Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Casserole in a baking dish with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella with fresh basil on the side.

This Eggplant Parmesan is an Italian CLASSIC! It's easy to make and has the crispiest, most flavorful breading baked with layers of marinara sauce, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella.

Prep Time40

Cook Time50

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 579kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Eggplant

2 small eggplants about 1 ½ lbs. total
1 teaspoon salt

Flour

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, paprika

Eggs

3 large eggs whisked well
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon heavy cream optional

Breadcrumbs

2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
¾ teaspoon garlic salt

For Frying

Vegetable oil enough to cover the slices by half.

For Baking

24 oz. marinara sauce see notes for brand recommendations
3 cups shredded mozzarella divided
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Work

Preheat the oven to 375° F degrees about 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake.
Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch slices, no thinner or they’ll be flimsy. Slightly thicker is fine.
Sprinkle the slices with salt and transfer them to a colander while you measure out the remaining ingredients.
Combine the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures in 3 separate shallow bowls.

Bread the Eggplant

Pat each slice completely dry in between paper towels, do this one at a time as you bread them.
Dredge completely in the flour mixture.
Dip each side in the egg mixture until just coated, use the edge of the bowl to remove any excess. (Too much egg left on the eggplant can bleed through the breading, which will make it less crispy.)
Coat each slice generously in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat on each side a few times.

Fry

Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350° F. Once hot and glistening, add the first batch of eggplant slices, don’t overcrowd the skillet. Brown on each side for 2-3 minutes, until golden. If the oil gets too hot, turn it down slightly, and turn it up again later if needed. Add additional oil as needed throughout frying.
Remove with a slotted spatula. If possible, set cooling racks over a baking sheet and let the eggplant cool on top for maximum crispiness. Otherwise, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

Assemble and Bake

Spread about 1/3 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Add one-third of the eggplant slices. Spread marinara sauce over each slice and sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella/parmesan cheese.
Repeat twice to create 3 layers total. (Eggplant, sauce, cheese. Eggplant, sauce, cheese.)
Bake uncovered at 375° F for 25-30 minutes, until the top is hot an bubbly. (Optional: Broil at 450 for a few minutes to brown the top more if desired. Watch it carefully during this time.)
Serve with garlic bread with cheese or my olive oil bread dip!

Notes

Pro Tips:

Eggplant:
- I prefer to use organic eggplant as it's often smaller, which creates perfectly sized circles when sliced. Look for glossy, smooth (not wrinkly) skin with vibrant color. The outside should be firm, but not rock hard. It should feel heavy, which indicates that it's ripe and juicy.
- If your eggplant is very large, consider peeling it as the skin may be bitter.
- I use 2 medium eggplants for this recipe, together they weigh 1.5 pounds and make approximately 30 fried eggplant slices.
- Be sure to create slices no thinner than 1/4-inch, otherwise, it'll be flimsy.
- Salting the eggplant draws out excess moisture that we later pat dry for extra crispy results!
Breading: Freshly grated Parmesan adds a lot of flavor to the breading. I grate Belgioioso Parmesan from a block. I use 4C Plain Panko Breadcrumbs.
Mozzarella: Low moisture, whole milk mozzarella has the best consistency for this dish. I use Galbani or Dragone mozzarella.
Marinara: I highly recommend serving this with Rao's or Carbone for a restaurant-quality dish. It makes all the difference.
Make sure the oil is sufficiently heated before you add the eggplant, this ensures the breading stays intact as it should fry immediately. Otherwise it can get soggy and won’t be as crispy.
Make adjustments to the heat (up/down), as needed throughout frying.
A large (10-inch or larger) Enamel Cast Iron skillet will achieve great results when frying.
Clean as you go. By the time I’m ready to fry, I’ve wiped down the counter and I always wash the dishes as I go. This way you’re not left with a big mess to clean up afterward.

Frying Alternatives (Though I recommend frying for best results.)

To bake instead of fry: Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake at 400° F for for up to 18 minutes, or until golden, flipping halfway through.
To air Fry: Spray with oil and air fry at 375° F 5-6 minutes per side, until golden.

OR, make my Eggplant Casserole which involves no frying and encompasses the delicious flavors of Eggplant Parm!

Make-Ahead Method:

Fry the eggplant slices as outlined. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, assemble in a casserole dish with sauce/cheese and bake as outlined.
You can also freeze the fried eggplant slices on a plate for 1-2hours. Remove and stack them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw when ready to assemble and bake.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 (generous) servings in this recipe.

Nutrition