Name: Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 oz. uncooked spaghetti; 1 medium eggplant; 2 large eggs; 1 t. water; 1 c. panko breadcrumbs; 1 t. oregano; 1 t. garlic powder; 1/2 t. salt; 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated; 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese; 2 c. marinara sauce; 1 t. black pepper; 3 T. chopped parsley

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Baked Eggplant Parmesan is as easy as one, two, three! Start with slicing the eggplant, breading it, and baking it to golden perfection. Finish it off with cheese and marinara sauce.

This is it folks. I start back to school tomorrow. With school starting back up that means I’ll be making lots of quick and easy weeknight meals.

People often ask me how I can cook six or seven nights a week and not want to go out. The answer is simple; there’s no where to go.

That’s not a joke either. I live in a very rural area where there are probably five sit down chain restaurants, ten fast food places, and maybe five other restaurants. Out of those there are a total of three I enjoy eating at.

There’s an Asian place with really good chicken and tofu, a fast food place with decent chicken, and an Italian place with amazing eggplant parmesan. Otherwise, I want to eat at home because almost anything I make is going to be better then what I get when I eat out.

When I lived in Pittsburgh this wasn’t always the case. We had hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants to choose from and many that I loved. But you adapt to your situation and mine is to cook in order to stay well fed.

Even though I love the Italian place in town, it takes 20 minutes to get there so whenever I want carry out I spend about an hour to get there, pay my bill, get the food, and get back home.

During the week I don’t want to run around for an hour after work. Not that making it is any easier as cutting, battering, and frying takes time. I’m also done baked eggplant which still takes upwards of an hour. So when I found a recipe for a healthier eggplant parmesan that could be made in under 30 minutes I was sold.

Ingredients:

spaghetti noodles (or a thicker fettuccine if you prefer)
eggplant (use a medium sized one as larger ones have too many seeds)
eggs
panko breakcrumbs (you can use regular ones but panko makes for a better crunch)
dried oregano
garlic powder
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (I like getting the grated Parmesan but you can use the stuff in a can)
shredded mozzarella cheese
marinara sauce
chopped parsley (try to get fresh but you can use dried in a pinch)

So instead of frying up the eggplant in a pan this eggplant is broiled in the oven. I was skeptical as to whether or not the eggplant would be crisp and tender but it turned out to be both.

Broiling it in batches I was able to cook an entire eggplant in around 10 minutes. It only goes in for 1-2 minutes per side and I only had 2 batches because I used a large cookie sheet.

What is Eggplant Parmesan?

Eggplant Parmesan is a traditional Italian meal. It’s usually made of fried slices of eggplant layered with cheese and sauce that’s baked in the oven. It can also be made with veal or chicken.

Should I peel the eggplant?

That is entirely up to you. Depending on how thick the skin is I usually prefer not to peel it. However, if an eggplant has thicker skin I will peel it because it can be firm and not taste very good. If in doubt error on the side of caution and peel it.

What should I serve with eggplant parmesan?

I like to serve mine with some type of bread. I prefer serving garlic bread, breadsticks, or even focaccia bread. I also like to serve it with a green salad if I have the extra time.

How do I store Eggplant Parmesan?

Store the eggplant parmesan in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I usually put the spaghetti in a separate contain when refrigerating.. You can reheat it in the microwave though it will get a little soggy. My preferred reheating method is to put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

The eggplant was golden brown and crisp, and it was also tender. I was seriously surprised by how delicious it was!

After it comes out you have two options. You can make it the easy way which is to simply heat the marinara sauce in the microwave or stove top. Then place the eggplant over top of spaghetti and pour the sauce over top.

You can also layer the eggplant in a baking dish, pour cheese and sauce over top, then add a second layer of eggplant, cheese, and sauce. Bake for 10 minutes then cut and serve over top of spaghetti.

More Pasta Recipes:

My husband was surprised by how quickly the eggplant parmesan was finished. He was also surprised to find that it was baked and not fried.

I served it over top of pasta and covered it in sauce then served it with a side of garlic bread. We both really enjoyed the flavor of the dish. It’s going on our monthly rotation of dishes for sure!

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