Eggplant Parmigiana
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Medium skill but takes some timeWho Doesn't Love a Great Eggplant Parmigiana?
I recently served eggplant parmigiana to a 24-person dinner party. I had several things in mind:
- I wanted the cooking to be done when my guests arrived
- I wanted something that looked festive and Christmasy
- I did not plan to salt the eggplant (this is an unnecessary step with today's eggplant)
- I wanted to bake and not fry the eggplant, but I wanted the eggplant crispy
- I did not want the eggplant to be overly smothered in marinara sauce
What You Need to Know About Eggplants
How to Select Eggplant
Buying eggplant can be tricky. I recommend never buying eggplant more than a day before cooking them. Why? Eggplant deteriorates quickly. There is nothing more discouraging than slicing into an eggplant and discovering the interior is besieged with brown swirls instead of a nice creamy color. It has happened to me more times than I can count. In fact it happened when I made this recipe and I had to run to the store and replace the eggplant the day of the party.Click to download our free e-cookbook: 15 Recipes To Make You Look Like A Star
So purchase your eggplant just before you plan to use them. Look for firm, unblemished eggplant that is solid to the touch. And buy an extra eggplant or two, it may save you a last minute trip to the grocery store.To Salt or Not to Salt Your Eggplant?
Traditionally eggplant was always sliced and salted to remove both bitterness and excess moisture. Eggplant has been bred to be less bitter. Removing excess moisture may be a factor when you are frying eggplant, but for this recipe and for my Modern Greek Moussaka recipe, I bake the eggplant and find there is no need to salt it. Why add an extra step when it is not necessary?Marinara Sauce
Yes you can use store-bought marinara sauce if you want, but why when it is so easy to make? And you can make it in advance and freeze it. No worries if you choose to buy it, but consider making you own. You may be surprised at how easy it is and enjoy being able to season it to your own personal taste. That said, my sister Becky swears by Raos marinara sauce and says there is no reason to make your own.
Should You Make Your Eggplant Parmigiana the Same Day or Ahead of Time?
While there is nothing wrong with making eggplant parmigiana ahead of time and refrigerating it or even freezing it, it will taste great, but the eggplant will not be crispy. For me, the crispy edges of the eggplant are all important. So make your marinara sauce ahead of time, but make your eggplant parmigiana the same afternoon you plan to serve it.Good Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese and Mozzarella is a Must
For this recipe, and might I say all recipes, good Italian Parmigiano Reggiano is a must. The stuff in the green can doesn't count. Even American made parmesan cheese doesn't count. Splurge and buy the real McCoy if you want your dish to shine. I have used pre-sliced mozzarella and fresh mozzarella balls and I definitely prefer the results you get from fresh mozzarella.Traditional Eggplant Parmigiana is Fried, This One is Baked
Traditionally eggplant parmigiana recipes start with salting the eggplant to remove moisture and then frying the eggplant rounds in oil. This recipe skips the salting and frying and instead, bakes the eggplant rounds in the oven.
Once the marinara sauce and eggplant rounds are baked, it is just a matter of layering eggplant, rounds, marinara sauce and cheese. The baking dish is coated with a small amount of marinara sauce, a layer of baked eggplant and then more marinara sauce.
Mozzarella, parmigiano cheese and a drizzle of olive oil are added.
Repeat with a second layer of eggplant, more marinara sauce, the two cheeses and another drizzle of olive oil and you are done. The casserole is ready for the oven.
Eggplant Parmigiana is Great For Entertaining
Everyone loves eggplant parmigiana. It is prepped in advance and can be put in the oven after your guests arrive and it is easily sized up so you can make 1, 2 or 3 casseroles.This recipe was updated on 12/27/23 where I note my preference for fresh mozzarella over pre-sliced.
PrintEggplant Parmigiana
Eggplant Parmigiana is a festive dish loved by everyone. In this version, by Love and Lemons, the eggplant is baked not fried, making is simpler and healthier than traditional Eggplant Parmigiana.
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 - 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main, Side
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
For marinara sauce:
- Splash olive oil
- 1/3 cup shallots, finely minced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 t balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 t dried oregano or basil
- 1/4 – 1/2 t dried chili flakes
- Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
For eggplant parmigiana:
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup. whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups panko
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmigiano cheese, divided
- 2 t oregano
- 2 T fresh thyme, stems stripped and leaves chopped
- 1/4 – 1/2 t dried red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
- Good extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large globe eggplants, sliced into 1/3” rounds
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- Handful of fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
For marinara sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium low heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients, season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Stir and cook over medium low for about 20 minutes. You may add additional water to thin if desired.
Marinara sauce may be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen.
For the eggplant parmigiana:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set your oven to convection if you have that capability. Line two baking pans with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Whisk eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl. Combine Parmigiano cheese, panko, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a second shallow bowl.
- Dip each round of eggplant, first in the egg mixture and then in the panko and parmigiano mixture and lay out on the baking sheet. Repeat until all rounds are coated. Bake for about 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip each eggplant round. Continue baking another 10 – 15 minutes until all the rounds are golden brown and crisp.
- In a 13 x 9 x 2″ pan, spread 1/2 to 3/4 cup marinara over the bottom of the pan. Now layer the eggplant rounds over the bottom of the pan. Top with a cup of marinara. Layer half the mozzarella slices over the eggplant rounds. I like to use half a slice on each round. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmigiano, drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch more salt and pepper. Repeat with a second layer of eggplant, marinara and cheese.
- Thirty minutes before you are ready to serve, put the casserole pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown and the eggplant is heated through. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Top with whole basil leaves for garnish.
Notes
I don’t change much in this recipe by Love and Lemons. I do add a little more parmigiano cheese than in the original recipe and I bake the eggplant longer to ensure each slice of eggplant is golden and crispy.
THIS SERVES WELL WITH
3 COMMENTS
I like Eggplant Parmesan, but I LOVED this recipe! This came together so quickly and easily. My whole family , and holidays guests enjoyed this recipe. Will put it on the rotation! Thanks Kim
Thank you Jane, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I keep a stash of frozen marinara sauce so I can prepare this dish quickly. I have found that I like to use fresh mozzarella over the presliced. I think it melts better. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the recipe.
I like Eggplant Parmesan, but I LOVED this recipe! This came together so quickly and easily. My whole family , and holidays guests enjoyed this recipe. Will put it on the rotation! Thanks Kim