Learn how to make eggplant Parmesan with this delicious, lighter baked eggplant Parmesan recipe. It's perfect for serving a crowd, so make it for your next gathering or family dinner!
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized shallow dish, beat the eggs.
In another medium-sized shallow dish, combine the panko, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then into the panko mixture. Place onto the baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 18 to 25 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.
In an 8x12 or 9x13-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup marinara, layer half the eggplant, and top with 1 cup of marinara and half the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, the remaining marinara, and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a few more pinches of sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 480 kcal
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Protein: 31 g
Fat: 26 g
Saturated Fat: 14 g
Trans Fat: 0.01 g
Cholesterol: 160 mg
Sodium: 1807 mg
Sugar: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Reviews
Lexi on 2026-06-24 13:37:51 (5 stars): This recipe is so goated. Can turn an eggplant hater into a lover.
karenf on 2026-06-02 11:20:49 (5 stars): You have a winner here! It appealed to me because some of the more tedious steps were eliminated, yet it worked like a charm. No sweating of the eggplant, no frying, and can be made ahead. I made this a day ahead for company and everyone really enjoyed it. When blitzed, my 8 oz. block of mozzarella measured 2 cups and I just used it all instead of the 1-1/2 cups called for, I am also a lousy drizzler, so I sprayed the olive oil on. These were the only changes and it was the best Eggplant Parm I've ever eaten!
Sophie on 2026-05-25 16:36:58 (5 stars): Baking the eggplant is SO much easier (and less cleanup!) I used less red pepper flakes (1 tsp), but it came out wonderfully delicious! This recipe is a keeper!
Alexis on 2026-05-18 22:06:18 (5 stars): This was excellent, where is the garlic though? I put the left over crumb and cheese breading on the top and then the egg wash before baking it. This is a keeper!
Sharon on 2026-05-03 21:24:11 (5 stars): I really enjoyed this recipe. It was supposed to be enough for 6 to 8 servings, but it was only 4 because I loved it and ate BIG servings. I was a bit put-off at first by all the steps, but it was worth it. Sorry I didn't take a picture.It will be made again soon.
Diana on 2026-04-06 21:14:05 (5 stars): I actually made this tonight for Passover using kosher for Passover breadcrumbs and it was phenomenal. Love that it’s baked but still crunchy like fried. My kids loved it too. Will definitely make again. I always forget to leave a review but all of your recipes are outstanding,
Griffin Reed on 2026-04-01 14:07:29 (5 stars): Amazing, one of my favorite recipes ever!
Marsha on 2026-03-21 12:55:39 (5 stars): This is an excellent recipe. The marinara recipe that goes with is also delicious. Treatment of the eggplant also works well for green tomatoes!
I’ve made this several times. What I make is sort of a “deconstructed “ version. Instead of making a solid bake dish I create stacks of sauce, eggplant and cheese (as many layers as possible without them tipping over) with space between the stacks. Once baked you have lots of preserved crunchy eggplant. It’s easier to serve and scale. Delicious!
Pam on 2026-03-15 20:09:03 (5 stars): Excellent and so fresh tasting!! Only 2 changes, sweated the eggplant for about 45 minutes....and I added about 1/2 teaspoon paprika to the breadcrumb mixture. Other than that, followed exactly including making your Marinara too!!! Hardest thing was determining what size eggplant! I used 2 that were 1# each & ended up running out of eggs & breadcrumbs mix so the slices from the top 1/3 of one of them got set aside for another meal...I still had plenty for 2 layers though. Everyone loved it!!! Thank you for sharing!
Ashley on 2026-03-15 16:36:18 (5 stars): This was absolutely delicious! The panko mixture, the marinara sauce, everything worked together to make one extraordinary dish. My partner initially said he didn't want to eat much and then went back for seconds. Thank you for this great recipe!
