Description
Crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan delivers a lighter twist on the classic Italian comfort dish that will have your family begging for seconds. Layers of golden-brown eggplant slices, melted cheese, and zesty marinara sauce create a satisfying meal that brings pure Mediterranean flavor straight to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 large Eggplant
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Marinara Sauce
Breading and Seasoning:
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Garnish:
- ¼ cup Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Slice eggplant into thin ¼-inch disks, then generously sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt across both sides. Let the slices rest for 15 minutes to extract excess moisture.
- Pat each eggplant slice completely dry using paper towels, removing all surface liquid.
- Crack 1 large egg into a shallow bowl and whisk thoroughly until smooth and well-blended.
- Mix 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning in a separate wide dish.
- Dunk each eggplant slice into the whisked egg, ensuring complete coverage on both sides.
- Roll the egg-coated slice immediately into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to help crumbs adhere completely.
- Arrange the breaded eggplant slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving small gaps between each piece.
- Slide the baking sheet into a preheated 400°F oven and bake for exactly 15 minutes.
- Remove the sheet, carefully flip each eggplant cutlet, and return to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving with 1 cup warm marinara sauce.
- Optionally, sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top and garnish with ¼ cup fresh chopped basil.
Notes
- Salt the eggplant to remove excess moisture, which prevents soggy breading and ensures a crispy texture.
- Use fresh breadcrumbs for a lighter, crunchier coating that sticks better to the eggplant slices.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular breadcrumbs with almond meal or gluten-free breadcrumbs and use cornstarch instead of flour.
- To make these baked eggplant slices extra crispy, place them on a wire rack over the baking sheet to allow air circulation.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 330 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 710 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg