Easy Eggplant Parmesan

Last Updated on October 18, 2023

Simple, healthy and easy to make Eggplant Parmesan recipe.

Enjoy this delicious baked Eggplant Parmesan for lunch, or use it as a hot or cold side dish (or appetizer) for dinner.  

Have you harvested a few eggplants this year by now?

I already picked some of my favorite  glossy purple Millionaire eggplants. This kind of eggplant is my favorite for cooking because of their mild, not bitter taste, succulent texture, and less seeds compared to the widely available Black Beauty eggplant  variety. Also, Millionaire eggplant (as well as other Chinese and Japanese eggplant varieties) is very productive, lasts late into fall, and is suitable for growing in containers which is perfect for limited garden space. 

Eggplant Parmesan

When to pick eggplant?

Eggplant should be picked when its skin is shiny.

When the skin becomes dull – it is the sign that the eggplant is past its prime and probably quite bitter. 

On the menu today is baked Eggplant Parmesan – delicious and easy to prepare. This will make my husband so happy! He eats Eggplant Parmesan as dessert. 😄 🍆👍🏽

Did I mention  that baked Eggplant Parmesan casserole is suitable for low carb or keto diets too?

Eggplant is low in calories and carbohydrates while rich in nutrients: potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamins B1 and B6. Aubergine  is also good for the cardiovascular system: it helps to prevent atherosclerosis, and improves digestion.

eggplant with shiny skin is perfect for cooking

These eggplants with glossy skin are perfect for cooking.

So, let’s dive in.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN RECIPE

Servings4
Prep time50 min
Cook time50 min

Ingredients

  • 2-3 eggplants (approximately 1.5 pounds), peeled and sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds
  • 6 tomatoes, medium size, thinly sliced (tomatoes can be swapped with jarred Marinara sauce)
  • ¾ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 
  • a few sprigs of parsley
  • a few basil leaves
  • 2 sprigs of thyme (leaves removed from stem)
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Wash your eggplants, and peel the skin off with a peeler (you can leave the skin on if you wish, but my preference – is without skin). 

Slice eggplant into ¼-inch thick rounds, place into a colander (I like to place the colander onto a plate to catch juices), sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for 35-40 minutes. This step is necessary in order to get the bitterness out of the eggplant

*Note. You can skip sprinkling eggplants with salt if you are using long Japanese eggplants.

After the time is up – rinse off the salt and pat dry eggplant with a paper towel. 

2. Place one layer of eggplant slices, slightly overlapping each other, into a  casserole dish coated with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter a few thyme leaves. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil (I like to use this bottle pourer for easy drizzling).

3. Assemble a layer of sliced tomatoes on top of eggplant layer, season with salt and pepper, top with chopped parsley or basil. If you do not have tomatoes – use jarred marinara sauce – it will take 3-4 tablespoons of sauce to coat the eggplant layer.

Ready to bake  - Eggplant Parmesan

4. Use ¼ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese on the top of tomatoes.

5. Repeat the layers (steps 2-4) until you run out of eggplant. It usually takes 3 layers of eggplant/olive oil – tomatoes – parmesan in my ceramic casserole dish.

6. Cover casserole dish with a lid or wrap tightly with aluminum foil on the top if your casserole dish doesn’t have a lid and put in the oven preheated to 380F. Let it bake covered for 25 minutes.

7. Remove the lid (or aluminum foil) and let it bake 20-25 minutes more. Take out from the oven, let it cool off and enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan - ready to eat!

Have you ever made Eggplant Parmesan dish before? Share in the comments.

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