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Home » Main Dish » Pasta » Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

By Valerie · October 3, 2017 · Updated May 21, 2020 164 Comments

MD Main Dish
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An oven-fry method creates this crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan that rivals any fried version. An easy, updated take on the classic Italian dish.

A spatula lifts a piece of eggplant parmesan from a baking dish.

This post was originally published on September 11, 2011. It has been updated with new photos and an instructional video.

Aaahhh, cheesy Baked Eggplant Parmesan. One of my husband’s favorites. I remember making it for the first time ages ago and wondering how my kids would perceive it. I mean, there’s no meat in it! Not necessarily an easy selling point to four teenage boys.

Because it resembles lasagna they dove right in without even asking what it was… and it was love at first bite. So, there you go!

A serving of eggplant parmesan on a white plate.

I find this oven-fry method is easier to prepare than the traditional fried version and it’s definitely a little easier on the waistline without forfeiting any of the delicious flavor or texture. Try it and you’ll see.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan in a baking dish from over the top.

How to Sweat Eggplant

Don’t sweat the small stuff…. but definitely sweat your eggplant! Eggplant can have bitterness to it and this process of “sweating” helps eliminate that. Not all of them will have that bitter element, but to me it’s not worth the risk so I always take this extra step when I make this Baked Eggplant Parmesan.

Sweating is the process of salting your eggplant slices and allowing them to rest for about an hour or more. The salt will pull some of the potentially bitter liquid from the eggplant. Less moisture in the eggplant slices also helps them to crisp up nicely in the “oven-fry” method in this recipe. Once they’ve sweat, just be sure to rinse them well with cool water to remove the excess salt and blot them dry before breading them.

A spatula in a baking dish filled with Baked Eggplant Parmesan.

Should I Peel the Eggplant?

Whether you peel them is personal preference. It isn’t necessary and I love the deep purple color not to mention that there are vitamins and additional flavor in the skin. I’ve done it both ways with this Baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe but took the easy way out here and left the skin on.

A close up image of Baked Eggplant Parmesan in a baking dish.

You could mix things up by using different varieties of Italian cheese but for this recipe I always go with sliced fresh mozzarella and a little Parmesan. The fresh mozz has such a luscious, creamy quality and layers nicely on the eggplant stacks.

A serving of Baked Eggplant Parmesan on a white plate.

This is one of our favorite Italian-inspired meals in this house. I’ve made it countless times and it remains at the top of the list!


More fabulous ways to use eggplant:
Julia Child’s Eggplant Pizzas | Kayln’s Kitchen
Eggplant Fries with Marinara Sauce | A Family Feast
Garlic and Roasted Eggplant Hummus | Melanie Makes
Stuffed Eggplant | The Little Kitchen

A spatula lifts a piece of eggplant parmesan from a baking dish.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

An oven-fry method creates this crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan that rivals any fried version. An easy, updated take on the classic Italian dish.
4.62 from 93 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 491kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

  • 3 eggplant sliced 1/4" thick (you'll need 12 slices)
  • salt
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 1 (8 ounce) box Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
  • 1 (26 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 1 (16 ounce) package fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Sprinkle some salt on both sides of each slice of eggplant. Layer the slices in a colander and place the colander in your sink. Place a heavy dish or pan over the top to press them down. Allow to sweat for 30 to 45 minutes. Rinse well with cold water to remove salt and blot dry with paper towels.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet generously with cooking spray. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs, pressing crumbs down with fingers if needed to cover evenly. Place in a single layer on oiled baking sheet and lightly spray tops of breaded eggplant with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes then carefully flip each slice and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  • In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread just enough marinara to cover bottom of dish. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Cover each slice with a spoon full of marinara, a slice or two of mozzarella, and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Repeat with one more layer. Pour any leftover marinara and around edges of eggplant slices and top with any cheese that is left. Sprinkle basil on top.
  • Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  • Slightly adapted from Allrecipes.com

Nutrition

Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1779mg | Potassium: 1122mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1265IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 803mg | Iron: 4.3mg
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A two image vertical collage of Baked Eggplant Parmesan with overlay text.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan on a pretty china plate - an original image from first publication of recipe.
An image from the original post dated September 11, 2011

Valerie’s Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 

Categories: Main Dish, Pasta, Popular Posts, Recipe, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Latest Comments
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  1. Adrianna says

    October 21, 2020 at 1:42 pm

    5 stars
    My family loves this recipe!! I have made it many times and it is always a hit!!! 🙂 Thank you!!!

    Reply
  2. Kathy says

    September 10, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    5 stars
    My 15 yo son made this for our family’s dinner tonight and it was delicious!!! He said it was fun to make and the instructions made it really easy. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      September 12, 2020 at 8:40 am

      Your comment made my day, Kathy! You have a future chef on your hands 🙂

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        October 2, 2020 at 11:35 am

        5 stars
        I don’t know about a future chef. But I’m happy knowing he can follow a recipe and make a healthy and delicious meal for himself and friends instead of living on fast food when he goes to college. This recipe along with others we’ve found are getting him on that path. 😊😊 Thank you again!

        Reply
  3. Patricia Drake says

    July 29, 2020 at 8:36 am

    Does anyone have a recommendation for a good jarred sauce?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      July 30, 2020 at 8:43 am

      Hi Patricia. My favorites are Mezzetta brand and Silver Palate makes a great low-sodium marinara.

      Reply
      • Patricia Drake says

        July 30, 2020 at 8:47 pm

        Thank you! Will try those!

        Reply
      • Patricia Drake says

        July 31, 2020 at 3:01 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  4. Debra Bartechko says

    July 20, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    This was the best eggplant I ever had! So easy and delicious!

    Reply
  5. Mary Bettencourt Brymer says

    July 20, 2020 at 10:56 am

    5 stars
    Oh Valerie ~ this gets a 10* from me~ I’m Italian and I would have never thought to bake the eggplant ~ I did a triple dip of light flour egg and Italian spicy breadcrumbs~ it was FABULOUS ~ my family and guests loved it and raved about it for days ~ thank you for this recipe~ this is the *PERFECT *RECIPE for Eggplant Parm ~💗💗💗💗💗💗

    Reply
  6. Joann says

    June 29, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    Looks and tastes gourmet but so easy to prepare. Came out delicious definitely a saver. Didn’t have basil so I used ground oregano. Didn’t have panko bread crumbs instead so I smashed saltine crackers and seasoned with oregano onion powder and garlic salt.

    Reply
    • Joann says

      June 29, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      5 stars
      Also I took a users suggestion and scored the eggplant skin instead of removing it. Soo Soo good.

      Reply
  7. Krista says

    June 26, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    Why do you use 3 eggplants in your recipe when you can get 12 slices out of 1? I love this easy recipe but it is misleading by suggesting 3 just to get 12 pieces which the recipe clearly states that it is for… otherwise very easy and tasty. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 27, 2021 at 1:05 pm

      Eggplants can vary in size. Also, I prefer even sized slices so sometimes that can take an extra eggplant.

      Reply
  8. Lisa Laventure says

    June 18, 2020 at 6:11 pm

    5 stars
    I used to peal my eggplant because I didn’t like the big, plasticky pieces of skin. Now I score it with fork tines before slicing! I don’t know how to submit a photo. 🙁

    Reply
  9. Brie says

    May 19, 2020 at 3:33 pm

    I bought 3 eggplants but ended up only needing half of one and a lot less crumbs and eggs were needed as well

    Reply
  10. Sportegana says

    March 31, 2020 at 6:23 am

    5 stars
    It is very tasty and unusual in taste, thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  11. Keller Janet says

    March 23, 2020 at 8:29 am

    5 stars
    I’ve made this a few times for guests and everyone has been astounded !!! I didn’t really care for eggplant until this recipe!!!

    Reply
  12. Sergio Fishreeler says

    February 22, 2020 at 7:26 am

    5 stars
    I love eggplant, they remind me of the taste of mushrooms baked in the oven with cream cheese … hoho, it’s fantastic, tasty, beyond words, thanks !!!

    Reply
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