Baked Unbreaded Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan is a huge favorite in my house and I’d say most vegetarian households. Its comforting, filling and very satisfying.
Growing up my mom would make eggplant parm by breading and pan frying the eggplant individually to get that crispy flavor without deep frying. While it was super tasty, it was a labor of love. It would be an event to have eggplant parm.
My recipe is a healthier, but equally satisfying version of eggplant parmesan. Instead of breading and pan frying, I just bake them unbreaded with olive oil and salt. This is actually closer to a traditional Italian eggplant parmesan where they deep fry the eggplant without breading it. I thought baking it would make it healthier, but still keep the flavor.
How do I make Eggplant Parmesan?
This recipe is actually very quick and easy, not requiring any crazy kitchen skills. I would also say it is quite budget friendly, you probably have a lot of these ingredients at home already
Ingredients
- Eggplant: You want to pick large, dark eggplants that are light in weight. This will ensure that the eggplants are not seedy. I slice them length wise so I don’t get a lot of skin in my bites. You can partially peel them and cut them in circles instead.
- Tomato Sauce: I use my homemade tomato sauce, linked!
- Mozzarella Cheese: I use fresh mozzarella and break pieces up with my hand. I like that you don’t get too much cheese in each bite.
- Parmesan Cheese: I use fresh parmigiano cheese and grate it very fine. I also like to take the whole block, cut of the rind and blitz the cheese in a food processor.
- Fresh Basil: Fresh herbs ALWAYS! You can chiffonade the basil or just tear is up with your hands.
Baked Unbreaded Eggplant Parmesan
DifficultyMedium
Servings4
Prep time45 minutes
Cook time30 minutes
Total time1 hour15 minutes
This is a version of eggplant parmesan that is closer to an authentic Italian recipe, as opposed to an americanized version.
In this recipe, I bake the eggplant without any bread crumbs and layer with just sauce, cheese and herbs. It makes a delicious healthier version of eggplant parm.
Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggplants
- 12 Oz Tomato Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/3 Cup Chopped Basil
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Non-Stick Spray
Instructions
- 1
Cut the top and bottom off of your eggplant. Then slice them lengthwise to about 1/2 inch in thickness. You don’t want them paper thin or else you won’t be able to layer them.
- 2
Lay all of your eggplant slices on a cutting board or tray and lightly salt both sides of all the slices. Let them rest for 20 minutes, then use a paper towel to absorb any of the released water.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 375F.
- 4
Add foil to a baking sheet (you might need two sheets) and liberally spray with non-stick spray.
- 5
Lay out all of the eggplant slices and brush with a bit of olive oil. You can also add some black pepper at this point if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- 6
Now you can start layering in a a 9X9 baking pan. Repeat this order until you run out of eggplant slices: 3 tablespoons tomato sauce, 3 slices of eggplant, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, basil. I like to rotate the eggplant slices every layer to make sure I cover most of the pan.
- 7
Add a layer of sauce and cheese on the top. Cover in foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5.
- 8
Garnish with more basil and parmesan cheese! Enjoy with some bread or pasta!
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