Tie Dye Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
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Tie Dye Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Featuring crispy breaded eggplant, mild provolone cheese, and a trio of delicious sauces including vodka sauce, pesto, and marinara sauce, this sandwich is sure to impress. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy lunch or a hearty dinner option, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings for a classic Italian dish in a sandwich form. This is a great way to use up leftover breaded eggplant cutlets from eggplant parmesan.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Eggplant – In this recipe I use globe eggplant as 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 it is 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.
- Italian sub roll – Because this sandwich is filled with sauces, the ideal sub roll is sturdy yet chewy. If your grocery store doesn’t have great options, I recommend asking if you can purchase the rolls from the sandwich counter or at your local sandwich shop!
- Pesto – I prefer to use homemade basil pesto, which can easily be made in a food processor using my recipe here, though store-bought works just fine!
- Marinara sauce – My homemade marinara sauce recipe is made with a few ingredients – canned tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs.
- Vodka sauce – This rich and creamy tomato based sauce rounds out the trio of flavorful sauces on this sub. Make your own using my recipe here.
- Provolone cheese – Provolone is a semi-soft Italian cheese with a mild flavor and smooth, creamy texture similar to low-moisture mozzarella.
How to Make Tie Dye Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Step 1: Cut eggplant.
Cut the top off the eggplant and then 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 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. Finally, add the panko breadcrumbs to a medium mixing bowl and season with salt.
Step 4: Dredge eggplant.
Add enough oil to 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 eggplant.
Slowly add the breaded eggplant 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.
Step 6: Toast bread.
Heat oven broiler to high. Add the bread cut side up on a baking sheet and broil until toasted.
Step 7: Assemble sandwich.
Spread pesto over the bottom of the bread. Layer fried eggplant slices on top. Ladle the marinara on top followed by the vodka sauce. Top with slices of provolone cheese.
Step 8: Broil cheese.
Broil the sandwich until the cheese has melted.
Step 9: Cut and serve.
Close the sandwich then cut in half widthwise and serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- While I like making my sauce from scratch it can easily be swapped for store bought.
- The provolone cheese can be swapped with either torn fresh mozzarella or slices of part-skim mozzarella cheese. The sandwich can also be finished with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- This recipe is for eggplant cutlets. However, you can make this sandwich with fried chicken cutlets as well.
How to prep this sandwich ahead of time
Eggplant parmesan sandwiches are one of my favorites, but they can be time-consuming to prepare. To save time, I’m sharing my tips for how to prep your sandwiches in advance. This way they can easily be assembled and enjoyed.
- Bread and fry eggplant cutlets in advance. Dredge and fry the eggplant slices ahead of time and then store in an airtight container in the fridge or in resealable plastic bags in the freezer. When you’re ready to make your sandwiches, you can simply reheat them in the broiler or air fryer.
- Make the sauces. While you can easily substitute the trio of homemade sauces for store bought in a pinch, I recommend making the sauces ahead of time. Prepping the sauces in advance and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge will make it much easier to assemble the sandwiches.
- Store components separately. Assembling the sandwiches fully ahead of time can lead to a soggy sandwich. I recommend storing the bread, eggplant cutlets, cheese and sauces separately until ready to assemble and serve.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this eggplant parmesan sandwich recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram:
Tie Dye Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Ingredients:
For the eggplant cutlets:
- 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:
- 1 (10-inch) Italian sub roll with sesame seeds, halved lengthwise
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup vodka sauce
- 4 deli-slices provolone cheese
Instructions:
For the eggplant:
- Cut the top off the eggplant and then 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. Finally, add the panko breadcrumbs to a medium mixing bowl and season with salt.
- Add enough oil to 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 the breaded eggplant 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:
- Heat broiler to high. Add the bread cut side up on a baking sheet and broil until toasted.
- Spread pesto over the bottom of the bread. Layer fried eggplant slices on top. Ladle the marinara on top followed by the vodka sauce. Top with slices of provolone cheese.
- Broil the sandwich until the cheese has melted.
- Close the sandwich then cut in half widthwise and serve.
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