Crispy Baked Eggplant Recipe (2024)

Table of Contents

A Healthier Baked Eggplant Recipe Should I Peel My Eggplant Before Baking? How to Make Baked Eggplant Tips and Tricks How to Serve Crispy Baked Eggplant More Eggplant Recipes, Crispy Baked Eggplant Recipe Ingredients Instructions Jessica's Notes Nutritional Information FAQs References

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Crispy Baked Eggplant breaded in a mixture of crunchy panko, garlic, and shredded Parmesan then baked to crispy perfection. Enjoy these tender baked eggplant slices as a healthy snack or easy side dish.

A Healthier Baked Eggplant Recipe

Anytime I get a chance to make one of my favorite recipes a little healthier I am ALL for it. This crispy eggplant, soft and pillowy on the inside, crispy crunchy on the outside, is baked not fried, for guilt-free side dish perfection.

Enjoy your eggplant as a fun and flavorful snack, healthy side, or in place of fried eggplant in the popular Italian favorite Baked Eggplant Parmesan.

Should I Peel My Eggplant Before Baking?

Eggplant skin is absolutely, 100% totally edible. Deciding whether to leave the skin on or peel before baking, is a completely personal preference, just like acorn squash and sweet potatoes.

How to Make Baked Eggplant

This super easy crispy baked eggplant is made in three simple steps:

First, prepare your eggplant.

Wash and dry your eggplant and slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Sprinkle each eggplant round with a small pinch of salt (not too much!) and transfer to a large colander to drain or set them in a single layer on a stack of 2-3 paper towels. Allow your eggplant to drain for approximately 30 minutes – this extra step will help remove bitterness and moisture from your eggplant.

After 30 minutes has passed use a soft, damp cloth to wipe away as much salt as possible from each eggplant round and pat dry with clean paper towels.

Second, season and coat your eggplant.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.

Transfer Panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper to a shallow mixing bowl. Mix to combine. In a separate bowl add the eggs and whisk well.

Start dipping and coating! One at a time, dip each eggplant round into the whisked eggs, covering both sides of the eggplant. Immediately transfer the egg-covered eggplant round to the bowl filled with the breadcrumb mixture and cover to coat. Transfer your coated eggplant round to your prepared baking sheet and repeat until all rounds have been coated.

Third, baked until crispy.

Tips and Tricks

To make gluten-free: to make this recipe gluten-free be sure to use a gluten-free Panko or Italian breadcrumb mixture.
For a richer eggplant snack, coat your eggplant rounds in melted butter instead of egg.
Add different seasoning blends to change the flavor of your eggplant. Two of my favorites including Cajun and taco seasoning.
Depending on the thickness of your eggplant rounds, some may take more or less time to become tender.
To freeze baked eggplant: Once your eggplant has been baked and the eggplant has come to room temperature, transfer your baking sheet to the freezer and allow the eggplant to freeze just long enough to harden. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer eggplant rounds to a large ziplock bag. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.

How to Serve Crispy Baked Eggplant

These easy eggplant rounds make a fabulous side dish for all your favorite family dinners includingsteak bites, turkey meatloaf, and baked chicken. Serve with a side of homemade marinara or spicy arrabbiata sauce and a fresh green salad. Finally, use this baked eggplant in place of fried eggplant rounds when making your favorite Eggplant Parmesan.

More Eggplant Recipes,

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Gnocchi
Roasted Eggplant and Caramelized Onion Farro Salad
Eggplant Bowl with Mint + Cilantro Chutney
Moroccan Beef Tajine with Eggplant + Dried Fruit
Italian Ratatouille Recipe (Ciambotta)
Baba Ganoush Recipe (How to Make Baba Ganoush)

If you try making this crispy baked eggplant recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!I always love to hear your thoughts.

RECIPE CARD

Crispy Baked Eggplant Recipe

4.80 from 55 votes

AuthorAuthor: Jessica Randhawa

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Ingredients

▢ 2 large eggplants - sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
▢ Salt
▢ 1.5 cups Panko breadcrumbs
▢ ¾ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
▢ 2 large eggs - whisked

Instructions

Sprinkle each eggplant round with a small pinch of salt (not too much!). Transfer the salted eggplant rounds to a large colander to drain or set them in a single later on paper towels. Allow them to drain for approximately 30 minutes - this extra step will help remove bitterness and moisture from your eggplant.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.
Transfer Panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper to a shallow mixing bowl. Mix to combine and set aside. In a separate bowl add the eggs and whisk well. Set aside.
After 30 minutes has passed use a soft, damp cloth to wipe away as much salt as possible from each eggplant round and pat dry with clean paper towels.
Dip an eggplant round into the whisked eggs, covering both sides of the eggplant. Immediately transfer the egg-covered eggplant round to the bowl filled with the breadcrumb mixture and cover to coat. Transfer your coated eggplant round to your prepared baking sheet and repeat with your remaining eggplant rounds.
Transfer baking sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes before flipping and continuing to bake the other side until crispy and golden.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately on sandwiches, as a side, appetizer, or with baked eggplant parmesan.

Jessica's Notes

Should you peel eggplant? This is completely personal. If you know you don’t like eggplant skin, peel it. Otherwise give it a try, it’s completely safe.
To make gluten-free: to make this recipe gluten-free be sure to use a gluten-free Panko or Italian breadcrumb mixture.
For a richer eggplant snack, coat your eggplant rounds in melted instead of egg.
Add different seasoning blends to change the flavor of your eggplant. Two of my favorites including Cajun and taco seasoning.
To freeze baked eggplant: Once your eggplant has been baked and the eggplant has come to room temperature, transfer your baking sheet to the freezer and allow the eggplant to freeze just long enough to harden. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer eggplant rounds to a large ziplock bag. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutritional Information

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Baked Eggplant, Baked Eggplant Recipe

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FAQs

What is the trick to cooking eggplant? ›

Slice your eggplant with the skin on (this will help it keep its shape). Brush it lightly with oil. Grill over a hot flame until the flesh is tender and you have beautiful char marks, about 5 minutes per side.

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Do you leave the skin on eggplant when you bake it? ›

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

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Why do you not salt eggplant before cooking? ›

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

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Which cooking method is most appropriate for eggplant? ›

Eggplant's meaty texture makes it a natural for cooking on the grill, whether you're cooking it outdoors or on an indoor grill pan—and grilling gives eggplant a great smoky flavor.

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Why is my baked eggplant tough? ›

Overcrowding the pan.

The best eggplant is caramelized and crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. This is achieved by giving the cubes or slices enough room to brown while they cook.

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When should you not eat eggplant? ›

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

Learn More Now ›

How do you know when eggplant is cooked in the oven? ›

When it's cooked, “it should turn fully tender, all the flesh should be somewhat custardy. If you have to, hammer it a bit, knock it around, let it start to collapse.” When you're roasting eggplant, like in YuChen's recipe, “make sure you give them enough space so they can cook evenly,” she says.

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Why do you rinse eggplant? ›

Many recipes call for eggplants to be salted and rinsed to draw out any bitter juices, but this shouldn't be necessary if they're fresh. If the seeds are too defined or feel hard, the eggplant may be old and should be salted.

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Why do you soak eggplant in milk? ›

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

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Can you cook eggplant without salting it first? ›

In most cases, that's just not necessary. After an extended series of experiments, I found you only need to salt eggplant if you're going to be frying it, and even then only sometimes. If you're cooking it in some other way — roasting, grilling, steaming — salting has no effect.

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What is the secret to tender eggplant? ›

Cooking it at a high temperature (425 F / 218 C) for enough time (25-30 minutes) to give it a browned exterior and tender interior. Just look at those cubed purple beauties!

Tell Me More ›

How do you make eggplant taste better? ›

But, despite the drama surrounding eggplant and its gross, bland, bitterness, it is possible to make this vegetable taste good. (Fact check: eggplant is technically a berry -*eye roll*.) All you need is some umami-loaded oyster sauce, a little sesame oil, and a generous drizzle of sambal oelek.

Know More ›

How do you get the most flavor out of eggplant? ›

Brining adds flavor and texture to eggplants. "Mix spices and salt with water, then soak sliced eggplant in the brine for 30 minutes before cooking.