I see you rolling your eyes over there. “Kate, all eggplant Parmesans are Italian!” Let me clarify. In Italy, true eggplant Parmesan (Melanzane alla Parmigiana) is breading-free. Apparently, we Americans decided to coat our eggplant in egg wash and breading.
Another shocker? Italians don’t pour any cream into their fettuccine Alfredo! Let’s now turn to give a collective eye roll at Olive Garden.
Jokes aside, this baked eggplant Parmesan is everything I want eggplant Parm to be. This recipe is made entirely from scratch, but it’s simple to prepare. We’ll roast the eggplant slices instead of frying them. Then we’ll assemble the dish and bake it. Easy!
We’ll also skip the breading, which makes this eggplant Parmesan gluten free. Without the breading as distraction, the eggplant flavor really shines through. This dish might look super cheesy (ok, it is cheesy) but most of the cheese is on top of the dish so it can develop that irresistible golden crust.
This recipe is healthier than most American eggplant Parmesans, but tastes like my nonexistent Italian grandmother made it. I made a quick homemade marinara out of tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes, which make it taste like it’s been simmering on the stove for hours. If you’re in a time crunch or looking to simplify, though, you can absolutely use your favorite jarred marinara.
Watch How to Make Eggplant Parmesan
The Recipe Inspiration
The eggplant Parmesans I’ve ordered over the years at restaurants have varied considerably, but I’ve grown to expect heavy, greasy, breaded eggplant served with marinara and standard-issue spaghetti. I usually walk out with a stomachache and a side of regret.
Then I ordered the eggplant Parmesan at a local restaurant here in Kansas City called Ragazza, which gave me hope for eggplant Parm. Their eggplant Parmesan comes in a cute little cast iron skillet, with layers of eggplant cut lengthwise and sliced like lasagna. It includes lightly breaded eggplant, but it isn’t overtly greasy, and the marinara sauce tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove for hours.
Regazza’s makes the owner’s mother’s recipe, and I have to order it every time I eat there. Their eggplant Parmesan inspired the eggplant lasagna in my cookbook, which includes long strips of roasted eggplant layered between the noodles and marinara. Have you had the chance to try that one? So good!
Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Development
Since it’s eggplant season, I set out to create a homemade eggplant Parmesan recipe that I could get really excited about. I based my recipe on the lasagna recipe in the book, while keeping Ragazza’s recipe in mind. I knew I wanted to roast the eggplant rather than fry it—pans full of simmering oil scare me, and fried eggplant tastes more like oil than eggplant.
Eggplant notoriously absorbs oil like a sponge, which is why you’ll want to brush oil onto the eggplant rather than drizzling it on. Just be sure to use fresh eggplant, because there’s no saving mushy, bruised eggplant.
When I was working on my recipe, I got hung up on the breading component. I don’t love dipping my fingers into raw eggs, and it’s hard to find whole grain breadcrumbs. Plus, the breading in eggplant Parmesan inevitably gets coated in marinara and ends up soggy. What is the point of breading if it’s all soggy?
That’s when I dove into the history of eggplant Parmesan and learned that Italians don’t actually bread their eggplant. Eureka! I removed the breading component and landed on an eggplant Parmesan that I truly love. I understand that some may vehemently disagree with me on the breading front, but let’s just agree to disagree.
Eggplant Selection Tips
Before you head to the grocery store, here are some tips:
- Be sure to choose eggplants that are smooth and shiny, with no dents or mushy parts. They should feel heavy for their size.
- If possible, choose eggplants that are on the smaller side. Large eggplants tend to contain more seeds, which can produce a bothersome texture in this recipe.
- Then, be sure to turn that eggplant into eggplant Parm promptly, since overripe eggplant tastes more bitter.
Eggplant Parmesan Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve with your eggplant Parm? I’d suggest simple side dishes, such as roasted vegetables (you can roast them on the upper rack while the eggplant Parm bakes on the lower rack), sautéed sides or green salads. Here are some ideas:
- Green Beans Amandine
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Italian Chopped Salad: Or a simplified version.
- Quick Collard Greens
- Roasted Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts or Green Beans
More Eggplant Recipes to Enjoy
- Caponata: This tangy and sweet Sicilian appetizer features eggplant with sautéed bell pepper, celery, tomatoes, olives and capers.
- Epic Baba Ganoush: Hummus-like in texture, this Mediterranean dip is made with eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon and garlic.
- Pasta alla Norma: Sicilian pasta dish with eggplant, marinara and basil. If you love eggplant Parmesan, you have to try this recipe.
- Ratatouille: Classic end-of-summer French stew. I roast the vegetables to reduce the moisture and bring out their flavor.
- Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Orzo Pasta: A fun late summer pasta salad that is fully loaded with veggies.
Please let me know how this turns out for you in the comments. For more comforting casserole dishes, try my Spinach Artichoke Lasagna and Lentil Baked Ziti.
Italian Eggplant Parmesan
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour (plus 15 minutes cool-down time)
- Yield: 6 to 9 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
This Italian-style eggplant Parmesan recipe is lighter than most—it’s made with roasted eggplant slices (not fried) and no breading at all. It’s gluten free, too! Recipe yields one 9-inch square eggplant Parm, or about 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds eggplants (about 3 smallish or 2 medium)
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, preferably the fire-roasted variety*
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil, plus additional basil for garnish
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 6 ounces freshly grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 ½ cups, packed)
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- To roast the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Line two large rimmed, baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Slice off both rounded ends on one eggplant, then stand it up on its widest flat side. Slice through the eggplant vertically to make long, even slabs ¼- to ½-inch-thick. Discard both of the sides that are covered in eggplant skin. Repeat with the other eggplant(s).
- Brush both sides of the eggplant slabs lightly with olive oil (you’ll likely need about ¼ cup oil). Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the top sides with a few dashes of salt and pepper. Roast until golden and tender, about 22 to 27 minutes—halfway through baking, rotate the pans 180 degrees and swap their positions (move pan on lower rack to upper rack, and vice versa). The pan on the lower rack might need a few extra minutes in the oven to turn golden. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, to make the tomato sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender and translucent, about 4 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook, while stirring, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has thickened nicely, about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chopped basil, vinegar, salt and red pepper flakes. Taste, and add more salt if necessary (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon).
- When you’re ready to assemble, spread about ¾ cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9” square baker. Arrange about one-third of the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping slightly (cut them to fit, if necessary). Spoon another ¾ cup of the sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with ¼ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Arrange about half of the remaining eggplant slices evenly on top. Spread another ¾ cup sauce on top and sprinkle with ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. Layer the remaining eggplant slices on top and top with ¾ cup sauce (you might have a little left over) and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Evenly sprinkle the Parmesan on top.
- Bake on the lower rack at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes to give it time to set, then chop and sprinkle additional basil on top. Slice with a sharp knife and serve.
- Leftovers keep well, covered and refrigerated, for about 4 days. Reheat before serving.
Notes
Recipe inspired by the eggplant Parmesan at Ragazza in Kansas City, and adapted from the eggplant lasagna in my cookbook, Love Real Food.
Shortcut option: Replace the homemade marinara with store-bought marinara. You’ll need about 3 cups (24 ounces). Newman’s Own organic marinara would be my top pick for this recipe.
Prepare in advance: You can assemble the eggplant lasagna the night before (perhaps even a couple of days before), then bake when you’re ready (it might need an extra 5 minutes or so in the oven to develop the golden top).
*Tomato notes: You can also use diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes, processed in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth. My preferred brand of canned tomato products is Muir Glen Organic, for their flavor and BPA-free cans.
Parmesan note: Most Parmesans are not technically vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesans.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Thomas M
Made for first time tonight with Raos Marinara sauce..phenomenal and the best use of my convection oven yet as it roasted the eggplant well and then the entire dish to perfection . Will send pic if you tell me how
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Thomas! Thank you for your review.
Ema
I made this dish before but using a different recipe and didn’t like it that much. Decided to try it again using this recipe and both me and my boyfriend loved it. So easy to make too, there are no complicated steps. Will be making again!
★★★★★
Kathryn Parker
Hello. I’ve just noticed that when I scale the recipe up using your handy scale feature, the recommended size of the pan does not change. For example, this Eggplant Parmesan recipe calls for a 9” baker, regardless of whether one is making a single, double or triple recipe.
— Kathryn
Kate
Hi Kathryn, Thank you for your feedback. It’s not quite a perfect plug-in, but it’s the best one I have found yet. I’m sorry if it provided confusion for you!
Mandy
I have tried and loved a few of your recipes, and this is no exception. Oh my gosh, so yummy, easy and cheap. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Mandy! Happy to hear you enjoy it.
yves lacroix
I never thought of putting balsamic in a tomato sauce…what a great idea! this was delicious. thank you for your awesome recipes
★★★★★
lucy
I love the taste of this recipe. However, the 1 cup parmesan topping made it VERY salty! I could not eat it without adding pasta to it. But the taste is very good and I will try it again with half the parmesan recommended.
★★★★
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that, Lucy. I appreciate your feedback.
Kevin
Delicious, this is going to be a regular on my dinner list!
★★★★★
Gwyneth
This is hands-down the best eggplant Parmesan recipe on the planet. We’ve been making it for a few years, and it’s a household staple for special occasions like birthdays and celebrations. It has the perfect amount of sauce and rich eggplant flavor, which really comes out from the roasting process. We sometimes add lasagna noodles make it a little bit heartier. I cannot recommend this recipe enough!
★★★★★
Jackie
So funny. . .this is ‘holding’ in my fridge right now and will get the final baking in a couple of hours. My 2nd or 3rd time making this but I neglected to comment on how much we enjoyed it. Yes it takes a bit of time but it comes together easily. I regretted not having a jar of marinara to pull out yet the sauce was finished by the time the eggplant came out of the oven. I also appreciated the note giving permission to let it rest in the fridge for a couple of hours. Perfect – thank you, Kate
★★★★★
Les Pantel
Absolutely loved it. Only problem is that there was not enough leftovers. Will definitely make again if not regularly
★★★★★
Kate
That is a good problem to have! Time to make more :) Thank you for sharing, Les.
Gina
Gave this a whirl last night using Mezzetta Tomato Basil sauce. Simple and dee-licious!
My husband asked me to put it in as a weekly dinner dish. We all wanted seconds, so next time, I’ll make a bigger batch.
I’m excited to try more of your recipes.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed them.
Renee Rothberg
This recipe is wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing it.
★★★★★
Victoria
Omg. So easy and delicious. Might double up on the recipe because my family ate it wishing there was more! I love how full you feel after eating it without the crazy carbs. I didn’t have crushed tomato used at 16 ounce of roasted diced and grounded onion powder (being lazy) and quickly chopped in the food processor and made the perfect amount of sauce still. Super happy. Thank you.
★★★★★
Melliny Lamberson
This is definitely my new favorite Eggplant Parmesan recipe. I made a few little changes, skipped the mozzarella and used more parmesan. But I like the way your recipes are healthful, easy to follow and this one is really delicious. I have never made EP slicing the eggplant vertically before–why would anyone do it any other way!? So much easier!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Melliny! Thank you for sharing.
Kat Graham Blue
Fabulous! We made using our home garden grown heirloom Rosa Bianca eggplant, our homecanned sauce from a variety of home garden grown heirloom tomatoes, onions and spices, and we feel there is no restaurant or recipe that rivals this one. The bonus for us was it truly made it feel as though we gave honor to the spirit and effort of homegrown and prepared. Your recipe elevated our ingredients!
★★★★★
KatP
Hi, is tomato paste the same as tomato purée in the UK? Or is it sun dried tomato paste ? Thanks
Kate
Hi Kat! I don’t believe they are the same thing.
Nicky O
Tomato paste and puree are the same. Don’t try sun dried as it completely alters the flavour / texture of the sauce
Kevin Selkowitz
Fantastic recipe! I like to add sausage when the onions go in, makes a heartier dish.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Kevin! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Carol
Delicious. So far have made it twice and have learned to slice the eggplant a bit thicker (half inch slices) for a bit more substance. we do not dine in our favorite Ital restaurant, so decided to try it myself with your expertise and Voila…..a Favorite for sure. Thank you, Ladies.
Carol
★★★★★
Ann C.
Fabulous! I always disliked heavily breaded eggplant parm. Here you taste the eggplant and it is delicious! I serve it with garlic bread and a Caesar salad! A hit with all including the grandchildren!!!
★★★★★
Meyka Paddock
Delicious! Can you freeze leftovers?
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried freezing this recipe. I would see what others may have tried. I find sometimes recipe like this can become watery once thawed.
Margot Bradley
I made this recipe (including the marinara sauce) this week and it was very good. It’s a great make-ahead family/friends meal. I recommend cooking it the day before your gathering since the flavors need to blend, I added a bit of ricotta cheese when I assembled because I like a bit of creaminess. Thank’s Cookiie & Katie, it was delish!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Margot! Thank you for your review.
Cheryl Rose
I recently had non-breaded eggplant parmesan in a restaurant and loved it. I bought eggplants this week and looked for a recipe to use them in. I came across yours! I followed your recipe exactly and couldn’t be more pleased. Simple and rustic. Next time I make it, I’m going to try freezing portions. Thank you!!!
AEJ
Really good recipe! I used Mutti passata and tomato paste. Made extra sauce, needed about 25% more than called for. Used oregano because I didn’t have basil. Also sprinkled Italian breadcrumb on top for added crunch. Didn’t add much salt while cooking and it didn’t need extra. Very tasty!
Melissa
Made this for the first time last night and turned out great. Really easy recipe for someone inexperienced to follow! I will add that I salted my eggplant and let it sit for a bit before baking since a lot of other recipes recommended that.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Melissa! Thank you for your review.
Engine44
I think this recipe was fantastic. My wife was quite impressed also. Thank you
★★★★★
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing.
Kathy
This was amazing! I made it last night just as written. It was my first time making anything with eggplant. I liked the fact that it did not have all the dredging and frying. The comments on this post are spot on. I took your advice and went to the extra effort of finding the fire-roasted crushed tomatoes. The sauce was delicious. I will make this again. And, thanks for the link to the baker…I can never have too many white serving dishes from the holy place I call Crate and Barrel!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Kathy! I’m happy you loved it.
Marthese Grech
Hi Kate
With regards the italian eggplant parmesan can I use freezed eggplant or preferably not?
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried frozen eggplant, so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, let me know!
Malky Brach
Amazing recipe! We try to eat GF with fresh ingredients and this came out amazing! Making it for the 3rd time in a couple of weeks. Thank you for your content!
★★★★★
Kelly
This recipe is amazing. I don’t care for fire roasted tomatoes so I used crushed with basil instead. I just finished eating and already gave plans to make it again for mother’s day.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! I’m glad you were able to enjoy this one, Kelly.
Sarah
At last an Eggplant Parmigiana that I enjoyed cooking and sensational to eat…everything about it was easy and worked well…thank you…looking forward to leftpvers on Sunday
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Sarah! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Marilyn Melnick
This is SUCH a delicious recipe! I love eggplant parm. but had given up cooking it because of the breading and frying which makes it heavy-tasting. Your version gets rave reviews every time. I increased the quantity so that we always have extra portions in the freezer. It really is one of our favorites! Thanks so much!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you love it, Marilyn! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Samantha
This recipe turned out so well! Best eggplant parmesan I’ve made.
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Samantha! Thank you for your review.
Anil
Great recipe. It turned out fabulous the first time I made it. But this time it turned out way too watery. Any suggestions why that might be? I followed the recipe exactly but used store-bought marinara sauce. Any ideas what i may be doing wrong?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. It may have been your marinara sauce. They can vary some.
Nancy
Loved the recipe however when I baked the eggplant it was soggy not crispy…I put eggplant on aluminum foil and lightly oiled it…it was still delicious but would like to use this baking method for eggplant but want it crispy..thanks
Also can you use diced tomatoes instead of crushed
★★★★
Kate
Hi Nancy! The eggplant will never be all that crispy when roasting. It is difficult to maintain crisp eggplant once smothered in marinara, anyway. I would recommend crushed tomatoes over diced for the best texture—you can turn diced tomatoes into crushed tomatoes by blitzing them in a food processor or blender.
JP Braun
I just made it for the first time. It came out outstanding !!
Nothing to change, it is perfect.
5/5
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you think so, JP! Thanks for your review.
yb
Hi Kate!
Hubs and I worked in F&B for 45 yrs in New Orleans and Chicago. Both places that have a clue about Italian food.
Too often eggplant parmesan has lasagna noodles. That’s eggplant lasagna! Sorry about being a fuss pot.
The salting. washing, drying, flour, egg wash, breadcrumbs process just never did sit well with me.There isn’t anything that I can think of that I do any version of frying for.
When I looked over this recipe it just looked Right! And it was! The restaurants here in New Orleans where I would get this dish have sadly been lone gone. We’re in our 60’s & 70’s. It’s very sad to think of how many F&B establishments didn’t survive Covid.
Soooo, when I served it to my hubs he came into the kitchen with his empty plate and bright eyes and said it was the Best Eggplant Parmesan he’d ever tasted!! That’s double big complement from him because when I make a good dish w/o protein, he’ll say it’s good but needs ________. This time all he said was where is more?!!
I don’t remember the last time I tried a new to me recipe and got this excited about it.
Yours is a recipe site that I follow, a rare thing.
Big Thanks to you and Cookie. Please give her a hug for me. btw, she is beautiful (and so are u)!
Yum!!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you found it, YB. I appreciate your comment.
Peggy
Love this recipe. Made it last summer when I had lots of eggplants. It froze well and was so nice to enjoy when the weather got cold. Do you think it would work with zucchini?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Peggy, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Zucchini does tend to release a lot of water so not sure how well it would work here.
Kris
Wondering about using your vegan sour cream and vegan Parmesan for this recipe? We love them on lasagna….
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Sharon
Wow! I pride myself on my Italian cooking (family roots) but I have to say that this dish was just amazing! Only change I made was to substitute vegan mozzarella and Romano cheese since I am allergic to cow’s milk. Used eggplant from our CSA so it was very fresh. Truly comfort food but healthy and will definitely be making this again soon — like next week — as I got more eggplant from my CSA today. Thanks for such am impressive recipe. My husband said it was better than my lasagna!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad this held up to your standards, Sharon. I appreciate you trying this recipe!
Laurie L
This is the second time I have made this recipe and it turned out fantastic. I make a lot of Italian food and I love eggplant parm but rarely make it because I hate breading and frying and it adds so many calories to the food. Your recipe has all the flavor without all the work and way better for you. Thank you so much. I took a picture of it because it looks so good too but don’t see how to post it.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! I’m happy to hear you all enjoyed it. I appreciate your review, Laurie.
Kay H
Can this be frozen and stored?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Kay, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sometimes I find dishes like this get watery when frozen and thawed. If you try it, let me know!
Becky
Oh my!!! This recipe is amazing! I had made an ill fated eggplant lasagna one time and it’s the only thing I’ve ever made that my husband said “please don’t make that again”. I’ve been nervous to cook eggplant since, but I got some eggplant in a CSA veggie box and had to do something with it. Not only is this recipe fantastic, but my husband asked me to put it in our dinner rotation. I also used some fresh tomatoes from the CSA box to make homemade sauce for the first time ever. All of it turned out perfect. I’ve made it twice now with raving reviews.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Becky! Thank you for sharing.
Alice
Hi Kate, thanks for a fabulous recipe! I made it for tonight’s dinner, found the instructions easy to follow and the end result was a winner. Definitely a meal I’d make again.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Alice! Thank you for your review.
Michael
This is an excellent and easy to execute recipe. I peeled the eggplant leaving strips of skin to hold the slices in place, slicing into rounds versus lengths. Followed the rest of the recipe as written. The ingredient quantities and cook timing are perfect.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Michael!
Darlene Pearson
made this eggplant parmesan tonight. My family loved this easy recipe and so did I. Will definately make this again.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Darlene! Thank you for your review.
Judith Tracey
Is it no longer possible to print your recipes? The print button seems to have disappeared :(
Kate
Hi Judith, I’m working to get it fixed as soon as possible. I’m sorry for the frustration!
Judith
Thanks, Kate! The eggplant parmesan was excellent anyway!
Thanks for all your amazing recipes. I never go wrong with them.
Brittany
This is one of my favorite recipes! I love that I don’t have to fry anything. I’ve made it several times. It also halves very easily! When I’ve only had one eggplant, I’ve had success adding a bit of roasted zucchini and baking in a 7″ springform pan.
★★★★★
barbara
I am sure it’s in here somewhere but can I make it and freeze it. If so freeze it before cooking right?? Will it change the texture? I love your recipes, if I am looking up something and see you have a post, done deal.
★★★★★
Leah
Great recipe……one of my favorite!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing, Leah.
AJ
This is really delicious! The roasted eggplant tastes so good in this dish.
★★★★★