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Looking for an Eggplant Parmesan recipe that isn’t fried, but yet, rich, crispy, and full of flavor? You will love this Baked Eggplant Parmesan! Made with a few trade secrets and a key ingredient, this recipe is not only delicious, but low in carbs and gluten-free.
Serve this Eggplant Parmesan with a side of green beans almondine or roasted asparagus, for a delicious low-carb and gluten-free dinner.
The Secret to the Crispiest Baked Eggplant Parmesan
It may sound crazy, but using coconut flour to bread eggplant, rather than breadcrumbs and all-purpose flour, as used to bread chicken tenders and chicken parmesan, creates the crispiest, richest, most luxurious eggplant parmesan you will ever have.
Eggplant is known to be high in water content and even after salted to draw out the moisture, it can become soggy when baked. Because coconut flour absorbs moisture as it bakes, this ingredient prevents the eggplant from becoming soggy and yields the crispiest baked eggplant parmesan ever!
Don’t like coconut? You likely will still love this recipe for eggplant parmesan. The coconut flour does not have an overpowering coconut flavor. Instead, it adds a subtle, nutty flavor that pairs well with eggplant and keeps this recipe both gluten-free and low-carb.
How to Make Baked Eggplant Parmesan
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Slice and Salt Eggplant
Eggplant can be very bitter if not prepared correctly. The way to combat this is to heavily salt the eggplant slices prior to breading it. The salt will draw out the eggplant’s natural liquid, which is what is responsible for the bitter flavor in eggplant.
Rinse and Pat Eggplant Dry
After 30-90 minutes, you should notice liquid on the eggplant’s surface. You want to rinse that bitter liquid off the eggplant and pat it dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel, so that the breading can adhere.
Bread Eggplant
To bread the eggplant, first dip it into an egg wash and then dip into seasoned coconut flour. Use one hand to press the breading onto the eggplant, to ensure it is evenly breaded.
Bake Breaded Eggplant on a Rack
By placing the breaded eggplant slices onto a cooling rack instead of directly onto the baking sheet, the air is able to circulate evenly around the slices, letting each slice crisp up evenly. This is the secret to baking crispy breaded items in the oven. I use this method for Homemade Chicken Strips and Chicken Katsu as well.
Layer Baked Eggplant with Marinara and Parmesan
Now it is time to turn the crispy, baked eggplant into eggplant parmesan. To do this, layer the eggplant slices in a 2-quart baking dish with homemade marinara sauce and top with parmesan cheese and/or mozzarella cheese.
Bake Until Cheese Melts
Once assembled, you simply need to bake until the cheese melts and the sauce warms through.
Recipe Modifications
- Use a Classic Breading: If you are opposed to trying coconut flour in the eggplant breading, feel free to use panko breadcrumbs in place of the coconut flour.
- Air Fry Instead of Bake: Instead of baking, feel free to follow my instructions for Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan.
- Make it Extra Cheesy: Add up to ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese to coconut flour breading and/or top with mozzarella cheese along with the parmesan.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftover Eggplant Parmesan in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Reheat in a 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes, or until warm. Don’t be tempted to reheat in the microwave, as that will cause the breading to become soggy.
More Low-Carb Recipes
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Baked Eggplant Parmesan
This Baked Eggplant Parmesan is made with a key ingredient that keeps this recipe low in carbs, gluten-free, and incredibly rich and crispy.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 265kcal
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Instructions
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Peel and slice the eggplant into ½-inch slices. Generously salt each side of the slices and place the eggplant onto a baking sheet lined with a rack. Let sit for up to 1 hour and then rinse the slices and pat dry.
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Preheat the oven to 400℉. Rinse and dry the pan and rack used to salt the eggplant, as you will use it baking the eggplant.
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In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs with ½ teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and oregano together.
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Dip each slice of eggplant into the egg wash, followed by the flour mixture, shaking off the excess and then set onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
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Bake for 15 minutes and then flip eggplant slices over and drizzle with a tiny bit more olive oil. Continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.
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Remove the eggplant from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350℉.
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In a 2 quart baking dish, cover the bottom with a layer of marinara sauce. Cover with a layer of eggplant, repeated with freshly grated parmesan. Repeat layers until all eggplant is used. On final layer top with remaining sauce and a generous layer of Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Storage/Reheating: Store leftover Eggplant Parmesan in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes, or until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 679mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 11.1mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 2.1mg
