Our Classic Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Is A (Worthwhile!) Labor Of love

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.

How To Make Eggplant Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

• Marinara: If you're going through the effort of making eggplant Parm, why not make your own marinara sauce to go along with it? You most likely have all the ingredients on hand, comprising of some garlic and onions, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and dried oregano. Of course, if you're short on time, get your favorite store-bought stuff.
• Eggplants: The most commonly used eggplants for this recipe are "globe" or "American" eggplants, which you can easily find at most grocery stores. "Italian" eggplants are smaller and a little sweeter and are an equally fine substitute.
• Kosher Salt: Salting the eggplant might seem like a lot, but it's crucial to draw out the moisture from the eggplant. You probably think it's a too-fussy step, but it's the only way you can ensure the eggplant Parm isn't soggy.
• All-Purpose Flour: One of the key ingredients for the eggplant dredge.
• Eggs & Milk: You'll need 6 eggs for this recipe, so it's a good excuse to use up any eggs hanging out in your fridge. I recommend mixing them with whole milk for a heartier flavor, but water works in a pinch.
• Panko: This style of breadcrumbs yields the best texture and holds up to the shallow frying. Try to avoid the other kinds if possible.
• Parmesan: Can't have eggplant Parm without the Parm! As I say again and again, grating 3 cups worth of cheese may seem like a lot, but it's essential for this dish. The pre-grated kind has extra chemicals you don't want in your dish.
• Mozzarella: Low-moisture works best here, and while grating at home is always recommended, you can get away with using the already shredded stuff here if you need to save some time.
• Vegetable Oil: Any oil that can handle a high heat works, but vegetable is a reliable go-to that you should always have on hand in your kitchen.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Time to get the sauce going. You can have it hang out and kept warm while you assemble the eggplant, or make it ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. In a large pot, soften the onion, then add some garlic and tomato paste. Pour in crushed tomatoes (then fill the can with water to get any residual tomatoes), plus fresh basil and dried oregano, and cook until everything gets to know each other and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. That's it! Sauce is ready!

red sauce with a wooden spoon for mixing

After seasoning the eggplant, squish it between paper towels to draw out the moisture. Weight it down with a heavy skillet for extra insurance. This should take about 25 minutes.

Time to dredge your perfectly dried out eggplant slices. First, dip eggplant into seasoned flour.

whisk stirring a bowl of white flour

Then into whisked eggs and milk (or water if you don't have any milk or don't want to use it).

mixing beaten eggs in a bowl with a tool

Finally into a mixture of panko, oregano, and 1 1/2 cups Parmesan. Be sure to pat on the panko mixture so it adheres.

Time to shallow fry! Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet until you get to a depth of about 1/4". Working in batches, cook the eggplant until deeply golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes for each side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain, then blot dry with some paper towels.

fried goldenbrown round food being lifted from hot oil

Time to assemble! First, in a 13" x 9" baking dish, be sure to spread a generous layer of sauce; this will keep everything from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Layer the eggplant pieces on top in a single layer.

layering fried eggplant slices on top of a tomato sauce in a baking dish

Keep on layering the eggplant pieces, alternating with mozzarella, Parmesan, and sauce.

Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is very tender, about 40 minutes. Let it cool slightly to set, top with fresh parsley, and serve.

layered dish featuring eggplant and melted cheese

The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• 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

If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze 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.

Yields: 8 servings

Prep Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 2 hours 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 c.

  extra-virgin olive oil

• 1

  yellow onion, finely chopped

• 6

  garlic cloves, 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

• 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 grated Parmesan (from about 7 oz.), divided

• 3 c.

  shredded mozzarella

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

1. In 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.
2. Fill 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.
3. Make Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool, then store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

1. Line 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.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Place a wire rack in another baking sheet.
3. In a shallow bowl, whisk flour and 1 Tbsp. 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.
4. Working in batches, toss eggplant in seasoned flour, then dip into egg mixture and dredge in panko mixture. Place on prepared rack.
5. Into 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.
6. In a 13" x 9" 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.
7. Bake eggplant Parm until cheese is melted and eggplant is tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Top with parsley.

Eggplant Parmesan

Made This?

Let us know how it went in the comments!