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.
Does the recipe work without parmesan cheese?
Hi, Brighid! Well, it won’t be Eggplant Parmesan without the Parmesan. 🙂 I’ve never tried it without. I think it would be okay, but it definitely won’t have as much flavor. You’ll also want to use more cornflake crumbs in lieu of the cheese, and probably add some salt since you’ll be missing the salty flavor from the cheese. The texture will also be a bit different, but again — it should technically “work.”
This was so good!! One of my favorite dishes at my favorite Italian restaurant back home is Cavatelli Melanzane, cavitelli in marinara sauce baked with eggplant and cheese on top. But I have never had success at frying slices of eggplant to make anything as good as that dish. This reminded me of my favorite dish, and was wonderful because it was so easy – no frying – and it turned out flavorful and crispy. I even cut down on the butter and it still turned out crisp and tasty. I think this recipe is great because you can make it a little healthier if you want (less butter and cheese) or more decadent (with more butter, cheese, sauce) depending on what you are looking for. So easy to prepare and even my meat loving husband said it was good! We ate it with a little bit of spaghetti tossed in marinara, and some crushed red pepper sprinkled on top. Thank you for a great recipe! I will be making this again. 🙂
Thanks, Michele! I’m so glad that you liked it! 🙂
This has become my go-to eggplant Parmesan recipe for every day. Easy! I do Panko bread crumbs, and only half the butter, and it is still very crispy and delicious, and doesn’t stick to the pan. I also, if I have some handy, put some spinach on top of each round, under the sauce and mozzarella.— extra nutritious!
Thanks, Roberta! I’m so glad that you like it! 🙂
This is one of our absolute favorite recipes! My kids (3 and 18 months) demolish it. We pair it with some buttered spaghetti with parmesan or spaghetti with just a little sauce and it is perfect. Easy and delicious. The eggplant crisps perfectly. I follow the recipe to the T every time I make it (I’ve now made it over 20 times probably). Thank you for a delicious recipe! It’s something I crave and I feel like I never make enough.
I love to hear that! Thanks, Geetha. When kids devour a recipe, you know it’s a keeper! 🙂
I have been craving Eggplant Parm. for a long time. My husband doesn’t eat it. I didn’t want to get it from a restaurant. I found your recthe ipe and gave it a try. Wow! It was fabulous. Thank you.
Yay! That’s awesome, Mari! So glad that it satisfied your craving — no restaurant necessary. 🙂
2 medium eggplants came in my CSA box. What to do? Searched and found your Grandma’s recipe. No cornflakes?! Subbed cornmeal, a dash of sugar, salt and pepper. Perfect! Will make again! Thanks so much!
That’s wonderful, Beth! I’m so glad that you made it work with what you had! 🙂
I’m making this for the second time! Both times I used Italian bread crumbs with wonderful results. Since my eggplant was so big, I ended up putting the slices into two separate, small baking dishes (doubled the melted butter and the amounts of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese). I found that the one egg and and amount of breading covered all slices without needing to double that. I did not peel the eggplant, however, because we like the skin! I’m serving it with garlic Texas toast, a Caesar salad, and a fresh berry salad (strawberries/blueberries/blackberries). And my kitchen smells amazing – just like it did the last time I made your delicious recipe! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Thanks so much for your helpful comments, Mary Catherine. I’m so glad that you enjoy this meal. The menu sounds delicious!
This recipe worked out great! I was drawn to it for two reasons. One, for several years, fried food is an enemy to my stomach, so baked ANYTHING that tastes like fried is a win in my book! Second, I’ve recently been following a low FODMAP diet, and this fits the bill! (And it’s gluten free, also, which is great for those who need it). Crazy how some of the simplest old fashioned recipes Are the best! Thank you so much for sharing!
That’s amazing, MaryAnne! I’m so glad that it satisfied your cravings and fit with your dietary concerns as well. Thanks for letting me know!
Corn flakes are wheat free, not gluten free. Just saying.
To be more clear about corn flakes: “Corn is naturally gluten free. …Sadly, for those who enjoy that cereal, malt flavoring contains gluten in the form of barley,1 which places Corn Flakes on the “no” list for people who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.”
Hi There
I will be making this recipe this weekend. My only concern is the corn flakes. I want the crunch, that’s for sure, but there’s just no corn flakes in this house and to buy a whole box for just a 1/2 cup seems decadent. OTOH I do have Honey Nut Cheerios. Would that work? I also have pretzels and potato chips. Would that work or would they not hold up under the baking process? I read one of the previous posts that said the breadcrumbs made it soggy. What about Panko? That’s way more crunchy than regular breadcrumbs.
Thanks.
Hi, Kazy! Of those options you mention, I would go with the Panko breadcrumbs. I’ve heard from other readers that they’ve had good success with the Panko. Enjoy! 🙂
No worries, my wife says she loves corn flakes and would eat them, so I went out and bought a box and I can’t wait to try it and taste that crunch. Thanks for the quick replies. Will be preparing it today and baking tomorrow. Let you know how it turns out.
Okay, great! Hope you enjoy!
I honestly do not like eggplant very much but saw a beautiful one at the farmer’s market and couldn’t resist. I knew eggplant parm was my best bet but didn’t want a giant, soggy casserole dish full of it. This recipe was PERFECT — bright, not too heavy, easy, a small portion size for two people. I’ve now bought another eggplant to make it again tonight! Thanks so much for such a simple but tasty recipe!
This makes me so happy, Jane! I’m glad that you’ve found an eggplant recipe that you can enjoy. Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note! 🙂
Delicious!! This is usually my selection when eating out at Italian restaurants. I can now make this easy recipe at home. Thank you so much, Hope to try more of your recipes.
Thank you, Rosie! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
Wow! You really knocked it out of the park with this one, Blair! The flavors and texture were outstanding! My husband really raved about it, and it went so well with Cacio e Pepe. I did not peel the eggplant as we like the skin–I just clean it very well. Used Panko instead of corn flakes since I don’t buy corn flakes. I think one thing that can really increase the great texture is to cook it in an enamel or metal pan. It’s a great idea to cook in the butter like that, flip halfway through, then put sauce and cheese on at the last minute–it really makes for an excellent texture and flavor, not at all soggy. Topped it off with some smoked mozzarella which has more flavor than just plain mozzarella. Excellent dish, and easier and quicker than it appears! Will definitely be making this again–many times!
Thanks, Norma! I’m so glad that you gave this one a try. It has been a favorite for my whole life! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave such a helpful review, too. Happy New Year!
This was by far the best eggplant recipe I’ve ever tried. I made it exactly as written and the corn flakes do make them deliciously crunchy and peeling them makes a huge difference! This is definitely my go to recipe from now on. Thank you for posting!
Thank you! I’m so happy to know that you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a kind note!
Just made this recipe for myself and my daughter. Not only was it easy and fast, it was SUPER delicious! This recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Thanks for letting me know! I’m so glad that you both enjoyed it. 🙂
This is the best eggplant parmesan I’ve had and soooo easy to make. Even my picky eater asked for more. Definitely keeping this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Hooray! I love when a meal is picky-eater-approved! Thanks for your note, Jane!
Are you supposed to sweat the eggplant like in other recipes?!
Hi, Bailey! No, I have never found it necessary to do that for this dish. Hope you enjoy!
What a great recipe. The best eggplant Parmesan recipe I have ever used. And didnt have to fry anything! Those corn flake bread crumbs really are a game changer. Thank you!
Thanks, Holly! I agree — they’re the key! 🙂
Thanks. Have tried abt 3 other recipes and was abt to give up. Great recipe! Used gluten free bread crumbs but worked great.
Yay! I’m glad that you found a winner, Shelley! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave a note.
Has anyone tried adding meat to this as well?
So delicious!!!!!! Easy, crispy, yummy!!!
Thank you, Mary!!
I usually fry my eggplant and then simmer on stove with marinara sauce, seasonings — this sounds so much better ! And healthier too by baking it! Thanks for sharing your Grandma’s recipe with us ! I will try it soon and let you know !
That’s great, Anita! I hope that you love this version. 🙂