We love how simple this eggplant parmesan recipe is to make, with no salting, breading, or frying required! This more healthy eggplant parm with roasted eggplant slices, home made sauce, parmesan cheese, and a easy breadcrumb topping will turn into a brand new favourite.
Watch the Video
Traditional eggplant parmesan requires breading and frying eggplant slices, layering them with tomato sauce and cheese, then baking till bubbly – similar to chicken parmesan! My model takes a shortcut: I roast the eggplant as a substitute.
I layer the superbly cooked eggplant with parmesan, mozzarella, and tomato sauce, then prime it with crunchy breadcrumbs. This simpler eggplant parmesan tastes simply as scrumptious, with no messy breading, and it’s a bit more healthy, too!
Key Substances
- Eggplant slices – Neglect the salting, breading, and frying! We’ll merely roast thick slices in a scorching oven till they’re completely tender and golden brown. Roasting provides a ton of taste.
- Tomato sauce – Seize your favourite store-bought sauce or use homemade. I extremely advocate you attempt the tomato and crimson pepper sauce within the recipe under. It’s tremendous simple, and you can also make it whereas the eggplant roasts.
- Cheese – Parmesan is important! I like the flavour of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano finest. We’ll additionally toss in some mozzarella earlier than baking (however that’s non-obligatory). For those who want a dairy-free or vegan different, attempt a sprinkle of dietary yeast between layers.
- Breadcrumbs – As an alternative of breading the eggplant, we’ll scatter breadcrumbs on prime for crunch. Retailer-bought works, or use homemade breadcrumbs for much more taste and texture. For those who’re gluten-free or need a breadcrumb-free model, simply skip them!
The way to Make My Favourite Eggplant Parmesan
The video above walks you thru each step of the recipe. This eggplant parmesan recipe is critically simple, and the outcomes are out-of-this-world scrumptious. Right here’s a fast take a look at the highlights:
Roast the eggplant: No salting, no frying – simply roast eggplant slices! This provides them wonderful taste and that good creamy texture. I crank my oven as much as between 400°F and 450°F. Roast the slices (about ½ inch thick) for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping them midway by. Bonus: You possibly can even roast them forward of time! For those who love roasted eggplant, check out our household’s favorite roasted eggplant recipe.
The Sauce: Use store-bought, or when you’ve got contemporary tomatoes and bell peppers available, attempt our fast and easy sauce – I like it! Simmer garlic, tomatoes, bell peppers, and a pinch of salt. Then, mix with some olive oil and contemporary basil. It’s contemporary, scrumptious, and excellent with our roasted eggplant. Identical to the eggplant, you can also make the sauce forward of time, too. This homemade red sauce would work properly on this recipe, too.
When you could have roasted eggplant and the sauce, assemble and bake within the oven till the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melty.
Make Your Eggplant Parmesan in Advance
- Someday forward: Assemble the entire dish (apart from the breadcrumbs), cowl tightly, and refrigerate. Earlier than baking, add breadcrumbs and pop it within the oven!
- Just a few days forward: Roast your eggplant and make the sauce 3 to 4 days upfront. Retailer every individually within the fridge. (Bonus: You can also make home made breadcrumbs forward too!)
- Freezing: Roasted eggplant slices freeze superbly! Layer them with wax or parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for 3 to 4 months. The identical goes on your home made tomato sauce.
What to Serve with Eggplant Parmesan
This more healthy eggplant parmesan is great served as a stand alone dish. You too can add aspect. Attempt one thing contemporary like this easy chopped salad or a homemade Caesar salad. Some further veggies are good, too. I like this quick and easy sautéed zucchini. Because the sauce is so scrumptious, it’s a pleasant concept to serve one thing to assist sop it up. Attempt our roasted garlic bread or homemade focaccia.
Simple Eggplant Parmesan
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Our simpler eggplant parmesan recipe options roasted eggplant, tomato sauce, parmesan, mozzarella, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. For detailed make-ahead suggestions, try the article above. This recipe works finest in a big casserole dish (ideally 13×9 inches or comparable).
Makes 6 to eight servings
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Want
Eggplant Parmesan
3 kilos eggplant, 3 to 4 small
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon high quality sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3 cups marinara sauce or home made crimson pepper tomato sauce, recipe under
1 ounce finely grated parmesan, about 1 cup
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated or sliced
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs, see our recipe for homemade bread crumbs
Recent basil for prime, chopped
Recent Tomato Pepper Sauce (Non-obligatory)
2 medium crimson bell peppers, chopped, 1 to 1 ½ cups
1 pound contemporary tomatoes, chopped, about 2 cups or 2 massive tomatoes
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon high quality sea salt, plus extra to style
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup contemporary basil
Recent floor black pepper, to style
Instructions
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- Roast Eggplant
1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line two massive baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2Slice the eggplants into 1/2-inch thick rounds and place, in a single layer, onto baking sheets. Drizzle or brush eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on each side.
3Roast the eggplant till they begin to brown in spots, 15 to twenty minutes. Flip the slices, after which bake one other quarter-hour till properly browned and smooth within the center.
4Whereas the eggplant roasts, put together different substances (shred cheese, put together bread crumbs, make or measure out tomato sauce). For those who plan to make use of the crimson pepper tomato sauce, you should have sufficient time to make it whereas the eggplant roasts.
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- Non-obligatory Tomato Sauce
1In a medium saucepan over medium-high warmth, add chopped crimson peppers, tomatoes, sliced garlic, ½ cup water, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2Carry the combination to a simmer, then scale back warmth to medium. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often. Keep watch over it and modify the warmth if wanted to keep up a delicate simmer. We wish this to scale back, however add a splash of extra water if the pan appears to be like too dry.
3As soon as the peppers and tomatoes are smooth and many of the liquid has evaporated, give the whole lot a very good stir. Switch the combination to a blender or meals processor. Add olive oil, basil, and some grinds of pepper.
4Mix till largely easy (somewhat texture is ok!). Give it a style, and add extra salt or pepper if wanted. Use right away or retailer in an hermetic container for 3 to 4 days within the fridge or 3 to 4 months within the freezer.
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- Assemble
1Flip your oven right down to 400°F (204°C).
2In a big baking dish, unfold 1/3 of your tomato sauce alongside the underside. Prepare half your roasted eggplant slices on prime, letting them overlap barely. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the parmesan cheese and half the mozzarella. Drizzle about half the remaining sauce over the eggplant (no have to cowl it fully – try the video for a visible!).
3Add the remainder of your eggplant slices. Sprinkle with half the remaining parmesan and all of the leftover mozzarella. High with the ultimate little bit of sauce. End with a layer of breadcrumbs and the remainder of your parmesan cheese.
4Bake the preheated oven, uncovered, till the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melty (about 20 minutes). Let it cool barely, add a sprinkle of contemporary basil, and luxuriate in!
Adam and Joanne’s Suggestions
- For gluten-free or bread crumb free eggplant parmesan, depart off the bread crumbs.
- For vegan eggplant parmesan, pass over the cheese and sprinkle a few tablespoons of dietary yeast over every eggplant layer.
- For more healthy/lighter eggplant parmesan, use cooking spray as a substitute of drizzling olive oil over the eggplant slices earlier than roasting and scale back the cheese.
- Recipe impressed by Alexandra’s Kitchen.
- The vitamin information supplied under are estimates. Calculations embody the crimson pepper tomato sauce.
Vitamin Per Serving
Serving Measurement
1/8 of the dish
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Energy
311
/
Complete Fats
12.7g
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Saturated Fats
2.3g
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Ldl cholesterol
4.5mg
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Sodium
498.3mg
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Carbohydrate
42g
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Dietary Fiber
8.4g
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Complete Sugars
10g
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Protein
12.5g
