Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Today’s eggplant parmesan recipe is a vegetarian mash-up idea for the well-known chicken parmesan and lasagna.

The preconceived notion of eggplant has been a bland, soggy, and slimy vegetable. Much to your surprise, this eggplant parmesan has changed minds among our friends more than once.

For those who have never developed a love for eggplant, you really need to give eggplant parmesan a shot. It’s crispy, cheesy, and delicious— ready to get people to open their hearts for a dish with eggplant as the main ingredient.

What Is Eggplant Parmesan?

Eggplant parmesan is a casserole dish that consists of sliced eggplant breaded, pan-fried, and baked with marinara cheese. Its origin is still in dispute— most people believe it has relations to either Parma, Sicily, or Naples in Italy.

Is This Recipe Healthy?

Providing 466 calories per serving, eggplant parmesan can be served as a healthy, nutritious, and fulfilling breakfast. It’s also vegetarian with no meat included, and contains only 206mg of sodium.

Another casserole dish that’s also vegetarian and packed with greens is ratatouille. We believe it’s a more appropriate choice for people who are following a Keto or low-carb diet.

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Tips for Making

There are several ways to prevent eggplants from absorbing too much oil. One way is to keep a close eye on the heat and the frying time.

If the heat is too high or too low, the eggplant will start to absorb more oil than it needs. You need to add the eggplant in right after the oil starts to simmer (but is not smoking hot).

Don’t fry the eggplant slices for too long; instead, remove them immediately as they start to turn slightly golden. You’ll have more time to cook them later in the oven.

After you’ve finished cooking, use a paper towel to drain excess oil from the fried eggplant slices. By doing so, they won’t turn soggy right away when exposed to the air throughout your meal.

You can make eggplant parmesan ahead of time, but note that you’ll run the risk of producing a slightly soggy eggplant.

To prepare eggplant parmesan ahead of time, all you need to do is assemble all ingredients in the casserole dish with marinara sauce. Next, cover it tightly with cling film and place in the refrigerator. 

Glass or ceramic cookware can sometimes crack under sudden heat changes (from low to high temperature). Therefore, you need to let it cool down completely before reheating it in the oven.

What Goes with This Recipe

Eggplant parmesan is favorable among vegetarians as it’s hearty and delicious with a meat-like taste. Aside from eggplant, here are the important ingredients that give the dish its remarkable texture and flavor.

1. Cheese

In this recipe, we use both mozzarella and parmesan cheese (also known as Parmigiano-Reggiano). 

Parmesan cheese is mixed with the breadcrumbs, and together, they develop a golden crust after deep-frying in the pan. Mozzarella cheese, on the other hand, is sprinkled on top and between the layers of eggplant to create the ooey-gooey melting effect.

You can also purchase a big piece of fresh cheese and grate or shred it yourself. By doing so, you’ll get more of the original flavors while keeping your meals budget friendly.

2. Flour and Egg

Flour and eggs are the two binding ingredients that cannot be left out of this eggplant parmesan. The eggs help bind the breadcrumb mixture to the eggplant, and the flour helps glue the eggs to the slices.

We also have this healthy casserole recipes. They are easy to follow and complied with our healthy eating standards.

How Long Does Cooked Eggplant Last?

If you want to save time preparing eggplant parmesan by frying the eggplant beforehand, it’s necessary to know how long it can stay in the fridge.

In particular, cooked eggplant can retain good quality for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. However, if the recipe requires breading the eggplant, then the outer crust will turn soggy.

Therefore, we highly recommend you prepare this eggplant parmesan as explained below.

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Can You Freeze It?

Yes, you can. To freeze eggplant parmesan, simply put the casserole dish that contains the leftovers into the freezer.

Before reheating, you’ll need bring it to room temperature and preheat the oven in the meantime. Make sure you let it thaw completely before popping it in the oven, otherwise, it will be melting and soggy.

One more important note: It’s absolutely a no to freeze the uncooked casserole dish. The thawing (or, in other words, melting) process will make all the raw ingredients completely waterlogged.

What to Serve with

Eggplant parmesan itself is already a nutritious make-ahead breakfast. However, if you’re looking for something else to side with this dish and create a complete meal, here’s some suggestions.

1. Pasta

Pasta earns its love and fame in part thanks to its convenience. You simply cannot go wrong when serving pasta with any Italian dish.

If you’re afraid of consuming that many carbohydrates for breakfast, consider replacing the traditional pasta with zucchini noodles. Or, feel free to enjoy it with some simple broiled veggies for more fiber.

2. Carrot Orange Ginger Juice

A sweet and vibrant carrot orange ginger juice is the drink we chose to pair with this eggplant parmesan. It’s packed with nutrients, vitamins, and aromatic flavors— even more amazing if served cold.

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And that’s pretty much everything you need for an energizing start to a new day. Join us next time for more filling meals!

More Amazing Egg Recipes to Try Out

• Frittata Recipe
• Migas Recipe
• Scrambled Eggs Recipe
• Egg Curry Recipe

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This eggplant parmesan will introduce you to an Italian dish that's crispy, tasty, and nutritious. As the eggplants are coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried, everything becomes way more intriguing— crispier, and more flavorful.

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• cook TIME 1 hr 5 mins
• prep TIME 5 mins
• total TIME 1 hr 10 mins

• COURSE Breakfast, Main Course
• CUISINE American, Italian
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 466 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 12 oz eggplant
• 2 medium eggs
• 0.35 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• 3 oz mozzarella cheese (divided)
• 6 oz onion (chopped)
• 2 oz baguette bread (crumbled, *)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (*)
• 1 cup homemade tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup olive oil (*)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

Make the marinara

1

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 6 oz onion and 2 tbsp garlic, and stir for 5 minutes.

2

Continue to add 1 cup homemade tomato sauce, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 cup water, and 1 tsp ground black pepper to the skillet. Whisk to combine.

Coat the eggplant

1

Preheat the oven to 350℉.

2

Prepare three large and shallow plates, the first one with 1/2 cup flour, the second one with 2 beaten eggs, and the third one with 2 oz breadcrumbs mixed with 0.35 oz parmesan cheese.

3

Dredge each eggplant slice (12 oz) in the flour mixture, dip it in the egg mixture, then coat it in the breadcrumbs and parmesan mixture. Work with one slice at a time and repeat to the end.

Fry the eggplant

1

Add 1/2 cup of olive oil to a non-stick pan and turn on medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering (not smoking hot), fry all the coated eggplant until slightly golden on both sides.

2

Transfer the fried eggplant to a wire rack lined with a few layers of paper towel to drain all excess oil.

Bake the eggplant

1

Divide the marinara sauce into three equal parts.

2

Spread one-third of the marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a casserole dish. Place half of the fried eggplant on it.

3

Sprinkle half of the chopped basil (1 tbsp) and half of the mozzarella cheese (1.5 oz) onto the first layer of eggplant.

4

Repeat step two to make the second layer.

5

Spread the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the second layer. Sprinkle remaining 1.5 oz mozzarella cheese on it.

6

Bake at 350℉ for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and turns golden brown, and the marinara sauce is bubbling.

7

Remove the dish from the oven. Serve immediately.

(*) Only part of these ingredients will end up in the final product, and we have calculated nutritional values based on that amount. The whole amount is needed for the coating and cooking process, but what actually ends up being consumed are 5 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 ounce of breadcrumbs, and 3 ounces of all-purpose flour.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 466Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g

46%

Saturated Fat 7g

44%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 13g

Cholesterol 99mg

33%

Sodium 206mg

9%

Potassium 626mg

18%

Carbohydrate 37g

12%

Fiber 6g

25%

Sugar 9g

10%

Protein 13g

26%

Vitamin A 1375IU

28%

Vitamin C 22mg

27%

Calcium 89mg

9%

Iron 4mg

22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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