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Why I Love This Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
I’ll wager a bet: if you haven’t eaten eggplant parmesan, you have at least heard the name. Yeah? I thought so!
I love anything that uses vegetables that are in season and plentiful in the garden. And right now, that just happens to be eggplant. The problem with many eggplant recipes is that they don’t allow the vegetable to be the star of the dish. Instead, the eggplant is often breaded and fried to provide a crispy texture. But this also tends to subtract from their flavor. What’s the point of eggplant if it’s not actually enjoyed?
This recipe is a fresh take on an old classic. It’s not at all traditional, but a great way to enjoy that ever-so-plentiful eggplant!
What is Eggplant Parmesan?
At its simplest form, eggplant parmesan is a casserole: layers of sauce, eggplant, and cheese, all intermixed together. Once baked, it’s a lot like a lasagna. But what’s great about this recipe is that eggplant has the ability to retain an almost meat-like structure once baked and works as a perfect substitute where we’d normally use pasta.
And while the eggplant is able to prove itself, it would be nothing without a full-flavored sauce between each layer. For this fresh take on a homemade sauce, I used plenty of fresh herbs and chopped whole tomatoes to maintain a bright and balanced finish.
What Makes This Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Unique
Traditional eggplant parmesan recipes will dredge slices of eggplant in an eggwash followed by a good dunk in breadcrumbs. Some newer recipes will just bake the dredged eggplant while others sauté or pan-fry them. Once in a while, that is delicious, but I’m often in the mood for lighter dishes especially when eggplant is ripe in the summer.
This recipe roasts the eggplant slices at high heat until browned. After browning, they’re topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and roasted until the cheese is golden and crisp. This is the perfect way to get a crust and add impeccable flavor without the breading or frying. Genius if I do say so myself!
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
To serve – Serve hot, straight from the baking dish, once the cheese is melted and golden. Let it rest 10 to 15 minutes so the layers set, then scoop or slice. It is delicious on its own with a green salad or served over cooked pasta.
To store – Store leftovers in an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly. Refrigerate for up to 7 days. Freeze baked eggplant Parmesan in portions or as a whole casserole for up to 2 months.
More Casserole Recipes to Try
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb eggplant sliced ½-inch thick
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (approximately)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese sliced into ½-inch pieces
For the sauce
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 28-oz cans whole or crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- 3 tbsp fresh oregano roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Lay the pieces of eggplant on two baking sheets and drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Flip over the pieces and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in the preheated oven until browned, 15-20 minutes. Once browned, remove from the oven and place approximately 1 tbsp (adjust for the size of the slice) of Parmesan cheese on each slice. Return to oven and roast until the cheese is melted and golden, 3-5 minutes.2 ¼ lb eggplant, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (approximately)
- While the eggplant is roasting, prepare the sauce. Heat 1 ½ tbsp olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan. Add the onion and salt. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cans of tomatoes. Break up or mash the tomatoes, if using whole, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half, 25-35 minutes. After the sauce is reduced, add the basil and oregano and remove the sauce from the heat.1 medium onion, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 ½ tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 28-oz cans whole or crushed tomatoes, ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil, 3 tbsp fresh oregano
- To assemble, cover the bottom of the baking dish with ½ cup of sauce. Layer with half of the prepared eggplant, shingling or cutting pieces as necessary. Layer half of the sliced mozzarella on top of the eggplant, ripping it into pieces for an even layer. Pour half of the remaining prepared sauce on top then repeat the layers one more time, ending with the remaining sauce on the top.8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
- Turn down the oven to 375°F. Bake until the sauce is bubbling throughout, about 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes before serving to redistribute the juices.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Made this! Loved this! Never again will I dunk (eggs), dip (bread crumbs) and fry eggplant! Easy Easy EASY ! Yum!
Wow! I made this and served with angel hair the first night, amazing. Second round we heated up two portions in the oven with lots of sauce and put on toasted garlic buttered hoagie rolls and then broiled with a slice of provolone cheese on top sprinkled with Italian seasoning! The absolute bomb! Your recipe rocks!
That sounds absolutely fabulous!
My family loved it!
I did skin the eggplant, no one likes it here.
Thank you….
I made the eggplant Parmesan for company. Everyone loved it and wants the recipe. The consistency was perfect. The only thing I did differently was to add a homegrown slab of tomato on top of each slice of eggplant/Parmesan with salt and pepper. I also sautéed strips of whole yellow pepper cut in half and a little green pepper when I sautéed the onion/garlic before adding the tomatoes. It was great!!
Delicious! I used our family’s sauce but otherwise made it exactly as written. The roasted eggplant was fantastic I won’t go back to frying.
Greeting from the Garden State.
Best eggplant Parm recipe ever! Not only is the eggplant easy to prepare but the sauce was so delicious! 5 Stars! I’ve bookmarked this recipe.
We picked the eggplant from our garden and made a side salad to go along with it
Thank you for this recipe!
Kaleb, I made your recipe tonight and my husband and I enjoyed it very much. Before, we have always breaded and fried the eggplant. I love your idea of baking the eggplant. We used our freshly made tomato sauce and fresh herbs. Again, thanks for the share. Beverly
Oh my goodness, this was delicious! My husband loves anything eggplant and said this was probably his favorite eggplant recipe of all time. Made with my organic garden eggplant and homemade garden tomato sauce. Such a hit that even my eggplant disliking children loved it! Thanks for the recipe and entertainment. I feel like I’m in the kitchen with a friend when I watch you:)
So much flavor! So easy to make! We will be having this recipe again. Thank you for all the tips and tricks too. Chopping Parmesan in the food processor is brilliant!
Greetings from South Africa! Love your program and your energy and enthusiasm- it’s quite contagious.
I am learning a lot so thank you🙏