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the finished eggplant parmesan
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Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time45 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

  • (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!