Tastenexa
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Italian
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
65 min total25 prep40 cook4 servings380 cal
VegetarianFlexitarianContains dairyContains gluten
Tender roasted eggplant layered with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella and parmesan, topped with crisp breadcrumbs — a baked, lighter take on the classic Italian comfort dish.
Ingredients
produce
- 2eggplant
pantry
- 500 mlmarinara sauce
- 80 gbreadcrumbs
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tspdried basil
dairy
- 180 gmozzarella cheese
- 60 gparmesan cheese
Steps
- Slice the eggplant into 1 cm rounds. Lay them on a wire rack or paper towels, sprinkle with the salt, and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Brush both sides of each eggplant slice with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheets.
- Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F). Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Layer half the roasted eggplant over the sauce, top with half the remaining marinara, half the mozzarella, and half the parmesan. Repeat with a second layer using the rest of the eggplant, marinara, and cheeses.
- Sprinkle the dried basil and breadcrumbs evenly over the top layer.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the breadcrumbs are golden.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips
- Salt the sliced eggplant and let it sit for 15 minutes, then pat dry, to draw out excess moisture and bitterness.
- Brush the eggplant with oil and roast until golden before layering; this keeps the final bake from turning soggy.
- Let the dish rest for 5–10 minutes after baking so the layers set and slice cleanly.
- Toast the breadcrumbs briefly in a dry skillet if you want extra crunch on top.
