Perfect Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is a great meal for any occasion, and it’s easy to make at home. So, what are you waiting for? Follow our simple recipe and enjoy a delicious meal tonight!

Recipe by Gaby Dalkin on October 21, 2022

Prep time: PT20M

Cook time: PT50M

Total time: PT70M

Rating

5 stars (8 reviews)

Keywords

eggplant parmesan

Ingredients

2 jars marinara sauce
2 large eggplant
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk
4 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Vegetable oil (for frying, as needed, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese (cut into thin slices)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound fontina cheese (shredded)
2 handfuls fresh basil

Cuisine

Italian

Steps

Slice the eggplant into thin slices.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and set aside. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, oregano and thyme and stir to combine.
Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Following the egg mixture, dip the eggplant into the bread crumb herb mixture on both sides.
In a large skillet, add about 1/3 cup of the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the breaded eggplant slices a few at a time and fry on both sides until golden brown. Once golden, remove from the oil and let rest on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Continue this process with the remaining eggplant slices, making sure to add extra oil if needed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To assemble
- In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or large cast iron skillet, spoon about 1/4 of the marinara sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle about 1/4 of the Parmesan and fontina cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3-4 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top.
- Serve with extra basil on top.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 1052 kcal
Carbohydrates: 67 g
Protein: 63 g
Fat: 59 g
Saturated Fat: 33 g
Trans Fat: 0.01 g
Cholesterol: 322 mg
Sodium: 2049 mg
Sugar: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 22 g

Reviews

Stephanie on 2025-01-05 (5 stars):
This was soooo delicious. I wasn’t thinking and accidentally sliced the eggplant in rounds instead of lengthwise so it took longer than anticipated (ooooops) but 10/10 will definitely make again!!! So so yummy, thank you Gaby!
Patricia Donnellan on 2024-08-14 (5 stars):
All I can say is Mama Mia! This is soo good! And slicing the eggplant thinner really makes it taste so much better. Thank you Gaby!!!!
Sally on 2021-01-03 (5 stars):
Wowow! Made it and it tastes exactly like the eggplant parm from my childhood. Thank you Gaby!
Melissa Clark on 2020-09-05 (5 stars):
I’m not an eggplant fan but my hubby LOVES it! We’ve had some eggplant sitting around from our CSA and I decided to see if Gaby had any good eggplant recipes! Y’all MAKE THIS! Even if you’re like me and don’t care for eggplant! It’s delicious! The recipe is easy and straightforward, besides frying the eggplant which I did in the electric skillet to do more at once it came together quickly! We halved the recipe bc it’s just the 2 of us and still have lots of leftovers! I plan to make this for family this fall!