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Baked Eggplant Parmesan

There is something utterly enchanting about an eggplant that arrives at the table whole, fanned open like a little purple blossom, with ribbons of fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano nestled between its tender layers. Rather than slicing the eggplant completely through, it is carefully cut into slices while remaining intact at the bottom by about half an inch, creating the perfect little pockets for the cheese to tuck into. Once nestled inside, the eggplant is generously enveloped in rich, velvety marinara sauce, allowing every delicious layer to soak up the savory tomato goodness as it bakes. As the eggplant roasts, the cheese melts into the delicate crevices, creating irresistible ribbons of ooey, gooey mozzarella and beautifully golden, nutty Parmigiano Reggiano. The result is fork-tender eggplant that is wonderfully soft without becoming mushy, allowing you to taste the naturally delicate, slightly sweet flavor of the vegetable beneath all that cheesy deliciousness.
I love using a high-quality jarred marinara for this recipe, and Rao’s Homemade Marinara is my favorite, making this impressive dish surprisingly simple and wonderfully quick to prepare.
Eggplant is not only gorgeous to look at, but also offers an abundance of nutritional goodness, including dietary fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, and several B vitamins. Its beautiful deep-purple skin also contains anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that give eggplant its distinctive color and add to its nutritional appeal.
Fresh mozzarella contributes protein and calcium, while Parmigiano Reggiano brings even more calcium and protein along with its intensely savory, slightly nutty character. Once the eggplant emerges bubbling and golden from the oven, a scattering of fresh basil leaves is added over the top, releasing their fragrant, peppery-sweet aroma and bringing a lovely burst of freshness to every bite.
There is something particularly satisfying about serving this beautiful whole eggplant at the table, where everyone can admire its dramatic layers before diving in with a fork. Add some crusty artisan bread alongside it for mopping up every last drop of the luscious marinara, and you have a wonderfully comforting meal that feels both rustic and elegant. One forkful of tender eggplant, creamy melted mozzarella, fragrant tomato sauce, fresh basil, and Parmigiano Reggiano is enough to make this whimsical little taste of Italy an instant dinner-table favorite. Enjoy!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 495 kcal

Equipment

  • Baking dish
  • paper towels
  • Chefs Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large eggplant rinsed and patted dry
  • 1/8 cup kosher salt
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese sliced into 1/4" thick slices
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
  • 1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving
  • 3 large round tomatoes sliced 1" thick
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground garlic
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 28 ounce jar Rao's marinara sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Take your eggplant and wash it. Pat dry and slice it lengthwise almost to the root. Slice 1/4" slices until you reach almost the root, but do not cut all the way through. Carefully fan out. Place on paper towel lined board and carefully rub the salt into the flesh. Allow to sweat for 30-60 minutes. Carefully rinse the salt off the eggplant under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
  • In a casserole dish large enough to allow the eggplant to fan out once stuffed, ladle in enough marinara sauce to gently cover the bottom. Place in the eggplant and carefully fan it out. Place in between the cut pieces of flesh, fresh mozzarella slices, tomato, fresh basil and the combined Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino cheeses. Continue this until all of the slices are filled. Sprinkle with ground pepper and dried oregano. Ladle on some additional marinara sauce. Top it off with a generous amount of the grated cheeses and more fresh basil leaves.
  • Place in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Take out and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 36gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 4609mgPotassium: 717mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2171IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 893mgIron: 2mg
Keyword eggplant, Vegetarian
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