This baked eggplant Parmesan recipe will become one of your family favorites! Crispy eggplant is layered with herbs, tomato sauce, and cheese.
Growing up, my mom’s eggplant Parmesan recipe was one of my favorite things to eat. My family ate dinner together every night, and my mom always cooked it from scratch. Tomato sauce never came from a jar, and cheese was never pre-shredded because convenience foods like that were simply not worth the extra expense. Dinnertime was a sound routine for all of us… unless it was summer.
Then, my sister and I had more important matters at hand. We had to keep lookout for the ice cream man, hold swing set jumping contests, and run relays in our jelly shoes. When my mom called us in for dinner, we rushed in and ate as fast as we could so that we could get back outside to play. Food was fine, but play was life. That is, unless the meal she was cooking was eggplant Parmesan. The amazing waft of saucy, cheesy goodness coming out of the oven was something to really get excited about… even if it meant coming in and savoring it for a few extra minutes before heading back out to play.
My Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
This eggplant Parmesan is a delicious, lighter ode to my mom’s classic recipe.
Just like my mom, I make my own marinara sauce by simmering crushed tomatoes for about 20 minutes. Then, for fresh, herbaceous flavor, I add generous pinches of oregano and thyme to the eggplant’s Parmesan and panko coating. Instead of frying the breaded eggplant slices, I bake them until nicely crisp and golden brown. Finally, I layer them with the homemade marinara sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella. And of course, I can’t resist topping the whole thing with big leaves of basil from our garden once it’s out of the oven!
How to Make Eggplant Parmesan
Ready to make eggplant parm? Here’s what you need to do:
- Bread the eggplant. Mix together the herb, Parmesan, and panko coating in one shallow bowl, and whisk 3 eggs in another. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture before tossing it in the panko. Make sure the eggplant is well-coated on all sides!
- Bake the eggplant. Arrange the breaded eggplant slices in a single layer on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400°F until tender and golden brown. If you have a convection setting on your oven, I highly recommend using it here. It helps the panko get especially browned and crisp. I don’t miss the traditional fried eggplant at all!
- Layer it up! Spread some tomato sauce in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices, more marinara, and half the sliced mozzarella. Repeat the layers, finishing it off with any remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
- Bake! Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is starting to bubble. Then, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes, so the cheese starts to brown in places.
- Garnish and serve. Let the hot eggplant Parmesan rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Then, top it with fresh basil leaves and dig in!
Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Tips
- Slice the eggplant as evenly as you can. Even slices mean even cooking, so try to cut your eggplant slices to a consistent width. You don’t want some pieces to overcook before others get tender! The same goes for the fresh mozzarella – cut it to a consistent thickness to get even melting and browning.
- Freshly grate the Parmesan cheese. Your eggplant Parmesan will have more flavor if you get a nice chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano (or even pecorino cheese) and grate it yourself.
- Get a nice, thick panko coating on the eggplant slices. In this recipe, some of the best texture and flavor come from the mix of panko, Parmesan, herbs, and red pepper flakes, so don’t skimp on that yummy crispy coating!
- Don’t forget the olive oil! Make sure to drizzle the breaded eggplant slices with oil before they go in the oven. It’s essential for getting the panko nicely golden brown and crisp.
- Season between the layers. The overall seasoning of your eggplant Parmesan will depend on what marinara and Parmesan cheese you use. With my homemade marinara sauce, I like to add a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of pepper between the layers of eggplant and cheese so that the final dish comes out well-seasoned.
What to Serve with Eggplant Parmesan
This eggplant Parmesan recipe is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but if you’re looking for something to go with it, you can’t go wrong with pasta or good crusty bread. When I make it for friends or family, I also like to pair it with a simple veggie side dish like roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, grilled zucchini, or any of these salad recipes:
How to Store and Reheat
To store: Leftover eggplant parm keeps well in a covered baking dish or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The breading will soften as it sits, but it will still taste delicious!
To freeze:Â Leftovers also freeze well. Let the finished dish cool to room temperature after baking, then tightly cover or seal in airtight containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before you reheat.
To reheat: Warm in a 325°F oven or microwave until heated through.
More Favorite Dinner Recipes
If you love this baked eggplant Parmesan recipe, try one of these delicious dinner recipes next:
- Best Vegetarian Lasagna
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Crispy Zucchini Casserole
- Stuffed Peppers
- Ratatouille
- Or any of these 60 Easy Dinner Ideas!
Love eggplant? Check out these 11 Easy Eggplant Recipes!
Eggplant Parmesan
Equipment
- 9x13-Inch Baking Dish (This Staub one is so pretty for serving)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 28 ounces Marinara Sauce
- 2 large fresh mozzarella balls, thinly sliced
- â…“ cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized shallow dish, beat the eggs.
- In another medium-sized shallow dish, combine the panko, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then into the panko mixture. Place onto the baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 18 to 25 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.
- In an 8x12 or 9x13-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup marinara, layer half the eggplant, and top with 1 cup of marinara and half the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, the remaining marinara, and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a few more pinches of sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil.
Notes
Â
You have a winner here! It appealed to me because some of the more tedious steps were eliminated, yet it worked like a charm. No sweating of the eggplant, no frying, and can be made ahead. I made this a day ahead for company and everyone really enjoyed it. When blitzed, my 8 oz. block of mozzarella measured 2 cups and I just used it all instead of the 1-1/2 cups called for, I am also a lousy drizzler, so I sprayed the olive oil on. These were the only changes and it was the best Eggplant Parm I’ve ever eaten!
I’m so glad you loved it, Karen!
Next week I’ll be breaking the cardinal rule of entertaining by making this for the first time for company. I’m a little nervous. So, you don’t turn your eggplant over when browning? You just brown one side?
Hi, we don’t think it’s necessary to flip, but you can turn it halfway if you’d like to! I hope you love the recipe.
Hello, how can I make this casserole vegan?
Hi Mary, you could replace the parmesan with our homemade vegan Parmesan and use your favorite store-bought vegan mozzarella shreds. If you prefer not to use a store-bought vegan cheese, I recommend trying our eggplant rollatini. We have a vegan option in the recipe notes!
Baking the eggplant is SO much easier (and less cleanup!) I used less red pepper flakes (1 tsp), but it came out wonderfully delicious! This recipe is a keeper!
I’m so glad you loved it, Sophie!
This was excellent, where is the garlic though? I put the left over crumb and cheese breading on the top and then the egg wash before baking it. This is a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed it, Alexis! You could add some garlic powder to the breading if you wanted a stronger garlic flavor (there should be some in your marinara sauce).
Why does the Eggplant Parm receipe not include instructions to sweat the eggplant slices before using the recipe? It does in other instructions before the recipe.
Hi Cheryl, I haven’t found it to be necessary, or worth the extra effort, in this particular recipe.
I really enjoyed this recipe. It was supposed to be enough for 6 to 8 servings, but it was only 4 because I loved it and ate BIG servings. I was a bit put-off at first by all the steps, but it was worth it. Sorry I didn’t take a picture.It will be made again soon.
What are the make ahead instructions?
Hi Linda, you can assemble it, store it in the fridge, and then bake it when you’re ready. My mom freeze it, but just a heads up that it turns out mushier than when it’s freshly made.
I actually made this tonight for Passover using kosher for Passover breadcrumbs and it was phenomenal. Love that it’s baked but still crunchy like fried. My kids loved it too. Will definitely make again. I always forget to leave a review but all of your recipes are outstanding,
Aww, I’m so glad it was a hit with the kids, and I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying many of the recipes. Thanks for taking a minute to send your sweet note!
Amazing, one of my favorite recipes ever!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
Can it prepared early, then baked later at dinner time?
This is an excellent recipe. The marinara recipe that goes with is also delicious. Treatment of the eggplant also works well for green tomatoes!
I’ve made this several times. What I make is sort of a “deconstructed “ version. Instead of making a solid bake dish I create stacks of sauce, eggplant and cheese (as many layers as possible without them tipping over) with space between the stacks. Once baked you have lots of preserved crunchy eggplant. It’s easier to serve and scale. Delicious!
That sounds delicious!