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This easy baked eggplant parmesan recipe is a classic Italian dish, made by layering tender eggplant with fresh mozzarella and panko breadcrumbs in savory tomato basil sauce.
Try my roasted eggplant stacks, eggplant rollatini, and eggplant lasagna, three more delicious, Italian-inspired meatless Monday meals!
Nothing speaks comfort food quite like baked and bubbly homemade eggplant parmesan on a weeknight! Eggplant parmesan is a layered Italian dish made from tender eggplant, zesty tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, and crunchy panko breadcrumbs. Everything melts into a gorgeous, saucy casserole that you can serve as a delicious vegetarian main or side dish. As they say in Italy, buon appetito!
How This Baked Eggplant Parmesan Measures Up
- Vegetarian-friendly. Eggplant parmesan is a flavorful and hearty dinner. Even meat lovers are satisfied!
- Comforting. Eggplant parm meets the criteria for a comfort food meal, including melted cheese, hearty sauce, and cozy flavors.
- Easy to customize. Love garlic? Add more. Like it spicy? Sprinkle red chili flakes into the layers. Eggplant parmesan is a dish just begging to be personalized to your taste.
- Great for a crowd. This is a wonderful dish to make ahead for Sunday dinners, meal prep, and entertaining. You can prepare the casserole in advance and bake it in the oven when it’s time to eat.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe
These are the ingredients in this easy weeknight eggplant parmesan dinner. Scroll to the printable recipe card after the post for the full amounts and recipe details.
- Eggplant – Choose firm, unblemished eggplants and slice them into thick 1-inch slices. They’ll shrink as they cook, so take care not to slice the eggplant too thin.
- Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper – Needed to season and sear the eggplant before you layer it into the casserole.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – Rather than coating the eggplant in panko crumbs, I simply sprinkle the breadcrumbs right over the eggplant for an easy shortcut. You can use any plain or seasoned breadcrumbs you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated for the best flavor (though I won’t knock the convenience of pre-grated cheese here, so use what you have on hand). Pecorino Romano is a good substitute.
- Garlic and Oregano – Two delicious herbs. I recommend freshly minced garlic and fresh or dried oregano. Jarred garlic works in a pinch (substitute 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic per clove).
- Mozzarella Cheese – Again, it’s best if you slice or grate the mozzarella fresh from the block. Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly, but you could use pre-packaged mozzarella slices if needed.
- Tomato Sauce – The best sauce for eggplant parmesan is classic tomato sauce. I love the organic tomato basil pasta sauce from Whole Foods, but you’ll find similar jarred sauces from brands like Classico. You can also use your favorite homemade tomato sauce if you prefer.
- Fresh Basil – There’s no better combination than eggplant parmesan with fresh mozzarella and basil!
Eggplant Parmesan vs. Chicken Parmesan
Eggplant parmesan, or parmigiana di melanzane in Italian, is a traditional meatless dish from Sicily. Meanwhile, chicken parmesan and shrimp parmigiana are, in fact, NOT traditional Italian dishes, but part of Italian-American cuisine. These recipes were inspired by eggplant parmesan, swapping eggplant for chicken or shrimp.
What To Serve With Eggplant Parmesan
I love to kick off a meal with a crisp, green salad, like this apple salad with bacon or my Mediterranean salad. Of course, nothing rounds out an Italian-inspired dinner better than warm garlic breadsticks or crusty focaccia bread to soak up the leftover sauce. And for the pasta lovers out there, serve your eggplant parmesan as a side dish to garlic butter pasta or something meaty, like beef ragu.
Frequently Asked Questions
To eliminate bitterness from the raw eggplant, use a technique called “sweating”. Sprinkle your eggplant slices with salt, and let them sit for 20 minutes. Afterward, pat the eggplant dry with paper towels before cooking as directed.
The key is to pan-sear the fresh eggplant slices before you layer them into the eggplant parmesan. This cooks out the excess liquid, preventing a soggy casserole.
A dry, light-bodied red like Pinot Noir or a crisp white like Sauvignon Blanc would round out a meal of eggplant parmesan beautifully.
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Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 eggplants, about 2 pounds, sliced into 1-inch thick slices
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
- 15 ounces Tomato Basil Sauce, divided
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare for baking. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Cook the eggplant. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a grill pan over medium heat. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each slice of eggplant; season with salt and pepper, and transfer to the grill pan. You will need to cook them in batches. Cook eggplant slices for about 4 minutes per side.
- Start layering. In the meantime, layer 1/4 cup of the Tomato Basil Sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange the cooked eggplant slices over the sauce and set aside.
- Add breadcrumbs. In a mixing bowl, combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, and oregano. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the parmesan mixture over the eggplants.
- Continue layering. Top with thinly sliced fresh mozzarella, and layer 1/3 of the tomato sauce over the cheese. Continue repeating the layers with the rest of the ingredients, finishing up with the sauce on top. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan over the entire dish.
- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand about 5 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Sweat the Eggplant: To eliminate bitterness, sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for about 20 minutes. You’ll see them start to “sweat” out their moisture. Pat dry before cooking to remove any excess salt and bitterness.
- Flavorful Bread Crumbs: Consider using Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for added flavor. Alternatively, add your favorite dry herbs or spices to plain panko crumbs.
- Quality Cheese: Using high-quality fresh mozzarella can make a world of difference in flavor and texture.
- Sauce: You can use your favorite tomato or pasta sauce or the tomato basil sauce I used. The brand is Classico.
- Let it Rest: Once your Eggplant Parmesan is out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the cheese to set a bit and makes it easier to cut and serve.
- Freezing: If you plan to freeze it, assemble it, but don’t bake it. Thaw the eggplant parmesan before baking as directed.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Make Eggplant Parmesan
My eggplant parmesan recipe is inspired by Naples, Italy. Napoli versions of this dish don’t include ingredients like flour or eggs, and there’s the option to make your eggplant parmesan without breadcrumbs. The sauce, meanwhile, is all about the tomatoes and basil!
- Grill or pan-fry the eggplant. First, drizzle the eggplant slices with olive oil and add them to a hot grill pan (you could also use a skillet). Grill or fry the eggplant in batches until it’s seared on both sides.
- Start layering. Spread about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the cooked eggplant slices over the sauce.
- Add the breadcrumbs. Next, mix your panko crumbs with grated parmesan cheese, garlic, and oregano. Sprinkle 1/3 of the breadcrumb mixture over the eggplant.
- Assemble the eggplant parmesan. Now, layer on the thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, followed by another layer of tomato sauce, and repeat the layers until you’ve used up the ingredients, ending with sauce. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with more Parmesan.
- Bake. Bake this eggplant parmesan at 425ºF for 20 minutes until the sauce and cheese are bubbling.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
- Refrigerate. Keep your eggplant parmesan refrigerated airtight and reheat within 5 days.
- Reheat. Warm leftovers in the oven, or you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.
- Freeze. I recommend freezing your eggplant parmesan before baking. Assemble the dish in a freezer-safe casserole dish, but do not bake. Instead, wrap the whole dish tightly with foil and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the eggplant parmesan completely, then bake as directed.
Delicious and not to difficult!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! ๐
My 2 lbs. of eggplant only gave me one layer in my 9″ x 12″ dish. Is that right? If so, then it is just the panko mix, the cheese and the sauce that you continue to layer? Had it for dinner tonight and it was VERY tasty!