Layered, Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Last Updated on March 7, 2019

A healthy, yet flavor packed meal the whole family will enjoy, baked eggplant Parmesan is a simple casserole style dish made in just under an hour.

Imagine layered, crispy, breaded eggplant slices baked in a rich tomato, garlic and herb sauce, then topped with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. A rich vegetarian dish, even the meat-eaters can enjoy.

Serve the baked eggplant parmesan alongside some basmati rice, or freshly cooked noodles for a full fledged meal, or just enjoy the eggplant parm on it’s own!

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What Does Eggplant Taste Like?

If you’ve never had eggplant, you may be wondering, what does eggplant taste like?

Very mild in flavor, these dark purple gourd like vegetables, have a soft cream colored flesh, very similar to that of zucchini. The flavor is also quite similar, with a somewhat bland, yet squash-y taste.

This mild flavor makes eggplant ideal for use in recipes such as this baked eggplant Parmesan, vegetable soup and stews, and even breaded and baked or fried as an appetizer! The rich flavors of the tomato sauce, herbs, and cheese, help round out a meal that will keep you full, and healthy!

How Thick Do You Cut The Eggplant For Eggplant Parmesan?

Ideally you should choose a large firm eggplant without any dents, wrinkled skin or signs of mold. If the eggplant is soft and mushy to the touch, or has soft brown spots it’s a sure sign of an older fruit that is about to spoil.

Once you’ve chosen a nice large, firm eggplant, you’ll want to cut it into 1/4 inch thick circles. You want the eggplant thick enough to bread, yet still cook all the way through in the oven.

Do You Have To Peel The Eggplant First?

No. If you picked a ripe eggplant you should not have to peel it. A lot of the nutrients are actually located right underneath and in the skin (much like in apples) so you’ll get more nutrition out of the eggplant if you leave the skin on.

If you’ve chosen an older eggplant (or you want to use one up out of the fridge) and the skin has started to wrinkle and become leathery tough, you can peel the skin off to make the dish more palatable.

Do You Need To Salt The Eggplant?

You can if you want to help draw out some bitterness. Nowadays, there isn’t much bitterness left in eggplants as it’s been bred out of them, and skipping this step wont hurt in the least. If you do want to salt the eggplant to help draw out any remaining bitterness or some water, simply sprinkle salt on the cut surface of the eggplant and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Layered Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Ideally suited to a weeknight meal, this layered baked eggplant Parmesan is a simple recipe that can be prepared with minimal work. Lightly breading the eggplant slices is the most difficult part, after which you simply have to bake the slices, then add some sauce, and finally top with cheese before enjoying!

By layering the ingredients like a lasagna, you end up with a rich, hearty eggplant Parmesan casserole that will satisfy even the hungriest families!

Ingredients

• 1 large firm Eggplant – use 2 if the eggplants are small
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• 2 cups panko or other bread crumbs

• 3 cups tomato sauce – homemade or store bought
• 4 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded parmesan

Instructions

1. Trim the top and bottom off the eggplant and slice it into 1/4 inch thick rounds.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400F and lightly grease a sheetpan, as well as a 9 x 12 casserole dish with butter or pam spray.
3. Prepare a quick breading station, mixing the flour with the salt and pepper in a bowl, whisking the eggs with a fork in a second bowl, and finally mixing the breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan in a third bowl.



4. Taking one eggplant slice at a time, dip the slices into the flour, then the egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mix. Take each individually breaded eggplant slice and place it on the greased sheet pan. Bake the slices for 15-20 minutes in the 400F oven flipping them once half way through.



5. While the eggplant slices bake, mix the tomato sauce, onion powder, brown sugar, minced garlic, and herbs in a bowl. Season with some salt and pepper.



6. Once the breaded eggplant slices are golden brown, spread a little sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish, and then place half of the baked eggplant slices out in the bottom of the greased 9 x 12 casserole dish. Top the eggplant with half of the tomato sauce, and remaining cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients as though you are making lasagna.
7. Bake the assembled eggplant Parmesan casserole in the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown on top. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve!

Assembling The Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Can You Freeze Eggplant Parmesan For Meal Prep?

Can you freeze the eggplant Parmesan? I would recommend against it. Because the eggplant itself contains a fair amount of moisture, freezing, and then thawing the eggplant will result in a soggy less then desirable texture once baked.

You can however refrigerate any leftovers after initially serving the dish, and then reheat individual portions either in a toaster oven, the oven itself, or in a microwave.

Can You Make Eggplant Parmesan Without Breadcrumbs?

If you want to make this dish gluten free, or low carb, simply skip the breading in the recipe below. While first breading and baking the eggplant does create a nice crispy crust and adds volume to the dish, you can just as easily sear the eggplant in a hot pan and then lightly roast them before adding in the sauce, herbs, and cheese.

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5 from 9 votes

Layered, Baked Eggplant Parmesan

A vegetarian dish even the meat-eaters can enjoy, this baked eggplant parmesan is loaded with crispy breaded eggplant slices, a rich tomato, garlic, and herb sauce, then topped with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baked eggplant, eggplant casserole, eggplant recipes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1814.7kcal

Author Chef Markus Mueller

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large Eggplant use two eggplants if they are small
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• 2 cups panko or other bread crumbs
• 3 cups tomato sauce homemade or store bought
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded parmesan

Instructions

• Trim the top and bottom off the eggplant and slice it into 1/4 inch thick rounds. 
• Pre-heat your oven to 400F and lightly grease a sheetpan, as well as a 9 x 12 casserole dish with butter or pam spray.
• Prepare a quick breading station, mixing the flour with the salt and pepper in a bowl, whisking the eggs with a fork in a second bowl, and finally mixing the breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan in a third bowl.
• Taking one eggplant slice at a time, dip the slices into the flour, then the egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mix. Take each individually breaded eggplant slice and place it on the greased sheet pan.
• Bake the slices for 20 minutes in the 400F oven flipping them once half way through.
• While the eggplant slices bake, mix the tomato sauce, onion powder, brown sugar, minced garlic, and herbs in a bowl. Season with some salt and pepper.
• Once the breaded eggplant slices are golden brown, spread a little sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish, and then place half of the baked eggplant slices out in the bottom of the greased 9 x 12 casserole dish.
• Top the eggplant with half of the tomato sauce, and remaining cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients as though you are making lasagna.
• Bake the assembled eggplant Parmesan casserole in the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown on top. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve!