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baked eggplant parmesan in a shallow dinner bowl with baking dish and cheese grater in the background
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5 from 4 votes

Easy Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Layers of eggplant, marinara, and mozzarella cheese are baked and topped with crispy seasoned breadcrumbs. It’s the easiest eggplant parmesan you’ll ever make!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Grace Vallo

Equipment

  • 8x8" baking dish

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of eggplants 2-3 medium eggplants, cut into ½ inch rounds
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese part-skim or whole milk
  • 25 ounce bottle of marinara sauce
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease or line a large baking sheet with nonstick foil. Arrange eggplant rounds in a single layer and brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. No need to flip.
  • While roasting, mix together panko, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 425℉. Spread ¼ cup sauce on the bottom of a 8x8” baking dish.
  • Add a single layer of eggplant slices (about ⅓ of the eggplant).
  • Spread 1 cup of sauce over the top of the eggplant.
  • Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella over the sauce.
  • Add another single layer of eggplant rounds (about ⅓ of the eggplant).
  • Spread 1 cup of sauce on top.
  • Sprinkle another 1 ½ cups mozzarella.
  • Add the remaining eggplant rounds in a single layer (the last ⅓ of the eggplant).
  • Finish with a layer of the remaining sauce.
  • Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
  • Bake at 425℉ for 11-14 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden. You may want to place a baking sheet underneath the baking dish to prevent any sauce from bubbling out!
  • Loosely lay a piece of foil over the top, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the eggplant parmesan is hot and bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with basil, slicing, and enjoying!

Video

Notes

  • No need to pre-salt eggplant unless you prefer to do so.
  • I use Parmigiano-Reggiano but regular parmesan works if preferred.
  • You can use a 9x9" baking dish if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1138mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 575mg | Iron: 2mg