Eggplant Parmesan For Two

Eggplant Parmesan for Two? Absolutely!  Layers of lightly breaded eggplant slices melted mozzarella cheese and a tomato sauce – it’s a wonderful meal for two that bakes in just under 25 minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian dish and one of my favorite comfort foods.  Layered slices of eggplant, mozzarella, and tomato sauce are baked until bubbly. It’s like eating lasagna but with slices of eggplant instead of pasta.

Glorious purple globes are filling the produce bins and my CSA plants are bursting with eggplant ready to be harvested.  So, I thought, what a great way to have a hearty meal without meat for a meatless Monday!

Eggplant is hearty and meaty enough to not leave you feeling hungry, basically it’s the vegetarian version of chicken parmesan.

Okay, so what is the trick to making eggplant parmesan that has that crispy exterior and is less soggy?  Read on…..

IN THIS POST, YOU WILL LEARN:

• BEST METHOD FOR MAKING EGGPLANT PARMESAN?
  • PULLING THE MOISTURE OUT OF EGGPLANT
  • SKIP THE FRYING AND BAKE THE EGGPLANT SLICES 
• WHAT'S IN THIS EGGPLANT PARMESAN FOR TWO
• BEST DISHES TO USE
• CAN YOU MAKE EGGPLANT PARMESAN AHEAD OF TIME?
  • MAKE AHEAD TIPS
  • STORING LEFTOVERS
  • SERVING SUGGESTIONS
• HOW DO I CHOOSE AN EGGPLANT?

BEST METHOD FOR MAKING EGGPLANT PARMESAN

There are two tips I have for making great eggplant parmesan.  First, pull the moisture out of the eggplant resulting in a crispier and less soggy eggplant parmesan dish.

The second is to skip frying and bake the slices coated in flour, eggs, and panko seasoned with parmesan cheese.  Leave the top layer of eggplant exposed so it stays crisp.

PULLING THE MOISTURE OUT OF THE EGGPLANT

Sprinkle kosher salt on the eggplant slices! Use kosher salt because its coarse grains don't dissolve as readily as the fine grains of table salt, so any excess can be easily wiped away.

Pro Tip:  While the salted eggplant sits prepare the seasoned panko, cheeses, and sauce.

After about 30 minutes, you will notice that about 2 tablespoons of liquid has been released.   Now we will use a trick, I learned from American Test Kitchens, to remove even more liquid.

Arrange the slices on at least three layers of paper towels; cover with another triple layer of paper towels. Press firmly on each slice to absorb as much liquid as possible, dust off the excess salt, you are now ready to start making eggplant parmesan.

SKIP THE FRYING AND BAKE THE EGGPLANT SLICES

Pre-heat a rimmed baking sheet while you heat the oven to 425 degrees, for at least 15 minutes.     Meanwhile, dip the eggplant in flour, egg, and seasoned panko breadcrumbs.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the baking sheet, making sure to cover evenly.

Place the prepared eggplant slices in a single layer.  Bake the slices until golden brown, flipping after 15 minutes.  This is a healthier version than frying and limits the amount of oil the eggplant absorbs while crisping the exterior.

After baking the eggplant, I lay it on a wire cooling rack so air can get circulate on both sides.  We want the breading to stay crisp and not allow the heat and condensation to get trapped on the bottom and turn the breading soggy.

WHAT'S IN THIS EGGPLANT PARMESAN FOR TWO?

Eggplant Lightly breaded: Use 1 small eggplant which weighs roughly 11 ounces.  I dip the slices of eggplant in a beaten egg and then dredge the eggplant in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  If you want to make a low-carb Eggplant Parmesan, you can leave out the bread crumbs.

Panko Breadcrumbs:  I use store-bought since they yield a nice, crisp coating.

Egg: 2 large beaten eggs are used to dip the slices of eggplant in before dredging in the breadcrumbs. The egg helps the breadcrumbs stick to the eggplant slices.

Parmesan cheese: Shredded Parmesan cheese is mixed with the panko breadcrumbs for the coating and added as a topping to the Eggplant Parmesan before baking.

Vegetable oil to bake the eggplant slices

Mozzarella cheese: A classic ingredient found in this layered eggplant dish.  If possible splurge and buy burrata – I love the creaminess of burrata.

Tomato sauce: I purchase a spicy tomato or spicy red pepper tomato sauce.  Buy whatever sauce you really love.

BEST DISHES TO USE

For this Eggplant Parmesan For Two recipe, we use a 7-inch round baking dish.

Alternative baking dishes:

• 5x5-inch baking dish
• 4x6-inch baking dish
• 6x6-inch baking dish

CAN YOU MAKE EGGPLANT PARMESAN AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes! However, the breading might end up a little soggy.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS

One option is to salt, bread, and bake your eggplant ahead of time.  After it cools, you can place it in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the dish

Assembling the dish ahead of time risks the marinara sauce turning the breading soggy — BUT if you truly do want to prep ahead of time and don’t mind that it’s a little soggy, you can assemble the entire casserole dish at this point then cover it and place it in the fridge

I recommend you take the casserole dish out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before placing in the oven, this avoids potential cracking of the casserole dish and provides even warming of the eggplant.

Another option is to bake the casserole the day before, cool it, then cover and refrigerate. To reheat, bake it again at 350°F until hot in the center and the cheese and sauce around the edges begin to bubble.

STORING LEFTOVERS

Eggplant Parmesan will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Wondering what to serve with your Eggplant Parmesan? I'd suggest simple side dishes, like roasted vegetables, simple green salad, or a side or pasta and marinara sauce.

HOW DO I CHOOSE AN EGGPLANT?

Although eggplant is available year-round, eggplant is at its peak from July to October. To pick the best eggplant, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Look for Smooth and Shiny. The first thing I notice is the skin: does it look smooth and shiny, or do you notice blemishes or soft spots? If so, it has been handled poorly which could indicate poor quality and not a very good tasting eggplant.
•  Pick it up and give it the squeeze test. An eggplant should be slightly firm but not hard. If you push on the skin of the eggplant and it feels soft, it's most likely too ripe and will not work well in an eggplant parmesan. We want the eggplant slices to maintain a hearty texture. So, a perfectly ripe eggplant won't have much give when gently pressed.
• Is the stem green? The stem of the eggplant should be green and free from mold or softness Choose a smaller eggplant. Large eggplants may be more bitter.
• Use the eggplant within a week!

Read more about picking the best eggplant at the market, an article from bon appetite.

I found this article helpful if you are looking for information on how to harvest eggplant.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram.   with the hashtag #ourtable42

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