Baked Not Fried Eggplant Parmesan Recipes

BAKED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Place eggplant slices in a colander; sprinkle both sides of each slice with salt. Allow to sit for at least 3 hours. Wipe excess moisture from eggplant slices with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Mix bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese together in a bowl.
• Dip eggplant slices in beaten egg; coat with bread crumb mixture. Arrange coated eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
• Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish with a layer of spaghetti sauce; top with a layer of eggplant slices. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan cheese and 1/3 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, ending with a cheese layer. Sprinkle with basil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

BAKED-EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
• Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400 degrees.
• Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

RAGÚ® NO-FRYING EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bread crumbs in medium bowl.
• Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then bread crumbs. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on lightly oiled baking sheets. Bake until eggplant is golden, about 25 minutes.
• Evenly spread 1 cup Sauce in 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Layer ½ of the baked eggplant slices, then 1 cup Sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; repeat layers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes.
• Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

LIGHT (BAKED NOT FRIED) EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• 1. To the one can of San Marzano tomatoes, add olive oil, oregano, and salt to taste. If your can of tomatoes is whole or chopped use a blender, or food processor to make into a smooth sauce. Set aside. You do not cook this - trust me it gives the parmesan a FRESH tomato taste!
• 2. Fill one dish with seasoned bread crumbs; fill another one with the eggs and water beaten.
• 3. Start to cut your eggplant. I do not peel mine as we like the flavor of the skin of the Japanese eggplant, if using the Italian style eggplant you may want to peel. (Japanese eggplant is banana-shaped - Italian style is more bulb-shaped). Slice eggplant into 4-inch sections.
• 4. Turn on its side so the round part is facing down and then cut in 1/2 inch slices - you now have a sort of rectangle piece of eggplant NOT a round slice. I do this because it makes it easier to layer.
• 5. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray.
• 6. Place eggplant in egg wash.
• 7. Then into bread crumbs; shake off excess.
• 8. Fill one tray.
• 9. Spray the battered eggplant with cooking spray.
• 10. Place into pre heated 450F oven on the bottom rack. Repeat for tray two rotate bottom tray to the top. If you have not finished slicing eggplant you can do this while you are waiting for the top rack to finish cooking. No more than 10 mins for each sheet.
• 11. In a 13 x 9 glass baking dish, lightly coat the bottom with the tomato sauce.
• 12. Start by adding a layer of eggplant.
• 13. Next add a layer of Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and a bit of salt if you think it needs it.
• 14. Repeat starting with the tomato again, but layer the eggplant going in the opposite direction as the layer before. If you are doing this while the eggplant is cooking in the oven you will save a ton of time! Also keep in mind I do not put a ton of cheese in the layers as we are trying to keep this full flavor - lower calories!
• 15. Once ALL the eggplant is in the dish cover with the remaing tomato sauce and a generous helping of the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
• 16. Put in the 450F oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is brown.
• 17. With the leftovers, I portion out into single servings and place in small freezer bags - grab and go for lunches!

LIGHTER EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Start by making the sauce if you don't have any already made.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray 2 sheet pans with oil.
• While the sauce simmers, slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices. Transfer to the prepared pans, it's ok if they overlap slightly. Season with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through until eggplant is golden.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine ricotta, egg, parsley and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.
• Put 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish, add 1/3 of eggplant to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup of the sauce. Add another layer of eggplant and repeat the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and sauce two more times, reserving the third layer of mozzarella for topping. Finish with 1 1/2 cups of sauce, remaining mozzarella, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.
• Heat the oven to 400F.
• Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melted and everything is bubbling, about 40 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.
• Take it out of the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes before cutting.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Prep the eggplants: Generously salt the eggplant rounds on both sides. Let them sit on sheets of paper towel for 1-2 hours to draw out the moisture. Press the rounds dry with paper towel.
• Ready the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush two sheet pans with 1 tbsp olive oil in each one.
• Assemble the dredge: Grab 3 shallow bowls or plates. Add the flour to one, eggs to the second, then breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese to the third. Season each bowl with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Dredge the eggplant: Take an eggplant round and dredge it in flour, then dip in the beaten egg, and finally coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the round on one of the prepared baking sheets, and repeat with the remaining rounds. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the rounds.
• Bake the eggplant rounds: Bake the rounds for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce the heat in the oven to 375°F after taking the eggplant rounds out.
• Assemble: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Lay half of the baked eggplant rounds in a single layer over the sauce, then top with 1½ cups of marinara sauce followed by 1 cup of mozzarella and ½ cup of parmesan. Layer the remaining eggplant rounds, marinara sauce, and cheeses in the baking dish.
• Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned.
• Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh basil. Allow the casserole to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

CLASSIC EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Slice eggplant: remove stem from eggplant then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices.
• Sweat eggplant: arrange slices on pan and sprinkle with coarse salt on both sides. Let sit and "sweat" excess moisture for 10 minutes. Pat firmly with paper towels to dry eggplant thoroughly (wipe off salt as well).
• Breadcrumbs: toast slices of bread. Then chop in food processor until consistency is crumbs. Mix breadcrumbs in a bowl with garlic powder, salt & pepper, Italian herbs, and shredded parmesan cheese. Tip: If you are not making your own breadcrumbs, use 1 1/2 cups of store-bought breadcrumbs instead.
• Bread eggplant: arrange three bowls containing whisked eggs, flour, and breadcrumb mixture. First, coat eggplant in flour on both sides, then dip into eggs, and then dip into breadcrumbs - pack onto eggplant and then gently shake off excess crumbs. Wipe hands with paper towel then repeat. Tip: if baking eggplant instead of frying, brush a sheet pan with 1-2 Tablespoons of oil and arrange breaded eggplant onto pan as you coat them.
• Pan frying method: in a skillet pan, add 1-2 Tablespoons of oil at a time, and cook breaded eggplant for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Lay on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Repeat until all eggplant has been fried.Baking method: instead of pan frying you can also bake the eggplant to use less oil. Preheat oven to 350F and arrange breaded slices onto sheet pan that is brushed with 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes until golden.
• Assemble: in a large casserole dish, spread a generous layer of marinara on the bottom. Then layer: eggplant slices, mozzarella, a spoonful of marinara, and shredded parmesan. Repeat an additional layer on top.
• Bake: Then bake at 400F uncovered for 30 minutes until cheese is browned and melted. Top with chopped fresh basil & oregano, and serve!

GRANDMOM-STYLE BAKED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant and slice it horizontally into slices no more than 1/4" thick.
• Line a half-sheet pan or large baking pan with paper towels. Lay the eggplant in a single layer and salt generously, front and back. Do another layer of paper towels if necessary. Let the eggplant sit for about 30 minutes. This is a good time to make your marinara and get your mise en place set up for the frying.
• Make your marinara. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Set up three flat-bottomed bowls (wide soup or salad bowls work great): one with flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with breadcrumbs.
• Pat the eggplant dry of excess moisture. The salt should have dissolved and mostly absorbed into the eggplant. This is why you don't need extra salt in the recipe. Reserve the sheet pan and line it with fresh paper towels.
• Working one at a time, dredge the eggplant slices in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, coating fully and shaking off the excess.
• Heat enough oil in a large skillet to be about 1/8" high in the pan, or slightly less, over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add a few eggplant slices and cook them until golden brown on each side, about three minutes per side. Watch the temperature of the oil. You may need to adjust the heat a little as you go. Drain the cooked eggplant on the paper towel-lined sheet pan.PRO TIP: How do you know the oil is ready? It should be about 350°F. But I don't use a thermometer. I look to see if the oil is shimmering, and drop a pinch of breadcrumbs into the oil. They should sizzle. If the oil is smoking, it is way too hot.
• Spoon a thin layer of marinara into the bottom of a lightly-greased casserole pan. Layer fried eggplant slices to cover the bottom. Do another ladle of marinara over the eggplant. You do not have to fully coat the eggplant. Dollops are fine. Sprinkle a generous amount of the mozzarella. Repeat, layering the eggplant, marinara, and finishing with the mozzarella. Add the large pinches grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino-Romano cheese.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot, preferably with a side of pasta, a sprinkle of chopped Italian parsley, and additional grated cheese.

NO-FRY SHEET-PAN EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet and place over medium heat. When the garlic sizzles and its edges start to brown, add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.
• Heat an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan in the oven for at least 10 minutes while you bread the eggplant. Line up 3 shallow dishes; fill one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour (tapping off excess), then dip in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• When all the eggplant slices are breaded, carefully remove the heated sheet pan from the oven and brush it with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the eggplant on the sheet pan in a single layer. Bake until the undersides are crisp and browned, 8 to 10 minutes, then flip the slices and continue baking until they are golden on the second side, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Top the baked eggplant with the tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Return the pan to the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until the cheese melts and browns and the sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with torn basil before serving.