Description
Baked eggplant delivers crispy perfection right from your oven, making your dinner guests swoon with its golden-brown crunch. Seasoned breadcrumbs and smart baking techniques guarantee a seriously addictive side dish that disappears faster than you can serve it.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Aid:
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Warm your oven to precisely 425°F, ensuring the rack sits in the center position for even heat distribution.
- Cut the eggplant into perfect ½-inch rounds. Generously sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt across both surfaces, allowing moisture to extract for 30 minutes.
- Thoroughly rinse the salted eggplant slices and use paper towels to completely dry each piece, removing all excess liquid.
- Combine 1 cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup Parmesan, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a shallow mixing bowl.
- Whisk 2 eggs in a separate bowl until completely smooth and uniform in color.
- Dunk each eggplant round into the beaten eggs, ensuring total coverage, then immediately roll through the seasoned breadcrumb mixture.
- Arrange the coated slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them separated to prevent steaming.
- Lightly coat the tops with olive oil spray, using a sweeping motion for even distribution.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for exactly 25-30 minutes at 425°F.
- Halfway through cooking, carefully flip each slice to guarantee uniform golden crispness on both sides.
Notes
- Drawing out moisture with salt helps create an ultra-crispy exterior that won’t get soggy during baking.
- Use Japanese panko breadcrumbs for maximum crunchiness, which creates a lighter, airier coating than traditional breadcrumbs.
- Pat the eggplant completely dry before coating to ensure the breading sticks perfectly and browns evenly.
- For a gluten-free version, replace regular breadcrumbs with almond meal or crushed gluten-free crackers for the same satisfying crunch.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg