This past summer, I finally had a garden after decades of being garden-less, and one of my favorite garden goodies was my eggplants! They do take awhile to mature from their beautiful lavender flower blossoms...but I loved watching them grow. I was inspired by these beautiful purple gems and put together this DELICIOUS Eggplant Parmesan recipe!
I took a shortcut and used a jar of ready-made pasta sauce that I doctored up. Incorporating Japanese panko breadcrumbs makes for a lighter, fluffier crust on the eggplant than regular breadcrumbs. Oven-frying the breaded eggplant rather than frying in oil is much healthier and very easy. Served over angel hair pasta…all I can say is YUM!!! There are a lot of steps involved but none are difficult. It takes a bit time to prepare, but the end result is so worth it!
I took a shortcut and used a jar of ready-made pasta sauce that I doctored up. Incorporating Japanese panko breadcrumbs makes for a lighter, fluffier crust on the eggplant than regular breadcrumbs. Oven-frying the breaded eggplant rather than frying in oil is much healthier and very easy. Served over angel hair pasta…all I can say is YUM!!! There are a lot of steps involved but none are difficult. It takes a bit time to prepare, but the end result is so worth it!
Mmmmm...Eggplant Parmesan!
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/4” slices
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Japanese panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
24 ounce jar tomato-basil pasta sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp granulated sugar
A few splashes of balsamic vinegar
1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese
Cooked, hot pasta of your choice to accompany (I like to use angel hair pasta)
Using cookie sheets lined with paper towels, place peeled/sliced eggplant on the sheets and very lightly sprinkle with salt (to draw some of the moisture out of the eggplant). Let set for about 20 minutes, then turn eggplant slices over and lightly sprinkle again with salt; let set about 20 additional minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and coat one or two cookie sheets with cooking spray (depending on how much eggplant you have). To bread eggplant, place beaten eggs in a shallow dish; then combine panko and Italian breadcrumbs in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant, one slice at a time, into the egg; then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere breadcrumbs and shaking off any excess. Place eggplant slices side by side (do not overlap) on cookie sheet(s); lightly spray tops of eggplant with additional cooking spray. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, turn once, and bake again for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing the tomato sauce. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
For the tomato sauce component, combine pasta sauce and the next 10 ingredients (through balsamic vinegar). Then spread about 3/4 cup of sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Layer with half of the eggplant slices (overlapping slightly if needed to make them fit). Then spread about another cup of tomato sauce over the eggplant layer. Layer on half of the mozzarella slices. Repeat with a second layer of remaining eggplant slices and then the remaining tomato sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella slices and then sprinkle with shredded Italian-blend cheese. Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and cheese starts to turn golden. Let set about 5 minutes before serving over hot cooked pasta.
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/4” slices
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Japanese panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
24 ounce jar tomato-basil pasta sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp granulated sugar
A few splashes of balsamic vinegar
1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese
Cooked, hot pasta of your choice to accompany (I like to use angel hair pasta)
Using cookie sheets lined with paper towels, place peeled/sliced eggplant on the sheets and very lightly sprinkle with salt (to draw some of the moisture out of the eggplant). Let set for about 20 minutes, then turn eggplant slices over and lightly sprinkle again with salt; let set about 20 additional minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and coat one or two cookie sheets with cooking spray (depending on how much eggplant you have). To bread eggplant, place beaten eggs in a shallow dish; then combine panko and Italian breadcrumbs in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant, one slice at a time, into the egg; then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere breadcrumbs and shaking off any excess. Place eggplant slices side by side (do not overlap) on cookie sheet(s); lightly spray tops of eggplant with additional cooking spray. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, turn once, and bake again for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing the tomato sauce. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
For the tomato sauce component, combine pasta sauce and the next 10 ingredients (through balsamic vinegar). Then spread about 3/4 cup of sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Layer with half of the eggplant slices (overlapping slightly if needed to make them fit). Then spread about another cup of tomato sauce over the eggplant layer. Layer on half of the mozzarella slices. Repeat with a second layer of remaining eggplant slices and then the remaining tomato sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella slices and then sprinkle with shredded Italian-blend cheese. Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and cheese starts to turn golden. Let set about 5 minutes before serving over hot cooked pasta.