Casserole-Style Classic Eggplant Parmesan
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While chicken Parmesan gets a lot of the attention, I have a special place in my heart for eggplant Parmesan. New York has no shortage of restaurants serving variations on eggplant Parmesan, but my favorite is at the Nolita Italian restaurant, Rubirosa. The appetizer portion comes heaped on a plate with enough to serve a whole table. Their entrée portion comes over spaghetti. I prefer to eat this eggplant Parmesan on its own but you can easily serve it over your favorite pasta. This classic eggplant Parmesan is great for meal prepping (it reheats so well) or serving a crowd of picky eaters (it’s vegetarian friendly!).
In this recipe breaded slices of eggplant are fried and layered into a lasagna pan with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. It’s baked until the cheese is gooey and cut into squares and served topped with fresh herbs. While you can skip the breading on the eggplant, I love the texture and flavor it adds. If you prefer a crispier version of eggplant Parmesan made in individual portions, check out this recipe made with burrata here.
Casserole-Style Classic Eggplant Parmesan
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Eggplant – In this recipe I use globe eggplant, it’s the typical oblong eggplant found at most grocery stores. I cut them lengthwise to layer the long slices in the pan and peel them for a creamier, consistent texture. The eggplant is first laid out on paper towels and salted to draw the moisture out before they are dredged and fried.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Panko, or Japanese breadcrumbs, are light and airy. They absorb less oil than Italian breadcrumbs which makes for a crisp, crunchy texture.
- Flour – The all-purpose flour mixture is seasoned with red pepper, garlic powder and black pepper and used to dredge the eggplant cutlets with eggs and panko.
- Eggs – I whisk eggs with whole milk to help the panko breadcrumbs adhere to the slices of eggplant.
- Marinara – Because the eggplant part of the recipe takes a bit of attention, using a jarred tomato sauce certainly makes things easier, though if you have the time I love being able to make my own from scratch since it’s very easy. I typically use this recipe for marinara here. This sauce has a great flavor – made with whole peeled tomatoes, diced tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves. Simply blend it for a smoother sauce. The marinara sauce can be made ahead of time to cut down on prep work.
- Mozzarella – The eggplant Parmesan is layered with shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese and topped off with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. I like using a combination of the two for this dish for maximum melty texture and flavor, however, you can use all part-skim mozzarella if desired.
How to Make Classic Eggplant Parmesan
Step 1: Cut and peel eggplant.
Cut the top off the eggplant and the bottom ½” (1.3cm). Peel the skin off the eggplants with a vegetable peeler. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into ¼” (6.4mm) thick slices.
Step 2: Salt eggplant.
Arrange eggplant slices on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Season generously with salt, alternately layering paper towels and eggplant slices. Top with another baking sheet to weigh the slices down. Let sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to drain some of the water from the eggplant.
Step 3: Prep the dredge.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes and black pepper. In another medium mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and milk until combined. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a final shallow bowl and season with salt.
Step 4: Dredge eggplant.
Add enough oil in a cast iron pot or heavy bottomed skillet to reach about 1” (2.5cm) up the side of the pot. Heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC). Working in batches a few slices at a time, dip a piece of the eggplant in the flour, then dip in the egg wash, then dredge both sides in the panko breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess.
Step 5: Fry the eggplant.
Slowly add the breaded eggplant slices to the oil and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate or wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant until all have been fried.
Step 6: Combine the cheeses.
In a medium mixing bowl stir together the shredded part-skim mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Step 7: First layer.
Spread 1½ cup (338g) of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 12” x 9” (30cm x 23cm) baking pan, top with a layer of fried eggplant slices, trimming them as needed to fit the edges of the pan. Evenly spread another 1½ cup (338g) of sauce over the top and sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese mixture.
Step 8: Continue to layer ingredients.
Add another layer of eggplant followed by 1½ cup (338g) of sauce and half the remaining cheese. Repeat once more with the eggplant and sauce, finishing it off with the rest of the cheese. Add the slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
Step 9: Bake the eggplant parmesan.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit (200ºC). Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is tender and the cheese has melted, about 45 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake until the cheese is golden brown, about an additional 15 minutes.
Step 10: Garnish and serve
Let cool for 10 minutes then garnish with the fresh basil. Cut into slices and serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
How to Prepare Eggplant Parmesan in Advance
- The eggplant cutlets can be breaded and fried up to 3 days in advance (or up to 3 months if you freeze them). While they won’t be crispy, the eggplant will be coated in sauce anyway in this recipe.
- If using homemade marinara sauce, make the sauce in advance for easier assembly. You can also substitute jarred sauce if desired.
- The eggplant parmesan can be assembled in the baking dish ahead of time, then covered with aluminum foil and either refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking or frozen for up to 3 months. If baking from frozen additional cooking time will need to be added.
How to Air Fry Eggplant Cutlets
The eggplant cutlets can easily be made in the air fryer, however I find it easier to fry them because of how small the air fryer basket can be and how many slices there are to cook. To air fry eggplant cutlets, heat the air fryer to 400ºF (200ºC). Working in batches, add slices of breaded eggplant to the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 minutes then flip and cook until golden brown, about an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Repeat until all slices have been cooked.
How to Make with Roasted Eggplant
If you want to skip the breading process, you can still make eggplant parmesan. I recommend first following the salting process as noted in the recipe below to draw water from the vegetables. Next arrange eggplant slices on baking sheets and drizzle the eggplant with ½ cup olive oil. Bake until golden brown and tender, flipping the eggplant halfway through cooking, about 30 to 40 minutes total. Use in the recipe as you would the breaded chicken.
How to Reheat Eggplant Parmesan
Rather than reheating the whole pan I like to reheat eggplant in portions. I add the individual portion to a plate and microwave it for 2 minutes, then heat the oven to broil and broil until the cheese has melted.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this classic eggplant parmesan recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram:
Casserole-Style Classic Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
For the eggplant:
- 4 medium eggplants
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- ½ whole milk
- 5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, as needed for frying
For assembly and serving:
- 5½ cups Marinara sauce
- 3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼” thick slices
- ¼ packed cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
Instructions:
For the eggplant:
- Cut the top off the eggplant and the bottom ½” (1.3cm). Peel the skin off the eggplants with a vegetable peeler. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into ¼” (6.4mm) thick slices.
- Arrange eggplant slices on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Season generously with salt, alternately layering paper towels and eggplant slices. Top with another baking sheet to weigh the slices down. Let sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to drain some of the water from the eggplant.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes and black pepper. In another medium mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and milk until combined. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a final medium mixing bowl and season with salt.
- Add enough oil in a cast iron pot or heavy bottomed skillet to reach about 1” (2.5cm) up the side of the pot. Heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Working in batches a few slices at a time, dip a piece of the eggplant in the flour, then dip in the egg wash, then dredge both sides in the panko breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Slowly add to the oil and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant until all have been fried.
For assembly:
- In a medium mixing bowl stir together the shredded part-skim mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Spread 1½ cup (338g) of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 12” x 9” (30cm x 23cm) baking pan, top with a layer of eggplant slices, trimming them as needed to fit the edges of the pan. Evenly spread another 1½ cup (338g) of sauce over the top and sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese mixture.
- Add another layer of eggplant followed by 1½ cup (338g) of sauce and half the remaining cheese. Repeat once more with the eggplant and sauce, finishing it off with the rest of the cheese. Add the slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
- When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is tender and the cheese has melted, about 45 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake until the cheese is golden brown, about an additional 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then garnish with the basil. Cut into slices and serve.
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