Eggplant Parmesan

4.60 from 32 votes

Eggplant Parmesan

This Eggplant Parmesan is loaded with layers of crispy eggplant, sauce, and of course, lots of cheese. Each bite is complete comfort! Made completely vegetarian, I promise you won't be missing the meat when you bite into that tender eggplant.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Waiting time1

Total Time2 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: eggplant parmesan

Servings:

Calories: 486kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

2 large eggplants sliced into ½" rounds
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs beaten
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1¼ cup parmesan cheese shredded
1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
¼ cup olive oil
4 cups marinara sauce
4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
2 tablespoons° parsley chopped, or basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep the eggplants: Generously salt the eggplant rounds on both sides. Let them sit on sheets of paper towel for 1-2 hours to draw out the moisture. Press the rounds dry with paper towel.
Ready the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush two sheet pans with 1 tbsp olive oil in each one.
Assemble the dredge: Grab 3 shallow bowls or plates. Add the flour to one, eggs to the second, then breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese to the third. Season each bowl with salt and pepper and mix well.
Dredge the eggplant: Take an eggplant round and dredge it in flour, then dip in the beaten egg, and finally coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the round on one of the prepared baking sheets, and repeat with the remaining rounds. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the rounds.
Bake the eggplant rounds: Bake the rounds for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce the heat in the oven to 375°F after taking the eggplant rounds out.
Assemble: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Lay half of the baked eggplant rounds in a single layer over the sauce, then top with 1½ cups of marinara sauce followed by 1 cup of mozzarella and ½ cup of parmesan. Layer the remaining eggplant rounds, marinara sauce, and cheeses in the baking dish.
Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh basil. Allow the casserole to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Video

Notes

Make ahead: This dish is perfect for making ahead. You can prep the eggplant by salting it ahead of time, breading it and baking it. When you're ready to serve this just assemble the casserole and bake. You can also prep everything up to and including step 6, cover it well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
While I cut my eggplant in rounds, you can also slice it lengthwise for bigger pieces. This means less dredging, saving you time.
If you're using Panko breadcrumbs, make sure to run them through a food processor for a finer powder.
Patience: When you remove the casserole from the oven, let it rest for about 20 minutes allowing the eggplant parm to firm up a bit.
Store leftover eggplant parmesan for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in the casserole dish wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure the eggplant parmesan has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing.
To reheat, you can microwave your leftovers or use the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the eggplant parmesan in a baking dish, then cover the dish with foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition