresh mozzarella ahead of time as well.
- To make slicing the mozzarella easier, stick it in the freezer for 30 minutes before cutting it.
FAQs
Yes! Just assemble it and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, just cover it with foil and cook for an addition 10-15 minutes, since you will be starting from cold.
It’s easy to make eggplant parmesan gluten-free simply by using gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Just substitute the breadcrumbs with a low-carb alternative, like keto breadcrumbs or crumbled pork rinds.
I don’t think this is necessary. Some people will salt eggplant, let it sit in a colander for 30 minutes to “draw out the bitter taste,” then pat it dry and use it in recipes. You can do this if you want but I often skip this step to save time with great results, especially with something that cooks as long as eggplant parmesan does.
Other Vegetarian Italian recipes
- Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms
- Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
- Panzanella Salad
- Spinach and Barley Arancini
- Italian Mac and Cheese
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Easy Eggplant Parmesan
Equipment
- Rimmed Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants sliced into 24 rounds (about 1/2" thick)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (see notes)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 16 oz. fresh mozzarella thinly sliced into 24 pieces (see notes)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- cooked pasta, more marinara sauce, and fresh basil for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Get out two rimmed baking sheets and spread 2 tablespoons of olive oil on each.
- In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs (2) with the milk (2 tablespoons), ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. In another shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs (1 cup) with the Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon), and the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Dip each eggplant slice in the egg mixture to coat all sides, then into the breadcrumb mixture to coat all sides. Then place the eggplant on the oiled baking sheets and repeat with remaining slices, fitting about 12 on each baking sheet. (If you don't have two baking sheets, you can do two batches.)
- Bake the eggplant at 400° F for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 8 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Spread 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of an 8×10 or 9×12 baking dish. Layer 12 slices of the eggplant on the bottom in a 3×4 grid. Top each slice with a generous spoonful of marinara sauce, followed by a sliced of the fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese on top. Repeat the layers – the rest of the eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and the eggplant parmesan is nice and bubbly. (If it's browning too quickly, you can tent it with foil.)
- Allow the eggplant parmesan to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before serving for best results. Serve with cooked pasta and more marinara sauce, with a garnish of fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
- To make slicing the mozzarella easier, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before cutting. It’s easier to cut precisely when it’s very cold.
- To save on prep time, buy pre-sliced fresh mozzarella, or you can also use shredded mozzarella for a more budget-friendly option.
- You can use Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs if you like – since these usually contain salt, omit any added salt.
- Feel free to salt the eggplant and let it sit for 30 minutes, patting it dry after, if you prefer – I usually don’t find this step necessary especially for recipes that cook the eggplant for such a long time like this one. If you do this, you can omit the added salt in the egg mixture.
- Using store-bought marinara sauce? Rao’s is my favorite and I highly recommend it!
- Plant-based milk or low fat/skim milk can be used instead of whole milk.
- If adjusting the servings in half, be sure to use a smaller sized baking dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Kristie
Delicious! Even my skeptical husband liked it! Made it with fresh eggplant from my garden and added some fresh basil, too. Definitely will add this to my summer menu.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your husband liked it!
Mary
This is such a wonderful recipe! So much so that I had to hunt it down a second time after losing it! I love the advice not to salt the eggplant, and about once a month we spent a few hours slicing, baking, and freezing eggplant so that we can have this recipe on the fly! It has always come out perfect.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of pre-slicing and freezing the eggplant!