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Eggplant Parmigiana

Life At The Table Eggplant Parmigiana. Eggplant parmigiana in a white dish sitting on a wooden table with a green napkin and a glass of wine in the background.

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This classic Eggplant Parmigiana recipe layers crispy eggplant with rich, homemade tomato sauce and melty cheese for a comforting Italian dish. And it’s easy to prep this delicious dish as a make-ahead and serve-it-later meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Eggplant

  • 1 1-lb eggplant, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs, tossed with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 2 oz water
  • 810 slices of fresh mozzarella
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan
  • oil for frying
  • kosher salt

Tomato Sauce

  • 1/2 cup onion, small dice
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 28oz can whole, peeled tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons basil chiffonade
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt

Instructions

Tomato Sauce

  1. Heat a 2.5 qt pot over medium-low heat. Once heated, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
  2. Add the onions. Cook over low heat until the onion take on a golden color, 8-10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic. Cook for an additional minute, just until the garlic is fragrant.
  4. Add the tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, breaking up the tomatoes as you stir.
  5. Stir in the basil.
  6. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste with kosher salt.
  7. Purée the sauce with a blender or an immersion blender.

Eggplant

  1. Lay the eggplant slices on a parchment-paper lined sheet tray. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
  2. Set the eggplant  aside for 30 minutes then pat the slices dry with a paper towel.
  3. Season the eggplant with kosher salt.
  4. Bread the eggplant.
    • First dredge the eggplant in the flour.
    • Second, dip them in the beaten egg + water mixture.
    • Third, coat the eggplant with the seasoned bread crumbs.
  5. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to the pan to come halfway up the eggplant slices.
  6. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices in the oil until golden brown.
  7. Drain on paper towels.

Assembly

  1. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of an 8×8 casserole dish.
  2. Arrange one layer of 4 eggplant slices over sauce.
  3. Lay 1 slice of fresh mozzarella over each slice and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  4. Ladle additional sauce over the eggplant slices and cheese.
  5. Repeat the layer with an additional 4 eggplant slices, cheese, and sauce.
  6. End with a sprinkle of parmesan on top of the last layer of sauce.
  7. Bake in a 350˚F oven until the sauce bubbles and the dish is heated through, about 15-20 minutes.

Notes

  • For an easy make-ahead meal, make the sauce and fry the eggplant ahead of time. Store them separately in the refrigerator. Assemble the components and warm in the oven per the instructions above. Dinner is done!
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