How To Make Eggplant Parmesan
How To Make Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Set up your dredging station. I use three same size pie dishes. You just want something with a lip on it. Place your flour in one with 2 tsp of kosher salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Place your eggs in another dish with a pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place your breadcrumbs in another dish with the Italian seasoning and 1/3 C pecorino romano, mix together.
- Place approximately ¼ C of light olive oil (or any light oil) on your baking sheet and spread evenly. Dredge your eggplant in the flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs and place directly on your baking sheet. Bake the eggplant for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time. Take out of the oven, the eggplant should be nice and browned on both sides. Now, you’re ready to create your dish.
- Cover the bottom of a 9” x 13” casserole dish with your marinara sauce. You just don’t want the eggplant to stick to the pan. Place a layer of eggplant down, cover each with marinara, sprinkle with ½ of the pecorino romano and ½ of the mozzarella.. Repeat this with the second layer, topping with the mozzarella. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Enjoy!
- Tip: If the top is starting to brown too much for your liking, just cover with foil and finish cooking.
Video
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!What is Eggplant Parmesan?
Eggplant Parmesan (melanzane alla parmigiana) is a classic Italian baked casserole made from layered breaded eggplant slices, tomato sauce, and melting cheeses. It follows the same layered, saucy-and-cheesy structure as chicken Parmesan but substitutes breaded eggplant rounds for breaded cutlets, giving a more vegetable-forward texture while keeping the familiar comforting flavors.
Choosing and preparing the eggplant (why peeled?)
Peeling eggplant removes the slightly firmer outer skin and tends to produce a creamier, more tender interior after baking—one reason many home cooks peel for a softer mouthfeel. Medium-sized eggplants commonly have fewer seeds and a more even texture for slicing into rounds. Surface damage such as bruises or cuts can cause uneven browning during baking, so slices that are smooth and intact will brown more uniformly.
Why we bread and bake the eggplant (what the steps do)
The dredging sequence—flour, egg, then breadcrumbs—and the light oil on the baking sheet work together to create a golden, crisp exterior without deep frying. Each component contributes in a different way:
- Flour creates a dry surface that helps the egg adhere.
- Egg wash bonds the breadcrumbs to the slice and promotes browning.
- Breadcrumbs form the crunchy crust; seasoning and grated Pecorino in the crumbs add savory flavor.
- Oil on the baking sheet supplies enough fat for bottom browning and helps prevent sticking, producing a texture closer to shallow-fried without using a pan of oil.
- Flipping halfway evens the browning so both sides develop color before the slices are layered and baked with sauce and cheese.
Watch Dr. J Make Eggplant Parmesan
Watch Dr. J make Eggplant Parmesan and see how it comes together.
