Similar to chicken Parmesan, eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian-American casserole composed of fried, crispy eggplant that’s layered with a rich marinara sauce and cheese and baked until hot and bubbling. Just like its sister recipe, eggplant Parm admittedly isn’t the simplest of weeknight dinners. It requires a fair amount of time and patience, but the result is truly worth every bit of effort (if you’re looking for a similar result with a little less effort, check out our eggplant rollatini or our skillet eggplant Parm for an easier take on this classic dish). Ready to wow at date night or your upcoming dinner party? Here’s all of our top tips on making this comfort food classic:
Top tips for making eggplant Parmesan:
— Salt your eggplant. Eggplant has a ton of water in it, which can make it difficult to bread and fry. Salting the eggplant slices causes them to release some of their water through osmosis, resulting in eggplant that is firmer and easier to crisp up. For best results, let the eggplant sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature once you’ve salted it—it needs some time for the salt to draw out that excess moisture.
— Bread the eggplant. This recipe uses a typical three-step breading process, which involves dredging the eggplant in seasoned flour and dipping it into beaten eggs before coating it in the panko mixture. We’ve also added a little grated Parmesan and dried oregano to our panko mix for extra flavor.
— Prioritize your sauce. A good sauce is key to the best eggplant Parm. This recipe includes instructions for making a simple (but delicious) homemade marinara. If you really want to, you can use the jarred stuff, but if you want our honest opinion? Since you’re putting in the extra work with the eggplant, you might as well go the distance with the sauce as well. It only takes a few minutes to throw together, and you can let it simmer on the stove while you prep other things.
Serving ideas:
Although this isn’t a pasta dinner, any of our favorite side dishes for pasta would work beautifully with this dish. Make our sheet-pan panzanella if you’re serving a crowd, roasted asparagus if you’re craving veggies, or our homemade garlic knots if you want to sop up all of the delicious marinara sauce.
Storage, freezing, and make ahead:
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, or freeze them up to 1 month. Looking to make this dish ahead of time? Assemble the dish, then cover with plastic wrap and foil before storing in the freezer up to 1 month. When ready to eat, simply thaw and bake.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
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- Yields:
- 8 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 45 mins
- Total Time:
- 2 hrs 45 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 1616
Ingredients
Marinara
- 1/4 c.
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1
yellow onion, chopped
- 6
cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp.
tomato paste
- 2
(28-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 c.
torn fresh basil leaves
- 1 tsp.
dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Eggplant & Assembly
- 3
medium eggplants, sliced into coins
- 1 tbsp.
kosher salt, plus more
- 2 c.
(240 g.)all-purpose flour
- 6
large eggs, beaten to blend
- 1/4 c.
milk or water
- 3 c.
panko
- 1 tbsp.
dried oregano
- 3 c.
finely gratedParmesan (from about 7 oz.), divided
- 3 c.
shredded mozzarella
Vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Directions
Marinara
- Step1In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, and oregano and stir to combine.
- Step2Fill one crushed tomato can about halfway with water, swirl to release excess tomatoes, and add to pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and flavors have melded, about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
- Step3Make Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool, then store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Eggplant & Assembly
- Step1Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Season eggplant all over with salt and arrange on prepared sheet in a single layer. Top with another layer or two of paper towels. Let sit to release excess moisture, about 45 minutes.
- Step2Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Place a wire rack in another baking sheet.
- Step3In a shallow bowl, whisk flour and 1 tablespoon salt. In another shallow bowl whisk eggs and milk until combined. In a third shallow bowl, whisk panko, oregano, and 1 1/2 cups Parmesan.
- Step4Working in batches, toss eggplant in seasoned flour, then dip into egg mixture and dredge in panko mixture. Place on prepared rack.
- Step5Into a large high-sided skillet over medium heat, pour in oil to a depth of about 1/4" and heat until shimmering. Add eggplant in a single layer and cook, turning once, until deeply golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack and blot with paper towels. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Let cool slightly.
- Step6In a 13"x9" baking dish, spread a thin layer of sauce. Top with about one-quarter of eggplant, trimming as needed to fit, then drizzle with one-quarter of remaining sauce. Sprinkle with about one-quarter of mozzarella and one-quarter of remaining 1 1/2 cups Parmesan. Repeat layers 3 more times with remaining eggplant, sauce, and cheese. Cover pan with foil and place on a baking sheet.
- Step7Bake eggplant Parm until cheese is melted and eggplant is tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Top with parsley.
