Anyone who makes their own eggplant at home will tell you that it's better than the Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana. Why? Because as long as YOU put in some effort and choose the right quality ingredients, it will be 10-fold as delicious.
Try our Pasta alla Norma (A Sicilian Dish), if you're looking for something a little quicker than this baked eggplant dish.
If you love this eggplant parmigiana, you may also want to serve some of these other Italian classics to your guests like Restaurant-Style Chicken Scarpariello, Restaurant-Style Chicken Saltimbocca, or Chicken Pizzaiola.
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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Sauce. Below, I added instructions on how to make my sauce. It's very similar to my Sunday sauce, but I don't cook it nearly as long. Making your own sauce is the best way to do it, but you could also buy a jar of sauce if you're looking to save time. I just wouldn't want my grandmother to roll over in her grave, so I'll have to continue making my own.
- Eggplant. When frying eggplant, it's important to remove as much moisture as possible. Lay the eggplant on a flat surface or cooling rack, sprinkle both sides with salt, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then pat dry to remove as much moisture as you can.
- I have skipped this step in the past. It's fine if you want to save time. You will just get a crispier and more even fry, and the eggplant will be better seasoned. But overall, it will still come out fine without this step and I've done it 100 times without ever learning this.
- Breadcrumb Mixture. Don't forget that you have to season your breadcrumbs. This is not optional. The flavor will be really bland without the extras in the breadcrumbs.
- Olive Oil. Choosing the right oil to fry your eggplant in is important. You can read our article about frying with the right oils to learn about why extra virgin olive oil is the best option when it comes to frying your eggplant.
- Egg. There are a few possible substitutions for eggs, like heavy cream. Check out our No Egg Chicken Cutlets for an analysis of different egg substitutes.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Place your pot on the stovetop on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and then add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring them to a simmer. Toss the basil in and salt and simmer for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch circular slices as shown below. There is no need to remove the skin. Modern eggplants have the bitterness bred out of them and the skin is no different.
Step 3: Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, parsley, and parmesan on a plate. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg and then dredge them in the breadcrumbs.
Step 4: Set the eggplant on a plate and keep going until you finish all of the eggplant slices.
Step 5: Add about ½ an inch of olive oil to a frying pan on the stovetop on medium-high heat. Once the olive oil is hot, place your eggplant slices in the oil in batches. Fry each side of the eggplant for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with a small amount of kosher salt.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line the bottom of the baking pan with a couple of spoons of the sauce. Top that with a layer of eggplant and then some more sauce on top.
Step 7: Sprinkle parmesan cheese and then add another layer of eggplant. Keep going until you get to the top of the pan.
Step 8: Add a layer of mozzarella. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Pro-Tips
- You will have to keep adding more olive oil to the frying pan as you go. You will need to wipe the pan clean occasionally to remove some of the burnt breadcrumbs. You don't have to do this after every batch but maybe 1-2x during the whole process, depending on how much eggplant you're frying.
- Don't bother cutting the skin off the eggplant. It's a waste of time and food. The eggplant is twice cooked and the skin will be really soft. You won't even notice it's there. Trust me and try it.
Recipe FAQs
It's so much better and it's not even close. It's a little bit lighter but it tastes so much better you'll probably end up eating the whole tray.
Eggplant parmigiana is a combination of fried eggplant, tomato sauce, parmigiana, and mozzarella.
Storing and Reheating
Eggplant parmesan is the perfect dish for storing and reheating.
Storage
When I make this dish for the holidays, I usually make it in an aluminum tray for easy cleanup. Create the dish just as we did in the Pyrex and cover it with aluminum foil.
If you're not eating it the same day you make it, that's fine. Make the tray of eggplant parm but don't bake it. Cover it and place it in the fridge or even in the freezer depending on how far advance you are making it. My mom would freeze trays of this for us and send it back to college with us.
After it has been baked, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat it within 3 days.
Reheating
If reheating from the refrigerator, throw it right in the oven and bake for an hour, or set it out on the counter for an hour prior to eating and bake for about 30-40 minutes. I like to take the temperature of the center to make sure it's not cold and gets above 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
If reheating from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of time and then follow the above instructions.
There is nothing like eggplant parm leftovers either, just go ahead and make yourself an Eggplant Parm Sandwich the day after!
What to Serve with Eggplant Parmigiana
I always serve this dish to guests so usually I'm feeding a lot of people! I love to serve it alongside some other main courses like Chicken Francese, Chicken Marsala, Italian Sausage and Peppers, or Italian Chicken Cutlets.
I also always need to have pasta on the side like rigatoni with Sunday Sauce or Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, or something easy like Italian Pink Sauce with Sausage or Busiate with Pesto Trapanese.
If you're looking for some side dishes to serve with it, you have to add these to your menu: Italian Cabbage Recipe, Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), and Baked Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. Or Try it with a soup like Classic Pasta Fagioli.
Video Recipe
More Italian Classics
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Better than Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana
Equipment
- 1 large frying pan
- 1 9x13 baking dish
- 1 medium pot
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- 3 eggs
Sauce
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 6 basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Toppings
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Place your pot on the stove top on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring them to a simmer. Add the basil and salt and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Slice the eggplant in ¼ inch circular slices. There is no need to remove the skin. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, parsley, and parmesan on a plate. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg and then dredge them in the breadcrumbs. Set on a plate and keep going until you finish all of the eggplant slices.
- Add about ½ an inch of olive oil to a frying pan on the stove top on medium-high heat. Once the olive oil is hot, place your eggplant slices in the oil in batches. You may need to lower the heat if there is any splattering of oil. Fry each side of the eggplant for 2 minutes or until golden brown and then flip. Remove and set on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with a small amount of kosher salt.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line the bottom of the baking pan with a couple spoons of the sauce. Top that with a layer of eggplant and then some more sauce on top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and then add another layer of eggplant. Keep going until you get to the top of the pan. Add the mozzarella to the last layer on top.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
- You will have to keep adding more olive oil to the frying pan as you go. You may also want to wipe the pan clean occasionally to remove some of the burnt breadcrumbs. You don't have to do this after every batch but maybe 1-2x during the whole process.
- I like to make my own sauce, but you can use any sauce you have or buy from the supermarket.
Lu
After you slice the eggplant, do you have to salt it and let it rest to release any liquid off the eggplant ?
Vinny
I have some notes on this above in the ingredients section! I typically like to because you'll get crispier eggplant this way. But if you don't have the time it won't make a huge difference. My mother makes it the same way as me and she has never once done that!
Vinny
This is my mom's eggplant recipe. It is by far my favorite dish of all time. I can eat this all week. I know you will love it!