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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Easy Baked-not-Fried Eggplant Parmesan

    Published: Jun 4, 2022 · by Renée B. · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Square of baked eggplant garnished with fresh basil, on a white plate, with a fork on to the side. Large pan of eggplant in the background. Pin text reads: Easy, Baked-not-Fried Eggplant Parmesan

    Baking instead of frying makes the flavor of the eggplant the star of the show in this lighten-up, easy-to-make Eggplant Parmesan.

    Square of eggplant garnished with fresh basil, on a white plate, with a fork on to the side. Large pan of eggplant in the background.
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make Easy Eggplant Parm
    • Expert Tips & FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Easy, Baked-not-Fried Eggplant Parmesan

    What's the Story Behind this Recipe?

    If your family is anything like mine, this lighter, healthier version of classic eggplant parmesan will become an immediate favorite. (Bonus: It's super easy to make and easy on the budget too.)

    Eggplant Parmesan wasn't always one of my favorite things. Sure, it smelled wonderful and looked like a savory plate of Italian heaven, but whenever I had the opportunity to sample it, all I could taste was breading and oil. I knew there had to be a better way, so I started making my own adaptation, baking the eggplant slices first instead of frying them.

    Surprise, surprise! Not only is it delicious when baked instead of fried, but doing so actually allows the eggplant to be the real star of the show!

    What Goes into this Recipe

    ★ Eggplant: There are many varieties of eggplant. For this recipe, we recommend using American or Italian globe eggplants, also known as aubergines (i.e., the big, meaty, purple kind).

    In addition to the eggplant, you will need:

    Eggplant parmesan ingredients on baking tray, labeld: marinara, mozzarella, milk, parmesan, paprika, eggs, oregano, basil, breadcrumbs.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    ★ Marinara: Use your favorite marinara sauce; homemade or jarred.

    Check the Tips & FAQs below for a quick and easy marinara sauce hack.

    ★ Mozzarella: We recommend using a higher moisture, fresh mozzarella; however, a low-moisture mozzarella will work just fine. The less moisture in the mozzarella, the less soft and melty the top of the casserole will be.

    ★ Parmesan: Use a high-quality parmesan for best results. A mixture of asiago, Romano, and parmesan also works very well in this dish.

    ★ Bread crumbs: We like using a mixture of Panko and seasoned Italian bread crumbs. We've also made this with homemade bread crumbs with good results.

    If you use all plain bread crumbs, add an additional teaspoon each of oregano and basil to the bread crumb mix.

    ★ Milk: Use any milk or alternative milk.

    ★ Herbs: Use dried herbs for the breadcrumb mixture. Use fresh herbs for garnishing and serving.

    How to Make Easy Eggplant Parm

    Prep Eggplant

    Cut the eggplant into ½-inch slices. (You do not need to peel them.)

    Arrange the eggplant on baking trays and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Let sit for 30 minutes.

    Rinse eggplant slices in a colander, and pat dry with paper towels.

    2-panel collage: sliced eggplant on a parchment-covered baking tray, and sliced eggplant drained in colander and three slices on a single paper towel.

    Bread & Bake Eggplant

    Preheat oven to 425°F | 218°C.

    Coat 2 large baking sheets lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil each.

    Mix bread crumbs, half the parmesan, basil, oregano, and paprika together.

    Two bowls on a baking tray: one with eggs and milk, and the other with bread crumbs and herbs.

    This is optional, but we like to pulse the breadcrumb mixture in a small blender so that all the elements are uniform. This makes for much more even breading on the eggplant slices.

    Place mixture in a resealable plastic bag or flat bottom bowl.

    Whisk eggs and milk together in a separate bowl.

    Dip eggplant slices first into beaten eggs, and then coat with the breading mixture. Place coated eggplant slices on prepared baking sheet.

    Two bowls with breading ingredients, with eggplant slices in process, and completed slices resting on tray ready to bake.

    Bake at 425°F | 218°C for 10 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices over and bake an additional 10 minutes, until golden brown.

    Remove the eggplant slices from the oven from oven and set aside.

    Baked eggplant slices on a baking tray.

    Assemble & Bake Casserole

    Reduce oven temperature to 375°F | 190°C.

    Generously butter a 9x13 baking dish, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

    • A. Spread a cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan, and layer half of the eggplant slices over the sauce. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the eggplant slices.
    • B. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
    • C. Layer on the remaining eggplant slices.
    • D. Cover with the remaining sauce.
    • E. Top evenly with grated or sliced mozzarella.
    5-panel collage depicting overhead shots of layering of eggplant parmesan, as described in recipe instructions.

    Cover with a lid or foil and bake in 375°F | 190°C preheated oven for 40 minutes.

    Remove cover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. (Remove the cover sooner if you like your eggplant parm a little more crispy around the edges like we do.)

    When the casserole is done, the internal temperature should be at least 165°F | 74°C.

    Baked eggplant in a large clay casserole dish.

    Expert Tips & FAQs

    Quick & Easy Marinara Sauce Hack

    1. Chop one large onion and sauté it in 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil until translucent; about 10 minutes.
    2. Add two chopped garlic cloves and cook for one more minute.
    3. Place sautéed mixture in a blender cup. Add one can of crushed or diced Italian tomatoes and 2 cups of jarred or canned spaghetti sauce.
    4. Pulse until smooth.
    Why do you salt eggplant before cooking it?

    Best practices for traditional eggplant preparation contends that salting eggplant cut and/or draws out the eggplant's bitterness. More importantly, salting reduces the sponginess and results in a creamier, juicier texture.

    Square of baked eggplant garnished with fresh basil, on a white plate, with a fork on to the side. Large pan of eggplant in the background.

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    Square of eggplant garnished with fresh basil, on a white plate, with a fork on to the side. Large pan of eggplant in the background.

    Easy, Baked-not-Fried Eggplant Parmesan

    Baking instead of frying makes the flavor of the eggplant the star of the show in this lighten-up, easy-to-make Eggplant Parmesan.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time:30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time:1 hour hour
    Total Time:1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 275kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Colander
    • 2 Heavy Baking Sheet
    • 1 9x13 baking dish or lasagna pan
    • 1 Whisk
    • 1 small blender optional

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 2½ pounds American or Italian eggplants i.e, aubergines; about 2 large eggplants
    • 2 teaspoons sea salt or as needed for sweating eggplant
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅓ cup milk or alternative milk
    • 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs
    • 1 cup plain Panko bread crumbs or homemade breadcrumbs
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 4 cups marinara sauce homemade or store-bought
    • 12 ounces mozzarella thinly sliced or grated
    • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided; about 4 ounces
    • ½ cup fresh basil optional

    Instructions

    Prep Eggplant

    • Cut the eggplant into ½-inch slices. (You do not need to peel them.)
      Arrange the eggplant on baking trays and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Let sit for 30 minutes.
      Rinse eggplant slices in a colander, and pat dry with paper towels.

    Bread & Bake Eggplant

    • Preheat oven to 425°F | 218°C.
      Coat 2 large baking sheets lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil each.
    • Mix bread crumbs, half the parmesan, basil, oregano, and paprika together.
      This is optional, but we like to pulse this mixture in a small blender so that all the elements are uniform. This makes for much more even breading on the eggplant slices.
      Place mixture in a resealable plastic bag or flat bottom bowl.
    • Whisk eggs and milk together in a separate bowl.
    • Dip eggplant slices first into beaten eggs, and then coat with the breading mixture.
    • Place coated eggplant slices on prepared baking sheet.
      Bake at 425°F | 218°C for 10 minutes.
      Flip the eggplant slices over and bake an additional 10 minutes, until golden brown.
    • Remove the eggplant slices from the oven from oven and set aside.

    Assemble & Bake Casserole

    • Reduce oven temperature to 375°F | 190°C.
    • Generously butter a 9x13 baking dish, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
      A. Spread a cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan, and layer half of the eggplant slices over the sauce. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the eggplant slices.
      B. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
      C. Layer on the remaining eggplant slices.
      D. Cover with the remaining sauce.
      E. Top evenly with grated or sliced mozzarella.
    • Cover with lid or foil and bake in 375°F | 190°C preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
      When the casserole is done, the internal temperature should be at least 165°F | 74°C.

    Notes

    Quick & Easy Marinara Hack
    1. Chop one large onion and sauté it in 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil until translucent; about 10 minutes.
    2. Add two chopped garlic cloves and cook for one more minute.
    3. Place sautéed mixture in a blender cup. Add one can of crushed or diced Italian tomatoes and 2 cups of jarred or canned spaghetti sauce.
    4. Pulse until smooth.

    Leftovers: Refrigerate cooked eggplant parmesan in airtight containers or resealable bags for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1285mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 848IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 2mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Thank you for visiting the Good Hearted Woman. Remember to bookmark this site, and come back soon!

    Originally posted October 13, 2013. Updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions for a better reader experience.

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is self-taught home chef with a penchant for creating healthy(ish) comfort food recipes, and adapting vintage recipes for the 21st century cook. In her spare time, she writes unfinished novels and songs about cowboys.

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    1. Pech says

      November 04, 2013 at 3:59 pm

      I've never been much of a fan of eggplant parmigiana for the very reasons you state- I usually go for chicken (or tofu) because it didn't get oily, but I'll have to keep this baked version in mind!

      Reply
    2. Adventures in Dressmaking says

      October 31, 2013 at 9:08 pm

      Neat! I first discovered this dish in college and made it with my friend once, but it always seemed too time-consuming to make for an everyday meal. I don't feel that way anymore, though! I don't eat grains but almond meal would substitute perfectly for the breadcrumbs, and I'd probably make it with no cheese/milk or very little--but maybe some extra butter or lard! =)

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        October 31, 2013 at 9:41 pm

        Almond meal is great! I have used it a few times, and I love the subtly sweet flavor it imparts. I find this approach to making Eggplant Parm to be far less labor intensive than the traditional method = so much so that it has become one of my weekday go-to meals.

        Reply

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