Eggplant Parmesan

Crispy, golden eggplant parmesan with fresh mozzarella and herbs. This Italian favorite skips soggy layers for a crave-able cascade, so each bite keeps that satisfying crunch. This recipe is perfect for eggplant lovers or anyone curious about how to do eggplant parmesan the right way!

Prep Time35

Cook Time30

Total Time1 5

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: eggplant parmesan

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 large eggplant (1.1 pound each) cut into 1/4 inch thick round slices
1/2 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 & 1/2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded and divided
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt divided (1 tsp to sweat eggplant)
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoons cracked red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh mozzarella sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil torn or minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups marinara sauce

Instructions

Wash and dry eggplant and cut it into ¼” – ½” rounds. I ended up with 18 slices.
Lay out eggplant on paper towel-lined baking sheets or a cutting board and sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over all of the eggplant to draw out excess moisture. Set aside.
While your eggplant is salted and sweating, set up your dredging process: In 1 bowl, add flour, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes. In 2nd bowl, crack 4 eggs. In a 3rd bowl, combine Italian-style bread crumbs and ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Mix the contents of each bowl.
Ladle about ½ cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish. Set aside.
You will notice by now that the eggplant will have little beads of sweat on top. Pat it dry with another clean paper towel, brushing off excess salt and dabbing away all of the beads of moisture.
Begin the breading procedure: Flour first, followed by egg, finished in the Parmesan bread crumb bowl. Do this until all eggplant slices are coated on both sides. I find keeping my left hand dry for the flour bowl and the cheese/bread crumb bowl and letting my right hand get messy with the egg part of the process to be the most efficient technique. (One dry hand, one wet hand!) As you bread the slices of eggplant, move them to a clean sheet pan or plate.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, (about 350°F, you can use a kitchen thermometer to temp it if you like) add the sliced eggplant. Don’t overcrowd your pan! I found 3 slices at a time to be perfect space-wise.
Fry eggplant on both sides until crispy and golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove finished eggplant from frying pan and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little sea salt while still hot. Continue this process until all eggplant has been fried.
Alternate fried eggplant slices and sliced mozzarella in your sauced 9x13” baking dish as shown. I prefer to do a cascade of cheese and eggplant vs layering like a lasagna, so the fry doesn’t turn completely mushy when we pop this in the oven to finish it.
Top with remaining shredded Parmesan cheese.
Ladle the rest of the marinara sauce over each row of eggplant and mozzarella. I like to leave some of the cheese and eggplant exposed, so the texture stays crunchy in some areas.
Top with half of the fresh herbs and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Broil for the last 3 minutes to brown some of the cheese.
Top with the rest of the herbs and enjoy!

Notes

Use a wire rack instead of paper towels after frying to keep the eggplant from getting soggy.
If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, drop a breadcrumb in the oil. If it sizzles immediately, it’s ready.
Shred your own parmesan for better melt and flavor—pre-shredded often has anti-caking agents.
Fresh herbs make a big difference, but dried oregano or parsley can work in a pinch.

To deep fry:

Heat Oil: In a deep pot, heat 2–3 inches of neutral oil (like vegetable or canola) to 350°F.
Fry: Working in batches, fry the breaded eggplant slices for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pot.
Drain: Transfer to a paper towel–lined tray and sprinkle lightly with salt.

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