Eggplant Parmesan
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If you’re going to make eggplant parmesan, go all in. This version has golden fried eggplant, creamy béchamel, marinara, and just the right amount of melty cheese. It’s cozy, comforting, and exactly what you want eggplant parm to be.
This is my go-to eggplant Parmesan recipe: golden, crispy slices of fried eggplant layered with marinara, mozzarella, and a rich béchamel sauce. Adding béchamel is a little trick I picked up from one of my favorite Italian restaurants, and it’s what really sets this version apart. It adds richness, balances the acidity of the tomato sauce, and keeps the mozzarella from turning rubbery.
Making classic eggplant Parmesan is definitely a bit of a project—there’s salting, breading, and frying involved—but the end result is well worth it, and much of the work can be done ahead. Salting the eggplant helps keep it silky rather than greasy, while frying gives it a crisp, golden exterior that baked or broiled versions just can’t match. It makes an impressive vegetarian main paired with a big Italian salad and garlic bread, but it’s just as delicious served alongside turkey meatballs or or Italian sausage.
“I must admit this is better than my Italian momma’s!”
What You’ll Need To Make Eggplant Parmesan
- Eggplant: Thinly sliced rounds form the foundation of the dish. There’s no need to peel the eggplant for eggplant Parmesan. The skin is completely edible and softens as the eggplant cooks, while also helping the slices hold their shape.
- Flour, Eggs, and Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs: Key to the three-step breading process—flour first, then beaten eggs, and finally seasoned breadcrumbs for a crispy, flavorful coating.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for pan-frying the eggplant to achieve a satisfying crunch and golden color.
- Marinara Sauce: A rich and flavorful marinara sauce is essential for eggplant parmesan. A good-quality store-bought sauce, such as Rao’s or Victoria, works well and saves time.
- Shredded Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese & Parmigiano-Reggiano: Mozzarella brings that gooey, melty comfort we all love, while Parmigiano adds depth and sharpness.
- Fresh Basil Leaves: Added as a garnish just before serving.
- Butter, Flour, Milk: Used to make the béchamel sauce. While not included in all eggplant parm recipes, this sauce adds a luscious, creamy layer to the dish. It also balances the acidity of the marinara sauce and prevents the melted mozzarella cheese from turning rubbery when melted.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Eggplant Parmesan
Salt the eggplant: Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, arrange between layers of paper towels, and let them sit until they release some of their moisture. Blot them well to drain out any excess moisture. Salting and draining the slices before breading helps draw out excess moisture and bitterness, and also keeps them from soaking up too much oil.
Make the béchamel sauce: Cook the butter and flour together, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Continue cooking until the sauce is thick and creamy, then whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano and seasonings.
Bread the eggplant: Set up three shallow dishes with flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs. Coat each slice first in flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Shake off the excess flour and let the excess egg drip off so the breading stays light and crisp.
Fry the eggplant: Heat the oil until a breaded edge dipped into it sizzles immediately, then fry the eggplant in batches until crisp and deeply golden on both sides. Avoid crowding the pan, which lowers the oil temperature and can make the eggplant greasy. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Assemble: pread marinara in the baking dish, then layer in the fried eggplant, more marinara, mozzarella, and béchamel. Repeat the layers, leaving some of the eggplant exposed on top so the edges crisp up rather than becoming completely covered in sauce. Finish with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Bake until bubbling and golden: Let the finished eggplant Parmesan rest before slicing so the layers have time to settle and it’s easier to serve neatly. You can assemble it up to 2 days ahead, or freeze—baked or unbaked—for longer storage.
Video Tutorial
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Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
For the Eggplant Parmesan
- 2½ pounds eggplant (2 to 3 medium), trimmed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick slices
- 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups seasoned Italian bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying (about 3 cups)
- 1 (24 oz) jar good-quality marinara sauce, such as Rao's or Victoria
- 3 cups (12 oz) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigianno-Reggiano
- Fresh chopped basil, for serving (optional)
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Salt the eggplant: In a large bowl, on a baking sheet, or directly on a cutting board, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt evenly all over the eggplant slices. Lay out a few layers of paper towels on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Arrange about one-third of the eggplant slices in a single layer and cover with more paper towels. Continue stacking the eggplant and paper towels, finishing with a final layer of paper towels. Let sit for 1½ to 2 hours. Press on the paper towels to absorb any excess liquid before proceeding.
- Make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the milk and whisk until evenly combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Combine the flour and ¾ teaspoon salt on a large plate. Whisk the eggs with 2 tablespoons cold water in a wide bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs with ¾ teaspoon salt on a large plate.
- Lightly coat each slice of eggplant in the flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, then dredge in the breadcrumbs, pressing with your fingertips so the crumbs adhere. (Use one hand for the dry ingredients – the flour and breadcrumbs – and one for the egg mixture - it's much neater this way!) Set the breaded eggplant slices on a baking sheet.
- Line another baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels. Pour enough oil into a large (12-inch/30-cm) skillet to measure about ¼ inch (6 mm) deep and heat over medium heat until hot (if you dip a piece of eggplant into the oil, it will sizzle immediately). Working in batches, add as much eggplant as will fit in a single layer and fry, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat, frying the remaining eggplant and layering it between sheets of paper towels to drain.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Spread ¾ cup (170 g) of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch (22x33-cm) baking dish. Layer in one-third of the eggplant slices, overlapping the slices to fit. Cover the eggplant with another ¾ cup (170 g) of marinara sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, then spoon about one-third of the béchamel sauce over the cheese (if the béchamel has solidified a bit, it's fine to add it in dollops; no need to spread it around). Repeat two more layers, leaving the edges of the eggplant exposed on the top layer to create crispy edges. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool, loosely covered with foil, for about 20 minutes. Scatter the basil over top (if using), cut into slices, and serve.
Notes
- Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ½ teaspoon of the salt sprinkled onto the eggplant was absorbed and ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the eggplant when frying.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The eggplant parmesan can be assembled up to 2 days before baking; it can also be frozen, baked or unbaked, for up to 3 months. (If freezing, defrost in the refrigerator overnight prior to reheating/baking.)
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Your recipes never disappoint. This was so delectable. My kids loved it too. It was quite a few steps but worth it to me. Thanks for always producing quality recipes.
Another perfect note for this recipe. It tasted so good. We really loved it.
Can you grill this the night before putting it together? Fried food doesnt alway agree with me and I love grilled eggplant. Will they get too soggy if I leave them cooked overnight?
Hi Karen, You can, but I actually think the eggplant will be soggy either way (regardless of when you grill it). I don’t think it will be bad, but the eggplant just won’t have that crunch.
I made this recipe last Saturday (after making your Chicken Tacos) – it was absolutely delicious. I never had eggplant before and thought it was awesome. I also made your Spicy Maple Candied Bacon. So far, all of your recipes have been a hit and I’ve let others know about your website.
Keep up the good work!
You’ve done it again, Jen! I made this the night before and served it for dinner the next evening. It was SO good. Even my daughter, who insisted she didn’t like eggplant said it was great.
The bechamel sauce really does provide a nice, cheesy mellow backdrop for the marinara, which I made from the tomatoes that came in my summer CSA box.
Side note: this dish paired well with your summer plum cake, which we had for dessert. Appreciate these delcious recipes.
This was outrageously delicious!!! Yes it took a lot of prep but the result was magnificent. Brava!!!!
I have to tell you this may be one of your staple recipes, I would have pictures but my wife snuck half of the dish for work this morning, that’s how awesome it turned out. The flavors mixed in so well and the béchamel sauce made it absolutely incredible just as you said it would. You are my favorite Chef to go to, I’m so glad that I found you and your awesome recipes. Thanks so much can’t wait to cook more of your recipes.
I made this last night using zucchini in place of eggplant (because I had no eggplant but enough zucchini in the garden to sink an aircraft carrier) and it was absolutely delicious! My husband is not a fan of squash OR Italian cuisine, but he truly loved this dish. He not only started with an appetizer of about half dozen fried zucchini slices early in the assembly process, but also eagerly ate two helpings of the finished masterpiece. Instead of Progresso bread crumbs I blended plain homemade (i.e. white bread) crumbs, crushed Ritz crackers and panko (1/3 each) and a couple teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and it yielded a very crispy coating that was also incredibly tasty. I also chunked up and fried some Italian sausage and added it after the marinara layers to satisfy our mutual preference for meat and love for sausage. What a delight. And the fact that I can freeze it – baked or unbaked – means I have an awesome way to “preserve” a lot more of our zuke surplus, and look forward to the ease of warming up this great dish on hectic weeknights! Like everyone says, Jenn, all your recipes are home runs…thank you for your website. ❤
Recently made this for the second time but instead of using store bought marinara sauce like before, I used Jen’s homemade tomato sauce using plum tomatoes from my garden. It turned out really, really good. Much better than using store bought sauce.
My husband and son really loved it. Don’t think I want to cook it now with store bought sauce. The homemade tomato sauce just brought it up to next level!
Absolutely delicious. The bechamel was a great touch. Very easy instructions. The only thing I will change next time was the temperature at 425. Next time maybe 375. It seemed like it browned too fast. However, I will be making again and putting it in my recipe book. Your recipes are always amazing!