Recipe: Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan
Nothing is more classic than eggplant parm. Use Bounty to drain the eggplant prior to cooking.
Serves4
Prep20 minutes
Cook9 minutes
Eggplant parmesan, with its layers of crunchy breaded eggplant smothered in marinara sauce and melty cheese, might seem like a complicated cooking project best left for a lazy weekend. You’re probably imagining spending most of an afternoon prepping the eggplant, frying the slices, and baking it for a while before you finally get to eat. But delicious eggplant parm is, in fact, possible to make on a weeknight. Here’s a version that comes together lickety-split (and with minimal mess) thanks to the help of a sheet pan and our kitchen hero, the Quicker Picker Upper.
Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan
Start by Salting the Eggplant
This recipe starts with salting the eggplant, which helps to draw out some of the moisture (and some say any bitterness). It also seasons the eggplant. The salting process doesn’t need a lot of time, so just let the slices sit with a layer of Bounty paper towels underneath them to catch any drips while the oven’s heating up and you prepare the rest of the ingredients. When you’re ready to bread the eggplant, make sure you pat the slices very dry with a Bounty paper towel so that the coating sticks.
How to Get a Crispy, Flavorful Coating
A crispy, flavorful coating is the hallmark of any good eggplant parmesan, so go with the standard dredge: first some flour, then some beaten egg, and finally a mix of panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. It is eggplant parm, after all! And then comes the best shortcut ever: Skip the deep frying and place the slices on a hot, oiled baking sheet, which helps jumpstart the cooking.
After only about 6 minutes under the broiler, each slice of eggplant is browned and crunchy, ready to be topped with marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese that melts into ooey, gooey perfection. Yes, you can bake eggplant parm in mere minutes, making this an easy dinner that can be thrown together on a busy weeknight.
Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan
Nothing is more classic than eggplant parm. Use Bounty to drain the eggplant prior to cooking.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 9 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
large globe eggplant (about 1 pound total)
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 8 ounces
fresh mozzarella cheese, drained
- 1/2 cup
all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon
dried Italian seasoning
- 2
large eggs
- 1 cup
panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup
grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon
vegetable oil
- 1 cup
marinara sauce, divided, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons
coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Trim off the ends of the eggplant. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds, yielding about 14 slices. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant with the salt. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices on wire racks with a single layer of Bounty paper towels underneath, and set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the broiler to HIGH. Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven while it heats. Meanwhile, slice the mozzarella into 7 (1/4-inch-thick) slices, then halve each slice so that you have 14 pieces of cheese.
Set up a dredging station: Stir the flour and Italian seasoning together in a shallow bowl. Whisk the eggs together in a second shallow bowl. Stir the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together in a third shallow bowl.
Rinse the eggplant slices, then pat dry on both sides with Bounty paper towels. Dredge each slice in the flour, coating the eggplant completely in a thin layer. Dip into the egg, and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a single layer on a cutting board to set the coating until all the slices are breaded.
Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle the oil onto the baking sheet and coat the sheet with the oil. Working quickly, place the breaded eggplant in a single layer on the hot baking sheet. Broil until golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway through, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the marinara sauce on top of each eggplant slice, and top each with 1 piece of mozzarella cheese.
Broil until the sauce is warm and the mozzarella is melted and browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Garnish with basil, and serve with more marinara sauce, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The eggplant can be salted, rinsed, and patted dry the night before, and then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pat dry again with Bounty paper towels before breading.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.