Easy Eggplant Parmesan Recipe (8 Ingredients) (2024)

With layers of cheese and crispy eggplant, this Eggplant Parmesan recipe is a classic vegetarian dinner soon to be a favorite in your house! This Italian staple recipe requires 8 simple ingredients and is straight forward to make (we’ve included step-by-step photos to make it foolproof)!

Eggplant is one of those ingredients that people always seem to have opinions about. I love it and am confident that folks who don’t like it, don’t know how to use it properly.

And the most classic way to use eggplant, of course, is in eggplant parmesan! Eggplant is the perfect texture and shape to be breaded and coated in a gooey cheese. And with its neutral flavor, the Italian seasonings really shine!

Why you’ll love it

• 8 simple ingredients that are mostly pantry staple ingredients make this a great weeknight meal.
• Cheaper than chicken. Eggplant will run you about $1 per pound while chicken is $2+ per pound.
• Freezer-friendly because you can make 2 or 3 trays of this eggplant parmesan and freeze them until ready to bake. Then on busy nights, just pull it out of the freezer and bake!

Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan

This classic Italian dish is turned into a delicious vegetarian dish thanks to some very strategic ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Eggplant: You’ll need 3 medium eggplants, or aubergine as the Brits say! But if you’re using a smaller type of eggplant, grab 5-6.
• Italian Breadcrumbs: Flavored bread crumbs are a great way to pack in flavor without additional ingredients. If you just use plain bread crumbs, you can add 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour but a 1:1 gluten-free replacement flour should work just fine since this is a coating and not being used for the structure.
• Eggs: Eggs help to bind the breadcrumb coating to ensure an even crisp all the way around.
• Cheese: You’ll need shredded mozzarella cheese for creaminess and grated parmesan cheese for the coating. I prefer to grate my own but you can use pre-grated parmesan.
• Marinara Sauce: 1 jar of store-bought marinara is all you need for this recipe to add natural sweetness. You can also make homemade marinara sauce to use.

How to make This eggplant parmesan recipe

With a few simple tricks, this will be the best eggplant parmesan you’ve ever had! While eggplant parm is typically made by frying the eggplant pieces, we’ll coat it in breadcrumbs and bake it for a healthier, crispy result. Let me show you!

1. Sweat the eggplants by sprinkling on salt and letting them rest
2. Bread the slices by dredging them in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs with parmesan
3. Bake the breaded eggplant slices, flipping halfway through
4. Assemble the layers of eggplant slices, tomato sauce, and cheese into a baking dish
5. Bake and serve!

How to make eggplant parmesan in the air fryer

While I prefer to bake this recipe, you can also make it in an air fryer. To do so:

1. Sweat the eggplant slices
2. Bread the slices and spray them with cooking spray
3. Place into the air fryer in a single layer
4. Cook for 5 minutes and then flip over
5. Dollup on marinara sauce, top with mozzarella, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly

Why this Recipe Works

Just to make sure you know how awesome this recipe is, here’s a few things I love about it!

• Drying the eggplant slices seriously makes the difference in a crispy bite.
• Layers, layers, layers of eggplants, cheese, and marinara make this eat almost like a creamy and dreamy lasagna!
• Feeds a crowd! Especially if you have different types of eaters, like vegetarians or meat-eaters. Everyone always loves it!

FAQs

Can I use a cheese other than mozerella?

Mozzarella has the best meltability and gooey texture making it the best choice for this recipe. You could also use provolone or an Italian cheese blend.

Can this recipe be gluten-free?

Yes you can use a 1:1 gluten free flour and gluten-free bread crumbs to make it gluten-friendly.

Do I need to peel the eggplant?

No, I tested this with and without peeling the eggplant and found it tasted great either way.

pairing ideas

Eggplant parmesan makes a great dinner when paired with some other staples, like a leafy green salad or pasta. Here are some pairing ideas to make this a complete meal:

• Panzanella Toscana is an Italian salad that’s easy to make and a refreshing bite alongside eggplant parmesan.
• Basil Oil can be used to dip bread into or to drizzle on top of this eggplant dish.
• Vegan Garlic Bread is something you have to eat with any baked Italian dish, I think it’s a rule (just kidding, but not really).

And if you’re looking for more eggplant recipes, check out my post on 23 easy eggplant recipes!