The Ultimate Eggplant Parmesan
This is the BEST Eggplant Parmesan! Eggplant is salted, fried until crispy, and layered with marinara, mozzarella, and a creamy homemade béchamel for a restaurant-quality dish.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds eggplant sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 2½ teaspoons salt divided
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 24 oz jar high-quality marinara sauce
- 3 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Fresh chopped basil for garnish
For the Béchamel Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Sprinkle eggplant slices with 1 tsp salt and let sit between paper towels for 1.5-2 hours. Press dry.
- For béchamel: Melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 2 mins. Whisk in milk and simmer until thickened. Stir in ½ cup Parmigiano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Set up breading station: flour with ¾ tsp salt, eggs with 2 tbsp water, breadcrumbs with ¾ tsp salt.
- Dredge eggplant in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
- Heat ¼ inch oil in a skillet. Fry eggplant in batches until golden brown, 3 mins per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a 9x13 dish, spread ¾ cup marinara. Layer with ⅓ of the eggplant, ¾ cup marinara, 1 cup mozzarella, and ⅓ of the béchamel. Repeat twice.
- Sprinkle top with 2 tbsp Parmigiano.
- Bake 30-35 mins until golden and bubbly. Rest 20 mins before serving. Garnish with basil.
Notes
- Salting is Key: This step removes moisture for a crispy, non watery result.
- Make Ahead: Assemble up to 2 days before baking. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Resting Time: Letting it cool for 20 minutes after baking is essential for clean slices.