This No Fry Eggplant Parmesan this the best Italian Sunday dinner. Sliced eggplant is breaded with seasoned panko breadcrumbs and baked till crispy. Then, these delicious crispy medallions are layered with marinara and of course lots of cheese! This tasty dish is all of the flavors that you love, without all of the extra grease.
Eggplant Parmesan in the Oven
One of my husband’s favorite dishes is eggplant parmesan for Sunday dinner. We started baking the eggplant in the oven instead of frying it in oil and we are hooked! For one, it is definitely a less messy and easier process. Instead of having to fry the individual slices in oil, you simply place them on a sheet pan and bake them in the oven till browned and crispy. Baking the sliced eggplant is also a healthier option for this dish since you are eliminating the frying oil. Lastly, it definitely holds up better after layering and baking it, especially if you decide to make it ahead of time. Because there isn’t the added moisture from the oil, the breading stays crispier and doesn’t get as soggy.
How to Prepare Eggplant Parmesan
Here are basic steps for preparing eggplant parmesan in the oven:
- First, prep your eggplant by slicing it and sprinkling each side generously with salt to allow it to “sweat” out the extra moisture and bitterness.
- After you allow the eggplant to sweat for an hour, you will then rinse off the leftover salt and pat the slices dry to get them ready for breading.
- Next, you will bread the eggplant slices by dipping them in an egg mixture and then in seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Then, place your breaded eggplant slices on a sheet pan. I like to spray them with olive oil to make sure they turn out nice and crispy, but you can also drizzle them lightly with olive oil too or eliminate the oil altogether.
- Now bake the eggplant slices in the oven till browned and crispy, about 25-30 minutes should do.
- After the eggplant slices are baked, you will layer them in a baking dish with marinara and cheese. I like to use my Old School Italian Gravy for this and then both mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
Tips for Making No Fry Eggplant Parmesan
If you want to make sure your baked eggplant parmesan comes out perfect every time, here are a few tips to ensure success:
- It’s important to “sweat” your eggplant slices by sprinkling them generously with salt and letting them sit for about an hour. Salting them draws out any bitterness in the eggplant as well as some of the moisture. Less moisture in the eggplant = crispier eggplant. I like to place them on a baking rack when doing this, but if you don’t have one, paper towels will work as well.
- Make sure to rinse your eggplant slices thoroughly after sweating them to remove any excess salt and then pat them dry to remove any excess moisture.
- When breading the eggplant, I recommend using panko breadcrumbs. They are lighter and crispier in texture and work well for baked eggplant. Make sure you press the breadcrumbs into the eggplant after dipping it in the egg mixture. This makes sure the breadcrumbs stick well to the eggplant to form a crispy crust.
- Lastly, I like to spray the breaded eggplant with an olive oil sprayer to make sure the breadcrumbs come out nice and toasty, but don’t soak up too much oil.
Can Eggplant Parmesan Be Made Ahead of Time?
Eggplant parmesan can be made ahead of time to help shorten the prep time on the day of serving. You can either bread and bake the eggplant slices ahead of time or you can prep the entire dish ahead of time.
- Breaded and baked eggplant slices will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days. Pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp them up before layering.
- Breaded and baked eggplant slices can also be frozen on a sheet pan and then transferred to zip top bag for up to 3 months. Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes to crisp them up before layering.
- Eggplant parmesan can be assembled ahead of time and then baked later. I don’t like assembling it more than 12-24 hours beforehand because the longer the breaded eggplant sits in the sauce, the soggier it will become.
- To freeze eggplant parmesan, simply assemble the entire dish, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw completely. Cooking times might be longer, depending on how cold the dish is.
More Italian Dishes…
If you enjoyed this recipe for my No Fry Eggplant Parmesan, check out these other Italian inspired dishes:
- Braciole with Marinara
- Creamy Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
- The Perfect Classic Italian Lasagna
- Italian Style Meatloaf with Marinara
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram as well, if you make any of my recipes. It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.
Happy Cooking!
No Fry Eggplant Parmesan
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 160 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
No Fry Eggplant Parmesan is the best Italian Sunday dinner. Breaded eggplant is baked till crispy, then layered with marinara & cheese!
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants (approximately 2 total pounds)
- kosher salt (for sweating the eggplants)
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons water
- olive oil spray (regular olive oil can be used as well)
- 2 ½ cup marinara
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Slice eggplants into approximately ½" – 1" inch rounds and lay on a baking rack or paper towels. Generously salt each side of the eggplant with kosher salt and allow to sit for 1 hour to sweat out any extra bitterness and moisture.
- Once eggplants have had time to sweat, rinse them thoroughly with a water to remove excess salt and then pat them completely dry.
- Preheat oven to 400° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Crack both eggs into a shallow dish or bowl and add the water. Scramble together till well combined.
- In a separate shallow dish or bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Working with 1-2 slices at a time, dip the eggplant into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to allow the excess egg mixture to drip off of the eggplant before transferring to the breadcrumbs. Press breadcrumbs into all sides of the eggplant to make sure they stick properly to form the crust around the entire eggplant slice.
- Place breaded eggplant slices on prepared sheet pans. Spray the tops of the eggplant slices with olive oil spray or drizzle them lightly with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Sheet pans may need to be rotated on the shelves halfway through baking to ensure all of the slices brown evenly.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, spread approximately ½ cup of the marinara over the bottom of the pan. Layer ½ of the eggplant slices over the top of the marinara. Then spread 1 cup of the marinara over the eggplant and top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and ¼ of the parmesan cheese. Repeat the second layer with the remaining eggplant, marinara, and cheeses.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake eggplant parmesan for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Make ahead/Freezing:
– Breaded and baked eggplant slices can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen on a sheet pan and transferred to a zip top bag for up to 3 months. Bake slices for 5-10 minutes in the oven to re-crisp them up prior to layering.
– Eggplant parmesan can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge prior to baking. Additional cooking time may be needed.
– Eggplant parmesan can be layered and wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake, completely thaw the dish before cooking. Additional cooking time may be needed.
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 258
Keywords: comfort food, eggplant, italian, marinara, sunday dinner, vegetarian