Description
Discover how to make a delicious Baked Eggplant Parmesan with a crispy Panko crust. Learn the step-by-step recipe for a tasty Italian-inspired dish!
Ingredients
- – 2 large eggplants (sliced into 1.25 cm circles)
- – 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
- – 2 cups (480 ml) panko breadcrumbs
- – 1 cup (240 ml) grated plant-based cheese
- – 3 tablespoons (45 ml) vegetable oil
- – 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Italian seasoning
- – 3 large eggs
- – 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- – 120g all-purpose flour
- – 1 (680g) jar marinara sauce
- – 540g low moisture mozzarella
- – 60ml fresh basil (chopped, for serving)
Instructions
- Position the eggplant rounds on a tray lined with paper towels, sprinkle them with salt liberally, and cover with another layer of paper towels; allow them to sit for 45 minutes. Dab them dry and eliminate the extra salt and water using the paper towels.
- Set your oven to heat up to 400°F and slightly coat a large baking tray with oil.
- In one bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, plant-based cheese, vegetable oil, and Italian seasoning. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with water. In a third bowl, have the flour ready.
- Coat the eggplant rounds in flour, then submerge them in the egg mixture, and afterward, press them into the breadcrumb mix firmly. Arrange them on the oiled baking tray, and continue the process with the remaining slices. Cook until the coating on the eggplant turns golden, roughly 30-35 minutes.
- Pour approximately a cup of marinara sauce at the base of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Lay half of the eggplant slices over the sauce. Add another cup of marinara on top, then sprinkle ¾ cup of mozzarella. Layer the remaining eggplant, followed by the rest of the marinara and the rest of the cheese.
- Reduce the oven setting to 375°F. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and keep cooking until the cheese is slightly golden, around 20 additional minutes.
- Take it out of the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.
Notes
- Thoroughly dry eggplant slices after salting to remove excess moisture for a non-soggy final dish.
- Press breadcrumb mixture firmly onto eggplant slices for a crispier coating.
- Layer marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese between eggplant slices for a flavorful bite in every bite.
