Baked Eggplant Parmesan
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Published Sep 16, 2019, Updated Sep 02, 2022
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Make a healthy baked eggplant parmesan with crispy almond flour-coated eggplant slices that are baked — no frying or bread crumbs needed!
Isaac loves eggplant parmesan. His love inspired me to create a healthier homemade version that isn’t fried or loaded down with oil. I decided take things a step further and make this dish grain-free and gluten-free as well by using almond flour instead of bread crumbs. If you have a nut allergy or don’t have almond flour on hand, don’t fret! I tested this recipe with almond flour and bread crumbs and both versions turned out perfectly so you can use whichever you prefer!
Obviously we love the final result, but I also have to mention how tasty the baked eggplant is on it’s own! It’s almond flour parmesan coating makes it crispy and so tasty. It would honestly be an awesome appetizer on it’s own, served with a side of tomato sauce for dipping.
Ingredients in Healthy Eggplant Parmesan
Before making eggplant parmesan myself at home I thought it was much harder and required more ingredients than it actually does. Turns out, the process is pretty simple and you need less than 10 ingredients to whip it up. Here’s what you need for this healthier baked version:
- eggplants
- eggs
- almond flour – if you don’t want to use almond flour you can also use bread crumbs
- cheese – we’re using two different types of cheese, parmesan and mozzarella
- seasonings – Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
- marinara sauce – you can certainly make your own, but I used jarred sauce for mine
- fresh basil – don’t skip the fresh basil. It takes this eggplant parm to another level
How to Make Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Like I mentioned before, the process of making eggplant parm is way easier than I thought! And to keep things really easy, healthier and less messy, we’re baking the eggplant instead of frying it.
First things first, preheat your oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Next, prep an assembly line for the baked eggplant. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the almond flour, parmesan, Italian seasoning and sea salt. In another shallow bowl whisk the eggs with water, salt and pepper.
Dip the eggplant slices into the egg wash and let the excess liquid drip away. Then sprinkle a little of the almond flour parmesan mixture on each side. I highly recommend sprinkling it rather than dredging the wet eggplant slices into the almond flour mixture. This keeps the dry mixture from getting too wet, which results in a clumpy mixture that won’t stick to the eggplant!
Place the coated eggplant slices onto the baking sheet and spray tops lightly with cooking spray (which helps with browning!). Bake until the eggplant slices are soft on the inside and golden and crispy on the outside, about 30 minutes, flipping around the 15 minute mark.
When the eggplant slices are done baking, it’s time to layer! Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a large baking dish. Add an even layer of baked eggplant slices. Add another 1 cup of sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Top with another layer of baked eggplant slices and another cup of sauce. The final layer will be the mozzarella and parmesan cheese and the rest of the fresh basil. Phew! So many delicious layers. Bake the eggplant parmesan dish uncovered until the top is bubbly and golden.
That’s it! Remove the eggplant parmesan from the oven, cut, serve and enjoy.
Want to Make This Dairy-Free?
If you don’t eat dairy I recommend finding a dairy-free shredded mozzarella. There are quite a few brands on the market now, including Daiya Foods. And for the parmesan, you can try my vegan parmesan made with hemp seeds.
Like This Recipe? Here Are More Casserole Recipes You Might Enjoy!
- Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
- Confetti Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy Mexican Quinoa Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
More Pasta Recipes to Try
- Spaghetti Squash Baked Feta Pasta
- One-Skillet Enchilada Pasta
- Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Walnut Pasta Sauce with Spaghetti Squash Noodles
- Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Tahini Sauce
- Lightened-Up Penne alla Vodka
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Be sure to check out the full collection of dinner recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant or 2 small/medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2″ thick rounds
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup almond flour*
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided*
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 24 ounce jar marinara sauce, (about 3 cups)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella*
- ⅓ cups thinly sliced basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, whisk together almond flour, ½ cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs with 2 Tablespoons water and sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.
- Dip an eggplant slice into the egg wash and let any excess drip off. Then sprinkle the almond flour parmesan mixture over each side of the eggplant slice. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat to coat all eggplant slices. NOTE: Be sure to sprinkle the mixture on rather than dredging the wet eggplant slices into the almond flour mixture. This keeps the dry mixture from getting too wet, which results in a clumpy mixture that won't stick to the eggplant!
- Spray tops lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake until soft inside, and golden and crisp on the outside, about 30 minutes, flipping around the 15 minute mark.
- In a large baking dish (I used 9×11), add 1 cup of marinara and spread evenly. Add an even layer of baked eggplant slices. If needed, you can cut some of the slices in half to fill the baking dish. Add another 1 cup of sauce and spread evenly over eggplant slices. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup of the remaining Parmesan and 1/4 cup fresh basil. Top with another layer of baked eggplant slices and spread on 1 cup of sauce. Top with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan and remaining fresh basil.
- Bake, uncovered, until top is bubbly and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- If you have a nut allergy, feel free to use 1 cup of bread crumbs instead of the almond flour.
- If you want to keep this dairy-free, use dairy-free cheese options.
- Inspired by Eating Well Magazine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was amazing! My husband said it was worth waiting all afternoon for it. Not that it took all afternoon, it was just his anticipation. Love that you don’t have to drain the eggplant and that it isn’t mushy. It’s definitely a keeper. Thanks again!
Woo! So glad this recipe was a hit, Patti! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
This is the best! Eggplant parm is one of my favorites but I tend to find it overwhelming and complicated to make. Not this; so easy to make and is both healthy and tasty!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear this, Cara! Thanks for making this baked eggplant and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me.
Can I make 1/2 of this recipe? This will make way too much for just the 2 of us.
Sure! Just half the recipe. You should be able to have it fit in a square 8×8 or 9×9 dish.
I had saved this recipe a long time ago and came across it today. I’ve never made Eggplant Parmesan before, but decided today was the day! It was easy to put together and delicious!
Woo!! So happy to hear this eggplant parmesan was a hit, Lyne. Thanks for making it and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
SO good!
This has become one of my go-to staples! Super easy and delicious!! Even my boyfriend loves it and he despises most vegetables lol
Woo!! So pumped to hear this eggplant parmesan was a hit, Lauren. Thanks for the review. It means so much to me!
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it before as written but it’s also great with ground turkey if you need more protein.
Woo!! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Molly. Ground turkey would be so great with it! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Do you peal the eggplant?
No, I don’t peel the eggplant for this recipe. The skin softens up as it cooks!
This has become a staple in our house! So flavorful and hearty. It’s just as good (if not better) as leftovers 🙂
Woo!! So pumped to hear this recipe has been such a hit in your family, Allie. Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate the feedback!
This was an AMAZING recipe. I used chickpea flour instead of almond flour. I also used Rao’s marinara sauce, it’s pricier, but worth every extra penny. My boyfriend usually doesn’t like eggplant, but he enjoyed this recipe too.
Ah yay! Happy to hear this eggplant parmesan was a success and so glad it worked out well with the chickpea flour. Thanks for the review, Jenna! I really appreciate it.
My husband isn’t much of an eggplant fan and eggplant Parma is one of my fav meals! I made this but split it into 2 separate baking dishes. I was thinking of freezing one. Any idea how to bake this after freezing? Frozen or thawed and if frozen, how long?
Hey Andrea – I would assemble the complete dish, but do not bake. Wrap tightly with foil and freeze, up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, remove from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Once thawed, bake uncovered at 425 for 15-20 minute, until the top is bubbly and golden.