Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian dish. You'll love this version which is gluten-free, keto-friendly, vegetarian, and low-carb. This is so delightfully delicious that you will make it over and over again!
Sliced roasted eggplant topped with a wonderful tomatoey marinara sauce under a delicious blanket of melted cheese! Sigh! This stuff is what dreams are made of! In my mind, really, there is no possible way for you NOT to love this eggplant parmesan recipe.
Unless you just really hate eggplant.
And if you do, it's only because you have not had this easy eggplant parmesan recipe yet. It's a TOTAL game changer!
With this eggplant parmesan recipe, you don't have to worry about all the unnecessary breading or frying like the classic recipe calls for. In fact, this recipe does away with the salting, waiting, and draining steps, too.
Eggplant
Eggplant, also known as aubergine or brinjal, is a fruit. If we're getting technical, it's actually classified as a berry.
I know, right? Who would have thought!
Did you know that by eating eggplant you can lower your blood pressure? It also contains vitamin E. Eating eggplant can also help reduce inflammation in the body. Eggplant also contains iron, which helps fight anemia. So to me, eggplant is a superfood I want in my diet on a regular basis.
What's the Difference Between Eggplant Parmigiana and Eggplant Parmesan?
You may have heard this dish referred to as both "eggplant parmigiana" and "eggplant parmesan". So what's the difference? Is it the same thing?
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Pretty much, yeah. But there's a bit of drama around this dish.
There's a lot of interesting history around this dish. The first recipe for Eggplant Parmesan originates back to 1837. Some people refer to this recipe as "parmigiana" because it was originally made with parmigiano cheese and Parma is a city in northern Italy where this type of cheese originated. But if you do your research, a lot of people say this dish originated in southern Italy. Italians and Sicilians still argue today as to who truly invented the eggplant parmesan dish. It was also known as a "dish of the poor" because it's made with simple and readily available ingredients.
Ingredients
Speaking of those readily available ingredients to make this recipe, all you need are the following:
- Eggplant
- Olive Oil
- Marinara Sauce
- Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Fresh Basil Leaves
How to Make Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
You're only 3 steps away from having this healthy baked eggplant parmesan recipe on your dinner table!
- Step 1- Slice & Grill the Eggplants. Slice the eggplants about ยฝ inch thick. Brush with olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Step 2 - Layer the Eggplant, Tomato Sauce, and Cheese. Now comes the fun part. Layering the cheese, tomato sauce, and grilled eggplant slices.
- Step 3- Bake the Eggplants. Bake the dish for 20 minutes. To get that extra golden melted cheese, broil on high for 10 minutes.
Once you pull the dish out of the oven, let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then grab a fork and dig in!
Expert Tips & Tricks For Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
- Authentic Italian Dish - Eggplant parmigiana originated in Italy and is considered an authentic Italian recipe.
- Healthy - This recipe is a low-carb dish that is healthy and high in protein. It's also a great vegetarian and keto recipe.
- Marinara Sauce - Use your favorite marinara sauce or better yet, make it on your own. Here are some great recipes for Roasted tomato sauce, Quick Cherry Tomato sauce and Instant Pot Marinara Sauce.
- Eggplants - Use large purple eggplants for this recipe that are ripe. Ripe eggplants are firm and have a shiny skin. Make sure to slice the eggplants about 1 cm thick. This will make sure that they still hold their shape after baking. If you tend to get very bitter eggplants where you live, feel free to salt the eggplant with 1 Tablespoon of salt and draining the moisture and bitterness out of it.
- Make Ahead - You can prepare the various pieces, marinara sauce, grilled eggplant, and grated cheese ahead of time and assemble and bake half an hour before serving.
- Leftovers - Save the leftovers in the fridge covered with Saran wrap for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezer Friendly - Can you freeze this eggplant parmesan? YES! Just pull it out of the freezer and thaw on the counter. Once completely thawed, bake and enjoy.
- Pairings - I usually eat this dish by itself, but it goes FAMOUSLY with some pasta or a buttered hunk of gluten free bread. If you're not gluten free, sourdough is the best with this dish!
If you loved this recipe then give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #recipesworthrepeating and #yellowthyme and tagging me @yellowthyme and @recipesworthrepeating.
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Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Eggplant
- 1 cup Marinara Sauce
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- ยฝ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 10-15 Fresh Basil Leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F
- Slice the eggplant into 1 cm round slices. Brush them with the olive oil.
- Place the eggplant slices on a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes on one side. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes on the other side.
- In a flat dish, spread a โ of the marinara sauce onto the eggplant.
- Then, place another layer of eggplant slices on the marinara sauce. Top it with a Tablespoon of marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Sandwich it with another eggplant slice. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 180 C/356 F.
- Broil for 10 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown.
- Take out of the oven, top with shredded basil leaves and serve.
Vanessa
So easy!! I'm making this ASAP. This week for sure!
Danielle
I love that this recipe is freezer friendly. AND it looks absolutely stunning. I see why I would want to make it over and over again - it is soooo delicious!
Amanda Mason
Yes - I need a little freezer friendly in my life! You'll love this recipe!
Tammy
I love that this is naturally gluten free! This whole pan is calling to me...what a fabulous meal. Eggplant is one of my favorites!
Amanda Mason
Yeah!! I hope you enjoy, Tammy!
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli
I love love Parmigiana and I never bread the eggplant. Grill them or pan fry them. So I really like what I'm seeing here. Good stuff! Yum!
Amanda Mason
Enjoy, Nicoletta!
Colleen
I love eggplant and grow it every year in my garden. My husband is an eggplant hater, but this recipe looks so good that maybe it will change his mind. If not, more for me! ๐
Amanda Mason
I love it when I find others who love eggplant!! I think he might just love this recipe!
Elaine Benoit
Yum. I love eggplant and eat it whenever I can. Your recipe looks so delicious and I love that it's gluten-free!
Amanda Mason
Yes! Gluten free is a must here!!
Kylie | Midwest Foodie
Eggplant Parmesan is my FAAAAAVORITE and I can't wait to try this recipe! I love the step-by-step instructions and process shots in your post - so helpful in feeling confident in the kitchen! Thanks for sharing!
Amanda Mason
Hi Kylie! So glad the steps are helpful! I can't wait to hear how it turns out for you!
Paula Montenegro
One of my favorite dishes ever! I absolutely adore eggplants and the combination with sauce and cheese is just mouthwatering. Wonderful recipe!
Amanda Mason
Thank you, Paula! I'm so glad you like it!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This is such a great recipe to use eggplant. This would be great on the brunch menu, or dinner too. I could make a meal of this with a simple side salad for a delicious light dinner any night of the week.
Amanda Mason
Hi Gloria! Yes - it's a super versatile recipe! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Tara Teaspoon
I had no idea eggplant parmesan recipes dated back so far! That is so fascinating. This meal sounds ideal for everyone, especially because it is gluten free! Thank you for sharing, this looks absolutely amazing.
Amanda Mason
Thanks! I know - I love food history so I had to include that piece! It's super interesting!! You're going to love this dish!