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Baked Eggplant Parmesan on a serving platter
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5 from 11 votes

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

This easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan is a lightened-up version of the original fried Italian casserole, and is perfect for both weeknight dinners and Date Night!
One hour of the Prep Time is inactive, while the eggplant is sweated.
This recipe easily doubles.
Prep Time1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 400kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant, peeled + thinly sliced
  • 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs (or more if needed)
  • 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • 2 cups tomato sauce (½ 28oz pasta sauce jar)
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta OR whole milk (4%) small-curd cottage cheese

Instructions

Sweating the Eggplant:

  • Lightly salt both sides of eggplant slices with about 2 teaspoons of salt, and layer slices in a colander. Set colander in the sink, and cover with a towel.  Let sit for at least an hour, or up to three hours.
  • Pat the eggplant dry.

Baking the Eggplant:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.  
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  (If using foil, spray or brush the foil with olive oil.)
  • Add half the Parmesan cheese, all of the breadcrumbs, and the remaining 1 tsp salt to a bowl, and stir to combine.  The beaten egg should be in a different bowl, right next to the breadcrumb mixture.
  • One at a time, dip eggplant slices in egg and then in breadcrumbs, coating both sides.  
    Note: If you have trouble getting the breadcrumbs to stick, simply dip the eggplant in egg and then sprinkle the crumbs on top. Skip flipping the eggplant. (This may happen if your eggplant slices are still moist, especially with homemade breadcrumbs or larger Panko breadcrumbs.)
  • Set eggplant in single layer on baking sheets, and bake 5-7 minutes, flip, and bake 5-7 more minutes (10-14 minutes total).
    Note: The cook time will depend on how thinly you've sliced the eggplant.  Watch the eggplant the last few minutes in the oven, and remove when they appear golden and crisp.
  • While eggplant is baking, pour half the tomato sauce in a 8"x8" pan (or small casserole dish).  Sprinkle half the green onion over the mixture.
  • When eggplant is finished baking, layer half of the eggplant on top of the sauce. 
  • Next, spread the ricotta over the eggplant into one layer.  Top the ricotta with the remaining eggplant.
  • Add remaining tomato sauce, and top with remaining Parmesan.
  • Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, until the cheese have melted and the eggplant is totally cooked through.
  • Before serving, top with the remaining green onion.
  • Serve hot along with pasta, crusty bread, or a green salad.
  • Leftovers:
    Store leftovers in the fridge, and use within 1-2 days.

Notes

Recipe Variations:
  • Make it more traditional: Use 4 oz freshly grated mozzarella instead of ricotta.  
  • Add more veggies: Dice half an onion and half a sweet bell pepper, and add them to the first tomato sauce layer.
  • Add more cheese: This recipe is a lighter Eggplant Parmesan, and uses a little less cheese than you might sometimes find in the dish.  Feel free to add more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Potassium: 842mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1170IU | Vitamin C: 12.2mg | Calcium: 549mg | Iron: 3.6mg