This recipe for baked Eggplant Parmesan is made with layers of crispy, lightly breaded eggplant, rich tomato sauce and three different types of Italian cheese. It's easy to make and healthier than the traditional method because the eggplant gets broiled rather than fried.
My mom passed away in 2007 from ALS and I'm grateful that her memory can live on through some of her best recipes, like her Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, her Fish Chowder, and her Eggplant Parm, a family favorite.
Why this recipe works
- Uses an "oven fried" technique that's easier, healthier and way less messy than the traditional frying method but the flavor and texture are identical.
- Saves time by not salting the eggplant prior to cooking (it's not needed).
- Uses a blend of three different Italian cheeses for a rich, complex flavor.
- Does not use fresh mozzarella which can make Eggplant Parmigiana turn out watery.
Essential Ingredients
- Eggplant - The classic dark purple Globe eggplant works best for eggplant parmesan but I've had good luck with the large, round, light purple Sicilian variety as well. When choosing eggplant, look for firm, shiny skin with no blemishes and avoid any that are really big because they can have large, bitter seeds. The fresher the eggplant, the better it will taste in eggplant parm. Avoid small eggplant varieties such as Japanese or Fairytale.
- Breadcrumbs - Basic store-bought Italian seasoned breadcrumbs are great here. If you have homemade breadcrumbs on hand, even better.
- Cheese - My mom often used one of those pre-grated Italian cheese blends from the grocery store to make her Eggplant Parmesan, but I prefer to grate my cheese fresh because it doesn't have the added cellulose or anti-caking agents that can alter the flavor and texture of the cheese. The blend consisted of grated mozzarella, provolone and pecorino Romano, so thats what I use in my recipe because I love the unique, sharp flavor and how well it melts. Always look for a "low moisture" mozzarella and avoid using fresh mozzarella, as it can add too much extra moisture and make the eggplant parmigiana watery.
- Tomato Sauce - My mom ALWAYS made homemade marinara from scratch, and so do I. That said, you can use whatever tomato sauce you prefer - bottled or homemade, but if using bottled make sure you're using a high-quality sauce. If you want it to taste just like my moms, follow this recipe.
Step by step instructions
- Pour the breadcrumbs into a medium shallow bowl.
- In another medium shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs until thoroughly combined.
- Peel the eggplant and slice very thinly, about ¼ inch thick.
- Take one slice of eggplant at a time and dip it into the egg until coated on both sides, then let the excess drip off.
- Transfer to the breadcrumbs and press to coat on both sides.
- Lay the breaded eggplant on a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining slices, being sure to keep the eggplant in a single layer on the baking sheets (you will need 2-3 baking sheets, or just set the remaining pieces of breaded eggplant aside and reuse the first baking sheet).
- Preheat a broiler to high and set the oven rack as close to the top as it will go. Spray the top of the eggplant generously with olive oil spray, being sure to evenly coat each piece.
- Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, but keep an eye on it, as broilers all heat differently and can go from browned to burnt in an instant.
- When the eggplant turns golden brown and crisp, remove from the oven and use a pair of tongs to turn each piece of eggplant over to the other side. Spray with another thorough coat of olive oil spray, then place back under the broiler and watch until browned on the other side. Some pieces may brown before others - remove them with a pair of tongs and continue cooking the rest. Set the eggplant aside to cool and repeat with all the remaining pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set aside 1 ½ cups each of mozzarella and provolone. Pour just enough sauce to coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- Place a single, even layer of eggplant over the sauce, then top with another thin layer of sauce, spreading it out to cover all of the eggplant as best as you can.
- Sprinkle a little bit of mozzarella, provolone and pecorino Romano over top, then repeat with another layer of eggplant, more sauce, more cheese, etc. until you've used up all the eggplant, sauce and cheese.
- For the last layer, spread the remaining sauce across the top, and then finish by sprinkling with the remaining 3 cups of cheese that you set aside.
- Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until it's bubbling around the edges and just starting to turn golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped basil or parsley if desired, and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and actually taste better than the first day.
Tips for success
- Keep a close watch on the eggplant while it broils. It can go from perfectly crisp to burnt in a matter of seconds. Remove the pieces as they brown and continue cooking the rest to avoid any burning.
- Mozzarella can be tough to grate. To make it easier, pop it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to get it firm. The grating attachment on a food processor can make it a lot easier too.
- It's essential to wait at least 30 minutes before cutting the eggplant Parm or it will ooze out everywhere and seem watery. It needs time to set up after baking.
- This Eggplant Parmesan tastes even better the next day because it has time for all of the flavors to meld together. If you can make it in advance, do it. Bake as normal, then refrigerate, and when you're ready to serve, reheat, covered, at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes (or until hot throughout).
Faq about Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Do you need to peel the skin to make eggplant parmigiana?
No, you do not have to, but I prefer to peel the eggplant since I prefer the texture of it peeled. The skin is perfectly edible, but can sometimes be tough and have a slightly bitter taste.
Do you need to salt the eggplant before cooking?
No. Some recipes will tell you that you must Salt the eggplant and let it sit for a few hours prior to cooking in order to remove the bitterness, but today's conventionally grown eggplants just aren't very bitter to begin with. Salting adds a lot of extra work to an already labor intensive recipe and I just don't think it's necessary.
Can you freeze eggplant parm?
Yes! I like to freeze it in individual portions, then simply defrost overnight and reheat as desired. The oven, toaster oven and microwave all work well.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe and LOVE it? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and/or comment to help other readers. I absolutely love hearing from you and do my best to answer all questions and comments. I love seeing when you make my recipes, so please tag me @ColeyCooks on Instagram and I will repost!
PrintBest Ever Eggplant Parm
This is my mom's famous recipe for eggplant parm and it is both EASY and HEALTHY because it's baked NOT fried! The best eggplant parmesan recipe ever!
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Category: casserole
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, or more as needed
- 3 eggs
- 1 very large or two medium eggplants (about 3-31/2 lbs)
- olive oil cooking spray
- 5 cups homemade tomato sauce (see recipe)
- 16 ounces whole milk mozzarella, grated (not fresh mozzarella)
- 8 ounces mild provolone, grated
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino Romano
- minced fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the breadcrumbs into a medium shallow bowl.
- In another medium shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs until thoroughly combined.
- Peel the eggplant and slice very thinly, about ¼ inch thick.
- Take one slice of eggplant at a time and dip it into the egg until coated on both sides, then let the excess drip off.
- Transfer to the breadcrumbs and press to coat on both sides.
- Lay the breaded eggplant on a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining slices, being sure to keep the eggplant in a single layer on the baking sheets (you will need 2-3 baking sheets, or just set the remaining pieces of breaded eggplant aside and reuse the first baking sheet).
- Preheat a broiler to high and set the oven rack as close to the top as it will go. Spray the top of the eggplant generously with olive oil spray, being sure to evenly coat each piece.
- Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, but keep an eye on it, as broilers all heat differently and can go from browned to burnt in an instant.
- When the eggplant turns golden brown and crisp, remove from the oven and use a pair of tongs to turn each piece of eggplant over to the other side. Spray with another thorough coat of olive oil spray, then place back under the broiler and watch until browned on the other side. Some pieces may brown before others - remove them with a pair of tongs and continue cooking the rest. Set the eggplant aside to cool and repeat with all the remaining pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set aside 1 ½ cups each of mozzarella and provolone. Pour just enough sauce to coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- Place a single, even layer of eggplant over the sauce, then top with another thin layer of sauce, spreading it out to cover all of the eggplant as best as you can.
- Sprinkle a little bit of mozzarella, provolone and pecorino Romano over top, then repeat with another layer of eggplant, more sauce, more cheese, etc. until you've used up all the eggplant, sauce and cheese.
- For the last layer, spread the remaining sauce across the top, and then finish by sprinkling with the remaining 3 cups of cheese that you set aside.
- Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until it's bubbling around the edges and just starting to turn golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped basil or parsley if desired, and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and actually taste better than the first day.
Notes
- Keep a close watch on the eggplant while it broils. It can go from perfectly crisp to burnt in a matter of seconds. Remove the pieces as they brown and continue cooking the rest to avoid any burning.
- Mozzarella can be tough to grate. To make it easier, pop it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to get it firm. The grating attachment on a food processor can make it a lot easier too.
- It's essential to wait at least 30 minutes before cutting the eggplant Parm or it will ooze out everywhere and seem watery. It needs time to set up after baking.
- This eggplant parmigiana tastes even better the next day because it has time for all of the flavors to meld together. If you can make it in advance, do it. Bake as normal, then refrigerate, and when you're ready to serve, reheat, covered, at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes (or until hot throughout).
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 643
- Sugar: 11.8 g
- Sodium: 1701.3 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.3 g
- Protein: 37.3 g
- Cholesterol: 155.2 mg
Keywords: casserole, dinner, baked, vegetarian, eggplant, Italian, parmesan, mozzarella, marinara
Ellen Kelly
Looks fabulous!!! Here' s to Grace, the best of the best ❤️ Ellen
maria
Keep them coming. Your Mom was a good teacher.
Coley
She was, and I will! <3
Coley
Thanks Ellen! She adored you <3 <3
Carol
Well my result was ok. But my big issue: despite a hot pan, the olive oil totally soaked into every round of eggplant sautéed so wound up having to use way too much oil. I coated the pan each time Vs using like 1 inch oil- why this happens ? Thank you. Carol
Coley
Hi Carol - My recipe calls for spritzing the eggplant with cooking spray and broiling, not sautéing in oil, so I'm not quite sure what you're referencing. Can you provide more information and I can help you troubleshoot?
Danielle
I've certainly eaten my fair share, but I've never made eggplant parm at home. Frying is messy and more hands-on, so this seems easier than most recipes, too. I can see the crispiness of the broiled eggplant in that picture. You and your mamma nailed it with this one.
Coley
Thanks, Danielle! I so hope you try it. It's awesome and SO much easier than frying <3
Angela Crippen
Never have I cried and salivated at the same time. She was the best.
Coley
<3 <3 <3
Joy
I just made this tonight with the last of Martin's garden eggplants and a jar of homemade "sauce".... and it was FAB-U-LOUS!! My mom, also, was not the best cook either (love you, Mom... but you know...). She did, however, make a great steak and peas and potatoes... and she made a mean baked chicken, but I moved out of the house when it seemed like we were having her crappy meatloaf every.... other... night (I swear it's true!!). No worries... I was 18... it was legal. Haven't had meatloaf since! Her favorite cookbook was Peg Bracken's "I Hate to Cook Book". Need I say more?
I miss my mom, too. But at least I had her for a little while longer than you had yours, Coley. I'm so glad you two had a wonderful relationship before she left. My mom and I had a "politely strained" relationship until the last couple years of her life and I'm thankful for that.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe. It's a keeper!
Coley
I am SO glad you made this recipe!! It's got to be one of my favorites of all time. I always love reading your comments, but I especially loved reading this one. Thanks for sharing about your mom <3
Gina Kincaid
I'm a bit late to the party, but I tried this recipe last night with my first ever home-grown eggplant. It was super good. I confess I didn't make my own sauce, but used a good brand. Much better than other recipes I've used. Prepping the eggplant in thinner slices and broiling using cooking spray to crisp them up was a great technique. Definitely a new favorite of my family! Thanks!
Bethany LePera
Gave this a try last night & it was amazingly delicious!!! Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
Coley
Thank you Beth!
Kemi M Mattiussi
I've only made eggplant parm a few times and am ALWAYS looking for new and better recipes. One thing I noticed is different from this one is you don't salt the eggplant and let it sit for a few hours beforehand. Is there a reason you don't do this? Is it not necessary? Please let me know so I can try this recipe out!
Coley
Great question! I find the step of salting the eggplant is completely unnecessary. It is supposed to remove the bitterness from the eggplant, but with conventionally grown eggplant today there really isn't any bitterness to remove. It adds a lot of extra work to an already labor intensive recipe and I just don't think it's necessary. My mom never did it and her eggplant parm was always the best. I have another eggplant parm recipe (it's a family favorite) that eliminates the breading, which is more traditional in Italy, and makes it gluten free: https://coleycooks.com/unbreaded-eggplant-parm/
Please let me know if you give one of my recipes a try!
Kemi M Mattiussi
Thank you so much for your quick response! Will be making this recipe ASAP 🙂
★★★★★
Robin Bowie
I made this for my family last night. OMG -- without a doubt the best eggplant parm I have ever made! I used a sauce that I had previously made and had frozen. Although the sauce was good I now want to make a better sauce and will try your Mom's recipe next time I get to the store to get the ingredients.
★★★★★
Coley
Thank you Robin! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! My mom would be so happy! <3
Maria
I just love the recipe. It is so good. Thanks for posting.
Coley
Thank you so much Maria!!
Ginger Swist (Brig)
I had to laugh. My mom is a great cook at 93. She is Sicilian. We had dried roast beef and well done steak. Rather would have had a hot dog at those meals. The Italian cooking was and remains awesome. I make my parm almost the same way. I use my convection oven to Fry the eggplant. My mom taught me to poke holes in the foil to let out steam. Love your recipes.
★★★★★
Coley
Aww, I love that Ginger! Thank you so much for leaving me this comment. Made my day <3
DB
This recipe is awesome. So much easier than frying the eggplant and comes out sooo good!
★★★★★
CPG
Never liked eggplant parmesan until my wife made this recipe and wow! I'm now a fan
★★★★★
Frank
Best eggplant ive ever had
★★★★★
Coley
So glad to hear it
Nicole
Made this last night and wow! It really is the best eggplant parmesan I've ever had. The blend of different cheeses really sets it apart. And I love the broiling technique - it got the eggplant super crispy without having to fry it. I'm going to make the eggplant like that again and just eat it plain. SO GOOD!!
★★★★★
Coley
SO glad you enjoyed it!