My grandmother’s easy baked eggplant Parmesan recipe is a delicious vegetarian dinner with just 15 minutes of prep! This recipe simplifies the classic Italian dish for a quick-prep, family-friendly weeknight meal. Serve it with a side of spaghetti, a simple green salad, and a basket of garlic bread.
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If you love Italian recipes, be sure to try these popular stuffed shells with meat, this 20-minute linguine with clam sauce, and this sheet pan Italian shrimp, too!
How to Make this Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe | Video
Certain recipes just taste like home, and this is definitely one of them. It’s an instant transport back to my childhood table. When my aunt recently passed along my grandmother’s old recipe box, I spent hours pouring over all of her recipes. One that instantly jumped out at me was this handwritten baked eggplant parmesan recipe on a weathered piece of yellow legal paper. It’s a dish that I grew up on, and I’ve continued to serve the flavorful meal to my own family as well!
Mouthwatering. I love eggplant and have made this weekly since coming across your recipe a few months back. So easy to make and the best eggplant recipe by far. Thanks for sharing.
– Yvonne
Before You Get Started
- Eggplant Parmesan is a traditional Italian meal comprised of shallow- or deep-fried slices of eggplant, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, and then baked in the oven. The popular dinner has been adapted over generations, and Americanized by families like ours. This particular recipe is an easy version for busy folks. Instead of frying the eggplant in a skillet, we let the oven do the work! It’s baked — not fried — but you don’t lose any of that delicious flavor.
- When shopping for an eggplant, look for a vegetable with smooth, shiny skin that’s uniform in color and heavy for its size. To test for ripeness, lightly press a finger against the skin. If it leaves an imprint, the eggplant is ripe. Smaller eggplants tend to be sweeter, less bitter, and have thinner skin and fewer seeds.
- You do not need to salt the eggplant before cooking it. Salting raw eggplant helps to achieve smooth and creamy eggplant, so feel free to do so if you’d like. By not salting the vegetable, however, it retains its shape and has a slightly firmer texture. That works for me!
- Corn Flakes cereal is the “secret” ingredient helps to give the eggplant that crispy, flavorful fried taste and texture. You can crush your own cereal at home or purchase a box of Corn Flakes crumbs. While some readers have reported success substituting with panko breadcrumbs, I find that Corn Flakes have a unique sweet-and-savory flavor, as well as a super-crunchy texture, that yields the best results. If you have leftover cornflakes, make cornflake chicken, too!
- This dish serves 2-3 people as an entrée. You might be able to stretch it to serve 4 people if you’re also offering a heartier side dish like pasta. For a bigger family, use 2 eggplants, double all of the other ingredients, and bake the eggplant in a 9 x 13-inch dish or on a larger rimmed baking sheet.
Directions
The oven does all of the work here, but the outside of the eggplant is still crispy and flavorful. No soggy vegetables allowed! I’ve included detailed directions for this easy eggplant parmesan recipe below, but here’s the overview:
- Pour melted butter into a baking dish. This gives the eggplant that fried taste and crispy, golden brown texture — without actually frying on the stovetop.
- Prepare egg in one shallow bowl and Corn Flake breading mixture in a separate shallow bowl. A can of pre-grated Parmesan is a great shortcut, or feel free to grate your own from a wedge if you prefer.
- Peel the eggplant. The vegetable’s skin is completely edible and tends to soften as it cooks, so in many recipes it’s fine to leave the skin on. That said, I recommend peeling the eggplant for eggplant parmesan. As an eggplant grows larger, the skin can become tough and bitter — something that I prefer to avoid.
- Slice the vegetable cross-wise into ¾-inch thick rounds. The rounds will vary in diameter since the eggplant is not a uniform cylinder, but try to keep the thickness of each slice uniform so that they cook in the same amount of time.
- Dip each slice of eggplant in the egg, and then coat with the crumb mixture.
- Arrange the breaded eggplant slices in the buttered pan.
- Bake the eggplant slices, flipping after the first 20 minutes.
- Add marinara sauce on top, sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake for 3-5 more minutes (until the cheese melts). A jar of store-bought marinara sauce (such as Rao’s brand) works well, or you can make homemade marinara sauce.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil leaves, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
This Italian-inspired dish is best when served with a side of pasta and extra marinara sauce. Don’t forget the garlic bread, breadsticks, or focaccia, too!
Looking to add some more veggies to the meal? Try a simple green salad with red wine vinegar salad, a Caesar salad, roasted yellow squash, sauteed spinach with garlic, garlic and Parmesan cauliflower mash, garlic roasted broccoli, or sauteed zucchini.
Storage Tips
This dish is best when served warm, immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but the eggplant will get soggy as it sits. I love to reheat the leftover eggplant in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes, and then add it to a hoagie roll to make an eggplant Parmesan sandwich. Delicious!
I do not recommend freezing baked eggplant parmesan, as the high water content in the vegetable yields a mushy, soggy dish when thawed.
This is my go-to eggplant Parmesan recipe! Its simply delicious! When I add the cheese at the end I turn on the oven’s broiler and keep a close watch so the cheese gets just slightly browned…yum. Thanks so much for sharing. My 3 year old loves it too!!
– Cathy L.
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Did you make this recipe?
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Watch How to Make It
Grandma’s Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- ½ cup Corn Flakes cereal crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash of ground black pepper
- 1 small eggplant
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 ounces (½ cup) shredded mozzarella cheese (or use sliced fresh mozzarella if you prefer)
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley, basil, or other herbs
- Optional for serving: cooked spaghetti with additional marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pour melted butter into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Place egg in a shallow dish. Set aside. In a separate shallow dish, combine Corn Flakes crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Peel eggplant and cut into ¾-inch thick slices. Dip each slice in egg and coat with crumb mixture.
- Place in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes; flip the slices over, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Pour marinara sauce over eggplant and top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 3-5 more minutes, or until the cheese melts.
Notes
- Look for a small eggplant, which tends to have the sweetest flavor.
- This dish serves 2-3 people as an entrée. You might be able to stretch it to serve 4 people if you’re also offering a heartier side dish like pasta. If you’re feeding a bigger family, I recommend using 2 eggplants, doubling all of the other ingredients, and baking the eggplant in a 9 x 13-inch dish or on a larger rimmed baking sheet.
- Corn Flakes are the best option for breaded eggplant. You can substitute with panko breadcrumbs, but they are definitely not as crispy and they’re lacking the flavor that you get from the crushed cereal.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in June, 2017. It was updated in August, 2024.
I love meals that instantly take you back to your childhood! This eggplant parmesan definitely looks like the perfect comfort food dish. I’ve never made it myself before, but I do love ordering it out. I love that this is ready in just 15 minutes!
Thanks so much, Gayle! You should try it at home — this is definitely easier than it looks! 🙂
I am making this tonight for my family. BLT’S AND this. I doubled the recipe and did 2 pans. Our eggplants ate huge down here.
Oh, yum! That sounds like a delicious meal! You can never have too much of the eggplant parm — I think the leftovers are great too! 🙂
Hi. I want to make this recipe but the butter worries me as I have heart disease and don’t use it. Is there anything I can substitute for the butter? Let me know!
Hi, Jane! Any substitutes will definitely change the flavor of the finished dish. That said, for a more heart-healthy alternative, you might try using olive oil instead. If you’d still like a little bit of the buttery flavor you can do 2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Let us know if you give it a try!
I just tried this recipe tonight; my picky husband, loved it!
It’s a hit! I used 2 baking dishes for a larger eggplant.
This recipe was so easy and fast, unlike another recipe that took at least 90 minutes. I will repeat, thanks so much. Anishara
Hi! Can this be prepared the night before and then put in the oven the next day? I want to make this for Christmas.
Hi, Darla! I’ve never tried that, but I think it would probably work. 🙂
This recipe was super easy and truly excellent. My husband said it was his favorite version of Eggplant Parmesan. I followed the recipe exactly except for the corn flakes as I did not have them. I substituted panko crumbs instead and was very happy with results. This recipe is a keeper and will be in our regular rotation.
We’re so happy to hear this, Lauren! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave such a kind review.
In an attempt to be more heart health these days, removing the frying step is so important. I personally use panco and have had great results. It’s crispy and crunchy and full of flavor, checks all the boxes!
I just made this and it was so easy to make and tastes fantastic!! I have been looking for a good eggplant parm recipe and have finally found it!! Your recipes always hit the spot! Thank you!
Yay! I’m so glad that you like it, Courtney! It’s one of my favorites, and I’ve even been known to eat any leftovers cold…straight out of the fridge! Thanks so much for reading along with us and for letting me know that you tried it. Have a great weekend! 🙂
This was delicious and super easy to do. The melted butter at the bottom of the pan really made it have a crispy sear to it. I topped ours with fresh mozzarella which made it as good as our favorite local Italian Restaurant. We will definitely make this again. Thanks!
Sounds great, Erinn! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this last night for dinner and it was great! I didn’t have corn flakes so I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
That’s great, Cathy! Did the breadcrumbs work ok? I was wondering if they would get crispy on the outside like the cornflakes, or if they would just be kind of soggy. Let me know! 🙂
I tried it with breadcrumbs too. It came out soggy. Will try it with corn flakes next time!
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend breadcrumbs here. Corn flakes are the way to go! 🙂
I made this recipe tonight and just love it but I did not have the cornflakes or breadcrumbs so I used Panko instead and it came out delicious!
Great! Glad to know that it works well with the panko too!
Hands down, this recipe is your best yet. It was absolutely delicious and loved by the entire family. Tank you, thank you!
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I was just thinking the other day that I need to make this again soon. We love it as well!
This was so easy and so yummy! Thanks so much for the recipe. It turned out very well.
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Becky! Thanks for letting me know!
I have been making recipes from your blog for about 5 months and this is my favorite so far!!Thank you!!
That’s great, Stephanie! I’m so glad that you’ve been enjoying our recipes. And yes — this is definitely one of my favorites, too! 🙂
Hi this recipe looks amazing. Is there anyway to cut down the sodium though?
Hi, Alayna! You can use a homemade marinara where you control the sodium, and you can cut the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. The rest of the sodium is largely in the cheeses, which you obviously can’t change. 🙂 Hope that helps!
This was awesome! My girls cleaned their plates which is rare! I didn’t have corn flakes so used bran flakes and doubled the parm. Thanks for a great go to for the future!
That’s great, Meggan! Way to get resourceful with the bran flakes. 🙂 And yes — I was so pleasantly surprised the first time that I served this to my kids and they loved it!
What are corn flake crumbs? Actual corn flake cereal?
Hey, Meg! I’m actually making this Eggplant Parm for dinner again tonight. 🙂
The corn flake crumbs are literally crushed up Corn Flakes cereal. You can also buy cornflake crumbs in a canister (similar to bread crumbs) if you prefer the shortcut. Either option works, but I usually just use the actual cereal and crush it in a Ziploc bag with a wooden rolling pin. Takes two seconds!
Enjoy. 🙂
Does this freeze well?
Hi, Joanna! I have never actually tried myself, but I would worry that the texture of the eggplant or the coating might get weird after freezing. Again, I don’t know for sure — just a guess. 🙂
I used panko and added garlic and herb seasoning to the panko. It turned out amazing. I made it for my kid’s coach and he said it was the best eggplant he had ever tasted. I left the skin on, Thank you for sharing all your tips and recipes. You brighten my week with your blog especially during these trying times in our country right now. Many blessings to you and your family
That’s wonderful, Ronda! Thanks for your kind note. I’m so glad that the eggplant was a hit! 🙂
OMG! I’m transitioning from meat! I tried this recipe last night! My husband and kids are meat people! They throughly enjoy this eggplant parm! They came back for seconds! Thank you so much for this recipe! And it was so easy! I’m hooked!
That’s wonderful, CoCo! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I found the same to be true in my house — even my meat-loving boys enjoy this dinner!
Hello Blair, I really like your Eggplant parmesan recipe, and I tried it a little differently than your directions though. I did use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs and when I dipped the eggplant slices in the egg batter and breadcrumbs, I placed them in a seasoned frying pan with olive oil and butter and sauteed them until golden golden brown. Then I followed your directions in placing them in a baking dish, layering them as you stated and covered them with seasoned marinara sauce, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. It turned out beautifully and none of it was soggy. Great tasting and very nutritious. Thanks, Maria
Hey, Maria! Glad to know that it works your way, too! Thanks for sharing, and I’m so happy that you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
This recipe was fantastic! My non-vegetable eating boyfriend ate every bite and loved it. Super easy. I will make this again and again.
Wonderful! My non-veggie-loving husband enjoys this dish, too! 🙂
Hi
I usually have to sprinkle the eegpkant with salt abd let drain on wired rack to get all of the wter out of the eggplant. Does baking without sauce keep it crunchy
Hi, Sue! I find that the eggplant in this recipe is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 🙂
Why do you add the sauce at the end and only bake it for 3 minutes? Most eggplant parm recipes include the sauce in from the beginning. Thanks.
Hi, Priya! I do it that way because that’s how my grandmother said to do it. 🙂 Seriously, though — it works perfectly, so I’ve never felt the need to change the process.
Many eggplant parm recipes require you to fry the eggplant in a skillet before it goes in the oven. Since this eggplant isn’t fried in a skillet at all, it gets crispy and the “fried” texture by baking in the oven before adding the sauce. I would worry that adding the sauce earlier wouldn’t allow it to get crispy, and you’d have a soggy end result. Hope that helps!
Hi there.. I made the mistake of adding sauce where I was to JUST turn it…, and I used Italian Bread crumbs.. tasty but soggy!! Ughhh my husband is a great Ginny Pig!! Next time I’ll follow directions and stay in task:)
I made it today! It’s really good!
Great! Thanks for letting me know, Jose!
Eggplant Parm is my favorite meal from Italian restaurants, but I have never tried making it at home because I thought it would be complicated to make. I just made this (SO easy!) and it is SO good! This is going to be a regular part of our dinnertime routine. I didn’t have cornflakes, so I substituted crushed Rice Chex and it came beautifully! So crunchy and tasty. You have made me very happy 🙂
Isn’t it delicious, Jean! I’m so glad that you’ve found a way to enjoy a favorite at home! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
I just made this today. Wow!! It’s amazing. I’ve had 3 helpings today. ????????????. My teenager liked it as well and thought it was chicken. ????. Put half of recipe in freezer. Hope it freezes well.
Yay! I’m so glad that you love it too, Lisa! 🙂
First, Thank you for this recipe. I’m in the process of making it for dinner right now and I have high hopes for it.
However, I have a small complaint. You currently have 116 ad trackers and/or ad pixels on your website which causes it to load ridiculously slow. I’m all for ads on your site to generate revenue but that is just ridiculous.
Hey, Matt! Thank you for your feedback — I do appreciate it!
I hope that you enjoy the eggplant. 🙂
If you use breadcrumbs – double bread the slices! No sogginess and absolutely perfect!
Great tip! Thanks, Kayla!
Hi Blair! I’m only beginning to experiment in the kitchen as I am out of college. I usually like to cook for my family of 4. I am making this meal tonight and I am super excited! Your story and use of words is exquisite! I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of “corn flake crumbs” you mean by this. Thank you!
Hi, Cristal! Good for you! That’s awesome that you’re getting in the kitchen, learning how to cook, and helping out your family. 🙂
You have two different options for the cornflake crumbs. You can either purchase a box of regular Cornflakes cereal, put it in a big ziploc bag, and crush it with a rolling pin or mallet until the flakes are the texture of coarse breadcrumbs; OR you can purchase a canister of cornflake crumbs. The canister of cornflake crumbs can usually be found in the grocery store near the breadcrumbs and other similar coatings (like “Shake n’ Bake, etc.”). Buying the cereal and crushing it yourself just adds an extra step to the preparation, so pick the option that works best for you.
Enjoy, and thanks so much for your kind note!