My grandmother’s easy baked eggplant parmesan recipe is a delicious vegetarian dinner with just 15 minutes of prep. Crispy, golden eggplant slices are layered with marinara and melted mozzarella for a cozy Italian meal that tastes like home. The best part? No frying required.
If you love simple eggplant dishes, try this creamy eggplant casserole or tangy eggplant caponata next.
Photography by BEA MORENO.
Table of Contents
When my aunt recently passed along my grandmother’s old recipe box, I spent hours pouring over all of her recipes. This baked eggplant parmesan, handwritten on a weathered piece of yellow legal paper, instantly jumped out at me. It’s a dish I grew up on, and I’ve continued to serve it to my own family as well.
Before You Get Started
A few quick tips to help you get the best results:
- Choose a small eggplant. Smaller eggplants tend to be sweeter, less bitter, and have thinner skin with fewer seeds. Look for smooth, shiny skin that’s heavy for its size. Press lightly with your finger; if it leaves an imprint, it’s ripe.
- Peel the eggplant for this recipe. While eggplant skin is edible and softens as it cooks, larger eggplants can have tough, bitter skin. Peeling ensures tender, flavorful slices every time.
- Use Corn Flakes for the crispiest coating. This is the secret ingredient that gives the eggplant that fried taste and texture without actually frying. The cereal has a unique sweet-and-savory flavor and super-crunchy texture that breadcrumbs just can’t match.
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
How to Make Baked Eggplant Parmesan
The oven does all of the heavy lifting here, but the outside of the eggplant still comes out crispy and golden. No soggy vegetables allowed!
Step 1: Prep the Pan and Breading Station
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pour melted butter into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish and set aside. The butter gives the eggplant that rich, fried taste and crispy texture without the mess of stovetop frying.
Set up your breading station: Place the beaten egg in one shallow bowl and combine the Corn Flakes crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in another. A can of pre-grated Parmesan works great here, or grate your own from a wedge if you prefer.
Step 2: Slice and Bread the Eggplant
Peel the eggplant and slice it crosswise into ¾-inch thick rounds. The slices will vary in diameter since eggplant isn’t a uniform shape, but try to keep the thickness consistent so they cook evenly.
Dip each slice in the egg, letting any excess drip off, then coat thoroughly with the crumb mixture. Press the crumbs gently to help them stick.
A Note on Salt: You do not need to salt the eggplant before cooking. Salting helps achieve a creamier texture, but skipping it means the eggplant holds its shape with a slightly firmer bite. Both ways work!
Step 3: Bake Until Crispy
Arrange the breaded slices in a single layer in the buttered dish.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each slice and bake for another 15 minutes.
The eggplant should be golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Step 4: Add Sauce and Cheese
Spoon marinara sauce over each slice and top with shredded mozzarella (or sliced fresh mozzarella if you prefer). A jar of store-bought marinara like Rao’s works beautifully, or use homemade marinara sauce.
Return to the oven for 3-5 more minutes, just until the cheese melts and gets bubbly.
For slightly browned cheese on top, switch to the broiler for the last minute or two. Keep a close watch so it doesn’t burn!
Step 5: Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves if desired, and serve warm.
Scaling up: This recipe serves 2-3 as an entrée, or stretches to 4 with hearty sides. For a bigger family, use 2 eggplants, double all other ingredients, and bake in a 9 x 13-inch dish or on a larger rimmed baking sheet.
What to Serve with Eggplant Parmesan
This Italian-inspired dish pairs perfectly with pasta and crusty bread. Here are some ideas:
Pasta and Bread: Serve alongside a simple pasta like spaghetti aglio e olio or spaghetti carbonara with extra marinara on the side.
Don’t forget the garlic bread, homemade breadsticks, or focaccia!
Vegetable Sides: Round out the meal with a simple green salad, sautéed spinach with garlic, roasted yellow squash, sautéed zucchini, or garlic roasted broccoli.
Storage Tips
This dish is best served warm, straight from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, though the eggplant will soften as it sits.
To reheat: Warm in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes. Leftover eggplant parmesan also makes an amazing sandwich on a hoagie roll!
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing baked eggplant parmesan. The high water content in eggplant results in a mushy texture when thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to peel eggplant for eggplant parmesan?
It’s not required, but I recommend it. Larger eggplants can have tough, bitter skin that doesn’t soften completely during baking. Peeling ensures every bite is tender and flavorful.
How do you keep eggplant parmesan from getting soggy?
The Corn Flakes coating and butter-lined pan are key. The cereal creates a crispy barrier, and baking (rather than layering raw eggplant in sauce) keeps everything from getting waterlogged. Flipping the slices halfway through also helps both sides crisp up.
Can you make eggplant parmesan ahead of time?
You can bread the eggplant slices up to a day ahead and refrigerate them on a baking sheet. Bake when ready to serve. I don’t recommend assembling the full dish ahead, as the sauce will soften the coating.
What’s the difference between Eggplant Parmesan and Eggplant Parmigiana?
They’re the same dish! “Parmigiana” is the Italian name, while “Parmesan” is the Americanized version. Both refer to breaded eggplant layered with tomato sauce and cheese, then baked.
More Meatless Italian Dinners
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
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 and set aside.
- Place beaten egg in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, combine Corn Flakes crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Peel eggplant and cut into ¾-inch thick slices. Dip each slice in egg, then coat with the crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
- Arrange breaded slices in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the slices and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until golden and crispy. Spoon marinara sauce over each slice and top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 3-5 more minutes, or until the cheese melts and is bubbly. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Choose a small eggplant for the sweetest flavor, thinner skin, and fewer seeds.
- Corn Flakes are the key to crispy eggplant. Panko breadcrumbs can work in a pinch, but they won’t be as crunchy or flavorful.
- No need to salt the eggplant first. Skipping this step means the eggplant holds its shape with a slightly firmer texture.
- For browned cheese: Switch to the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Scaling up: This serves 2-3 as a main dish (or 4 with hearty sides). To feed more, use 2 eggplants, double all ingredients, and bake in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Do not freeze. The eggplant becomes mushy when thawed due to its high water content.
Nutrition
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.
Originally published in June, 2017, this post was updated in December, 2025.
I would make a thinner sauce , buy some tomatoes put in a blender drain the excess liquid and sauté
With dice Onions and a little tomato paste add a teaspoon or salt (taste before you add another , If the sauce taste good when cold it will taste good
When done ( Don’t forget fresh Basil )
Thank you for the feedback, Al! We hope you enjoy the recipe.
Thank you for your grandma’s eggplant parmesan recipe. I’ll use it every time I make eggplant
You’re very welcome, Mildred. We hope you enjoy it!
Wow! I have been looking for a quick and easy eggplant parm for ages! I love it! Thanks so much for sharing!! Absolutely delicious! Thanks to your Grandma!!
Thank you, Maggie! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Very rich and delicious. Would recommend a larger pan. Made homemade meatballs, salad and garlic bread to go with and it was plenty for leftovers. My family recipe calls for frying each piece of eggplant then layering them with other ingredients. This was so much easier and less mess!
Thank you for the feedback, Katie! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
So great! The best and easy!
Thank you, Linda!
First attempt at making eggplant
My husband said it was just as good as any restaurants.
He said it was excellent!
Thank you for the detailed instructions.
Well keep the recipe and make it again.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Pat! Thank you for trying it out.
This was amazing. I wasn’t sure when I flipped it but it crisped up so beautifully. Super easy and very good!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know, Ali!
I made your Grandma’s baked aubergine parmesan today and it was really delicious – thank you so much! Our neighbours also really appreciated the delivery we sent as a sample! I look forward to trying out more of your recipes!
Oh, yay! I’m so happy to hear that it was well enjoyed. Thanks for letting me know, Joan. Have a great week!
Fast vegetables.
We hope you enjoy them, Nedra!
Best eggplant parm I’ve had!
Thank you so much, Paul!
AMAZING!!! Would have great growing up in Grandma’s house.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Gerald!
This was SO delicious, thank you for sharing!! I didn’t have the cornflakes on hand so I went with the panko option, added some seasoning to the panko, double dredged and got some good crispiness that way. Can’t wait to try this again with cornflakes.
I’m glad that you enjoyed it with the panko, Rachel. Hopefully you love the corn flakes even more! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a note!
Wow! This recipe is fantastic!! We doubled the recipe and made it just as the recipe notes (using panko as we didn’t have corn flakes), although we used less sauce on top. This recipe is even better than the laborious eggplant parmesan we made in years past, frying each slice individually. The flavor was DELICIOUS and the the baked panko got just crispy enough. I actually based a few slices of eggplant without sauce and cheese, and it was SO good, too! Thank you for such a delicious, EASY and healthier eggplant parmesan recipe, Blair. This one will certainly be in our regular rotation! 🙂
Thank you for such a kind review, Sheila! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
This was super easy to make but I used the breadcrumbs – then I read the comments:( it’s in the oven now. At least I know for next time. I’m crossing my fingers that I get a little crunch on mine.
We hope you enjoy it, JoAnne! We’d love to know how it turned out.
Love this recipe! I used Chinese eggplant so the “coins” were much smaller than normal but it still turned out great. Served over spaghetti noodles.
Thanks, Jenn!
I did make this recipe, but used olive oil instead of the butter due to my heart disease limitations on fat and it turned out perfect! I did use just a bit less than 3 tablespoons and it was tasty. I am so glad I found this recipe and I thank you for your quick response to my usage of butter question. Easy to prepare, sure to be one of my favorites!
Thanks for following up to let us know, Jane. I’m so glad that you enjoyed the meal and made it work for you!
I did make this recipe, but used olive oil instead of the butter due to my heart disease limitations on fat and it turned out perfect! I did use just a bit less than 3 tablespoons and it was tasty. I am so glad I found this recipe and I thank you for your quick response to my usage of butter question. Easy to prepare, sure to be one of my favorites!
Love it. My mother Always used corn flakes for breading something. Always wondered why we never ate them for breakfast
Thank you, Lisa! It’s such a great breading! 🙂 We ate them for breakfast too, though. Hah!
This was the first recipe I decided to go with and try. There are a few picky people in the family. When I made this dish, I was told everyone was up talking about it that night. I was told the next morning that this recipe is a keeper! They’ve had this at several large name restaurants… and they said this is up there with them… if not better then theirs! Thank you and your grandma for such a wonderful, easy and very delicious recipe!
This made our day, Ruby! We’re so glad it was such a hit. Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
Super easy and amazingly delicious!
Thank you, Jewell! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.