Realizing Home is a relatively new blog site for me. Did you know that before Realizing Home, I blogged at Life Over Lunch with my sister Bekah for several years? So many good recipes there that I am slowly transitioning over so that they won’t be lost when we shut down the site. This post for Baked Eggplant Parmesan originally appeared at Lifeoverlunch.com on September 20, 2019.
I love this dish! If I had to choose between Eggplant Parmesan or Lasagna, I’d choose this Eggplant Parmesan! It’s got all same yummy Italian flavors of marinara and cheese, but with the addition of breaded eggplant. Way superior taste and flavor! Move over lasagna!
A traditional Eggplant Parmesan has fried breaded eggplant slices. With this baked version, you don’t have to bother with the hot oil and the frying! Less oil means it’s a healthier, heart-friendly choice, but with all the same nice, crisp texture. The oiled pan still provides a nice browning effect for that great breading. You’ll see as you flip the eggplant halfway through baking that you get a better crunch factor this way.
The baked method is also easier to coat. I don’t have to worry about sweating slices losing their breading before slipping into hot oil. I dip them in an egg wash, then the crumbs, and lay them out on my cookie sheet. No problem! And the seasoning is so tasty!
This recipe is another one of my Martha Stewart favorites from Food Magazine. The only thing I’ve changed is the amount of eggplant. The original recipe calls for 2 1/2 pounds of eggplant, but I’m never able to fit this much in my pan and I start to run out of breading. I like to use about 2 pounds of eggplant which would be one large or two very small eggplants.
When I use one 2-lb eggplant, I have very large round slices! I don’t know about you, but I want smaller slices so that I can have more breading! To that end, I slice the eggplant into half circle slices before dredging them in that nice coating.
Other than that, this recipe is simply sauce and cheeses. I buy a 48oz jar of spaghetti sauce which makes it quick and easy.
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
A layered Italian casserole of breaded, baked eggplant slices smothered in tomato sauce and dripping with mozzerella.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup dry breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lbs. eggplant (1 large or 2 small)
- 48oz prepared spaghetti sauce
- 1 ½ -2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375⁰F. Brush two large, unlined or foil-lined, pans with oil. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 Tbsp. of water. In a second shallow
bowl mix breadcrumbs, ¾ cup grated Parmesan and seasonings. - Peel eggplant and cut slices ½ inch thick. If using one large eggplant, cut slices again in half
lengthwise to create half circles. Dip eggplant mixture in egg mixture; let excess drip away and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture,coating completely. - Place slices on oiled pans and bake for 40-50 minutes, flipping eggplant once halfway through baking time. Remove from heat.
- Raise oven heat to 400⁰F and assemble layers in a 9x13”pan. Spread 2 cups of sauce in the bottom of the pan, then cover with half the eggplant. Cover with another 2 cups of
sauce and ½ of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. of grated Parmesan cheese. - Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 301Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1238mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 7gSugar: 15gProtein: 15g
