Eggplant Parmesan

This might be a strange way to start off today’s recipe for eggplant parmesan, but I have to get something off of my chest.  

I’m not a huge fan of eggplant.  

Maybe it’s the texture or maybe it’s the taste, I’m honestly not really sure.  All I can say with confidence is I’m not a fan of most dishes that feature eggplant.  But there is one exception and that’s eggplant parmesan.

I mean, even if you don’t care for eggplant like myself, how could you not love eggplant parmesan?  

It’s just slices of breaded and fried eggplant that are full of flavor and have a crispy texture.   Which is then layered between generous amounts of marinara sauce and melty cheese.  An incredibly simple combination of ingredients and flavors that just work.

The Importance of Sweating your Eggplant

If there is one thing that sets apart good eggplant parmesan from great eggplant parmesan it’s making sure to sweat your eggplant.  Sure it might add a little extra time to the whole process of making the dish.  But it’s really a simple step, so there’s really no excuse for skipping it.  

Honestly, all you have to do is…

1. Slice up your eggplant
2. Sprinkle on a little salt
3. Let it sit & sweat its liquid for at least 30 minutes.

That’s it!  And if you have enough time to let the eggplant sweat for longer than 30 minutes the better the results will be.

So why is this simple step important?  

Well, there are two main reasons.  First eggplants are like sponges and are chock full of water.  So if you don’t properly sweat out all of this excess liquid you’re going to end up with some pretty soggy eggplant parmesan.  And no one wants that.  The second reason is this liquid is often extremely bitter in flavor.  So by getting rid of it you will end up with a better tasting eggplant.

Tips, Tricks & Suggestions

• Not a fan of frying?  Then try baking your eggplant instead.  All you have to do is set your oven to 425℉, 218℃, and place the breaded eggplant on a baking sheet.  Then set this in your heated oven and let the eggplant bake for 20 minutes, making sure to flip them halfway through.
• The skin of eggplants is totally edible and many people choose to leave it on when making this dish.  And to be honest it does add a nice pop of color to the dish.  However, I find that the skin can sometimes be a bit tough and chewy which is why I always peel mine.  That being said there is no right or wrong answer and the decision is totally up to you.
• If you want to do a little meal prep then assemble the casserole (Steps 1-6) and keep it in your fridge a day ahead of time.  Then simply take it out of your fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking it to allow it to come to room temperature.  And simply bake it as instructed in step 7.
• While you can use any store-bought marinara sauce for this recipe I highly recommend you try out our recipe.  It’s fairly easy to make and tastes so much better.

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Prep time: 1 hour (mainly for sweating the eggplant)

Cook time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the fried eggplant:

2 Large Eggplants, peeled or unpeeled and sliced into ½ inch sized rounds

Salt (optional)

1 Cup of all-purpose flour

4 Eggs, beaten

1½ Cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 Cup of vegetable oil or canola oil, for frying

For the rest of the dish:

3 to 4 Cups of marinara sauce, storebought or homemade

1½ to 2 Cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 Cup of parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. (Optional) Sweat the eggplant: Arrange the sliced eggplant in a single layer on a wire rack over a baking sheet.  You can also arrange them on some paper towels if you don’t have a wire rack.  Lightly season both sides of the sliced eggplants with salt and cover with some paper towels.  Let the eggplants sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours so that they sweat and release their bitter liquids.

2. Preheat your oven to 350℉ or 176℃.

3. Prepare your breading station by getting out 3 large shallow bowls or plates.  In one place the cup of flour, in the second the beaten eggs, and in the last one the seasoned bread crumbs.

4. Bread your eggplant: If you sweated your eggplant pat them dry with some paper towels.  Then working with one eggplant round at a time dredge first in all-purpose flour, followed by the eggs, and lastly the bread crumbs.  Set this aside on a clean plate and repeat the process until all pieces of eggplant are breaded.

5. Fry eggplant: Get out a large pan or skillet and pour the cup of oil into it.  Place this over medium-high heat and place a few pieces of the breaded eggplant in (don’t overcrowd). Let the eggplant fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.  Transfer them to some paper towels and repeat the process until all the eggplant is fried.

6. Assemble the dish: Get out a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into it.  Spread the marinara sauce around until it coats the entire bottom of the dish.  Layer one-third of the fried eggplant over the sauce.  Pour another ½ to 1 cup (depending on how saucy you prefer it) of marinara sauce over the eggplant.  Sprinkle on ½ to ⅔ cup of mozzarella and ⅓ cup of parmesan over the sauce.  Repeat this process until you have three layers of eggplant -> sauce -> cheese.

7. Bake: Place the casserole dish into your oven and let it bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  You will know that it is done when the middle layers of cheese look melted and the top layer of cheese is slightly golden brown.  Take it out of your oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

8. Use a spatula to remove a section of the eggplant parmesan and place it on a plate.  Sprinkle some shredded basil leaves over top and enjoy!

Print Recipe

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• For the fried eggplant:
• 2 Large Eggplants peeled or unpeeled and sliced into ½ inch sized rounds
• Salt optional
• 1 Cup of all-purpose flour
• 4 Eggs beaten
• 1½ Cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 Cup of vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
• For the rest of the dish:
• 3 to 4 Cups of marinara sauce storebought or homemade
• 1½ to 2 Cups of mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1 Cup of parmesan cheese grated or shredded
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• (Optional) Sweat the eggplant: Arrange the sliced eggplant in a single layer on a wire rack over a baking sheet. You can also arrange them on some paper towels if you don’t have a wire rack. Lightly season both sides of the sliced eggplants with salt and cover with some paper towels. Let the eggplants sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours so that they sweat and release their bitter liquids.
• Preheat your oven to 350℉ or 176℃.
• Prepare your breading station by getting out 3 large shallow bowls or plates. In one place the cup of flour, in the second the beaten eggs, and in the last one the seasoned bread crumbs.
• Bread your eggplant: If you sweated your eggplant pat them dry with some paper towels. Then working with one eggplant round at a time dredge first in all-purpose flour, followed by the eggs, and lastly the bread crumbs. Set this aside on a clean plate and repeat the process until all pieces of eggplant are breaded.
• Fry eggplant: Get out a large pan or skillet and pour the cup of oil into it. Place this over medium-high heat and place a few pieces of the breaded eggplant in (don’t overcrowd). Let the eggplant fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer them to some paper towels and repeat the process until all the eggplant is fried.
• Assemble the dish: Get out a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into it. Spread the marinara sauce around until it coats the entire bottom of the dish. Layer one-third of the fried eggplant over the sauce. Pour another ½ to 1 cup (depending on how saucy you prefer it) of marinara sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle on ½ to ⅔ cup of mozzarella and ⅓ cup of parmesan over the sauce. Repeat this process until you have three layers of eggplant -> sauce -> cheese.
• Bake: Place the casserole dish into your oven and let it bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You will know that it is done when the middle layers of cheese look melted and the top layer of cheese is slightly golden brown. Take it out of your oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Use a spatula to remove a section of the eggplant parmesan and place it on a plate. Sprinkle some shredded basil leaves over top and enjoy!