Name: Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan (no frying or breading)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 medium/large globe eggplant or Italian eggplant, sliced 1/2u0022 thick rounds (about 1 pound, five ounces); 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided per instructions; 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic; Sea salt (used for optional pre-salting) and seasoning; 6 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced or torn into small pieces; 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce, divided (for recipe and serving); 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese; 8 Fresh basil leaves, washed and dried; 2 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs; 2 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano; 2 pinches Italian seasoning; 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter

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This easy, baked eggplant Parmesan is a more traditional Italian version that is light and healthy made without breading or frying. Tender roasted eggplant slices are stacked and baked on a sheet pan with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and savory Parmesan cheese. A crunchy panko and parmesan topping with a sprinkle of fresh basil adds a crunchy and flavorful finishing touch.

Keep reading to discover more about this recipe.

Why you will love this recipe.
Should I pre-salt eggplant?
Do I need to peel eggplant?
Selecting eggplant for this recipe.

Why you will love this recipe.

In Italy, eggplant Parmesan, also called “melanzane alla Parmigiana,” is not typically breaded and fried. The eggplant slices are usually just lightly floured and fried, with many authentic recipes opting to skip the breading altogether, focusing on the eggplant’s flavor.

It is easy. Easy baked eggplant parmesan–that’s the name of the recipe for a reason.

Basically, you slice the eggplant, roast it, remove from the oven and layer it with sauce and cheeses and top with bread crumbs. Bake again and done!

For this recipe, the eggplant is sliced in 1/2″ thick circles, seasoned with olive oil and seasoning, and baked for about 25 minutes. No breading or frying.

While the eggplant is roasting, slice the mozzarella, open a jar of good tomato sauce (or home made is preferable). Then, grate the Parmesan, wash the basil and prepare the bread crumb topping.

After the eggplant is roasted, start layering the eggplant stacks, with sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan right on the sheet pan. Bake again for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melty and bread crumbs are toasty.

A lot of recipes call for salting eggplant for about 30 minutes prior to baking, particularly if you are frying eggplant. I recommend salting, more for reducing moisture which allows for more caramelization during the roasting process.

This baked eggplant Parmesan is healthier!

Since we are not breading or frying the eggplant, all we have is roasted eggplant, fresh basil, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, with a smear of tomato sauce.

It’s customizable.

Add ground beef or sausage to the layers if you prefer a heartier dish.

Use pesto instead of sauce or add in addition to the sauce.

Layer thin slices of tomato in between the eggplant slices instead of sauce.

Substitute Pecorino Romano cheese for Parmesan.

Fresh mozzarella is recommended for flavor. But for convenience, you may substitute shredded, packaged mozzarella.

To salt or not to salt eggplant?

First, why salt eggplant?

Salt has been used to reduce bitterness, specifically in older and overripe eggplants. Today, most eggplants available at the grocery store and farmer’s market are grown without bitterness so there really is no reason to salt for the bitterness factor. If you have an eggplant that’s been sitting around, you may want to add the pre-salt step.

Though, there is a benefit to pre-salting eggplant, it draws out moisture. This allows the eggplant to get crispy and caramelized on the exterior, and keep it from getting soggy in the final dish, particularly when frying eggplant.

The easiest way to salt eggplant is on a large baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Lay the sliced or cut pieces of eggplant on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Use a paper towel to remove excess salt and pat it dry with paper towels. If you prefer, rinse with water, but dry thoroughly before using in your recipe.

Do you need to peel eggplant?

Eggplant peel is edible, but whether or not you want to peel it depends on the variety you are using, its freshness, and your personal preference.

Smaller varieties such as Japanese eggplant generally don’t need to be peeled.

Larger varieties like globe eggplant have thicker skin that might become slightly tough and chewy when cooked, so you might opt to peel it, but it’s a personal preference.

Selecting eggplant.

Easy eggplant parmesan ingredients. A globe eggplant, fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and parmesan cheese.

For this recipe, we use a globe eggplant, also known as American eggplant. The globe eggplant is an all-purpose variety you will find at most grocery stores. This variety of eggplant is thick, shiny, and dark purple and its meatier texture makes it a good choice for fried recipes like eggplant parmesan.

If you find an Italian eggplant, you may certainly use it in this recipe. This variety looks very similar to globe eggplant at first glance, but it’s smaller in size and slightly sweeter, with more tender flesh.

Be sure to choose eggplants that are smaller to medium/large sized, smooth and shiny, with no dents or mushy parts. They should feel heavy for their size. The larger the size, the more seeds you will have which is not always desirable for most recipes.

Use the eggplant as soon as possible, as it becomes more likely to develop a bitter taste as it ages.

Eggplant should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. It’s best to use eggplant as soon as possible after purchasing or harvesting.