Eggplant parmesan
Oven-crisped, parmesan-crusted eggplant layered with marinara and mozzarella and baked until bubbling, no frying required.
- 115 min total
- 45 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 6
- About $2.39 a serving
- 490 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 2 eggplant, large, about 2½ lb
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated parmesan, divided
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 6 sprigs fresh basil, leaves torn (optional)
From your pantry
- 1½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Each serving has about 490 calories, 23 g protein, 41 g carbs and 26 g fat, and costs about $2.39 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the eggplants into ½-inch rounds. Sprinkle both sides with the salt, lay them on paper towels and let them sit 20 minutes, then very dry.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Timer: 20 min
Dolly’s tip: Salting pulls out water and bitterness, so the slices brown instead of going spongy.the oven to 425°F and brush two baking sheets with 2 tablespoons oil.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Set up three shallow bowls: the flour, the eggs beaten with a fork, and the panko mixed with ½ cup parmesan, the Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Dip each slice in flour, then egg, then press it into the crumbs on both sides. Lay the on the baking sheets and with the remaining oil.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
until and a fork slides into the middle easily, about 25 minutes, flipping halfway.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 25 min
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Turn the oven down to 375°F.
Spread 1 cup marinara in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Layer half the eggplant, 1 cup marinara, 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup parmesan.
Repeat once.
until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese has spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 27 min
Dolly’s tip: To make ahead, assemble, cover and chill up to 2 days, then add 10 minutes to the bake.Let it sit for 10 minutes so the layers settle, then scatter basil over and cut into squares.
Timer: 10 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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