Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 c. finely grated Parmesan, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2"-thick rounds
3 large eggs
4 c. marinara
2 c. shredded mozzarella
1/3 c. thinly sliced basil
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 425°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, whisk panko, Italian seasoning, an 1/2 cup Parmesan; season with salt and black pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs with 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and black pepper. Step 2Dip an eggplant slice into egg wash, then dredge in panko mixture. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. Repeat to coat all eggplant slices. Spray tops lightly with cooking spray.Step 3Bake until softened on the inside, and golden and crisp on the outside, 30 to 35 minutes. Step 4In a large baking dish, evenly spread 1 cup marinara. Add an even layer of eggplant slices, then pour 1 1/2 cups marinara on top. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella, half of remaining Parmesan, and basil. Repeat process once more to use up all ingredients.Step 5Bake until bubbly and golden, 15 to 17 minutes more.
The secret is to bread and bake all your eggplant at once rather than deep frying the slices individually. They still turn soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, but are much less hands-on. We like using panko bread crumbs because they’re less heavy, but feel free to sub for Italian bread crumbs if that’s what you got (or make your own bread crumbs at home!). Your eggplant slices should only take about 35 minutes to bake, leaving you the perfect amount of time to throw together a healthy side dish to serve with your meal. Once they’re out, you’ll layer them in your baking dish just like a traditional eggplant Parm, and put it back in the oven to warm your sauce and get all that cheese nice and melty. We’ve only used mozzarella for our layers, but feel free to sprinkle in some extra Parmesan to really hammer home that cheesy flavor. We’re all about using jarred marinara here, so use whatever you like (here are our favorite top store-bought pasta sauce brands if you need some direction). And there you have it—easy eggplant Parm in just over an hour. Buon appetito! Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
