Crispy Baked Eggplant is a yummy snack or appetizer (and it’s great baked into our favorite Eggplant Parmesan). Tender slices of eggplant are coated in an easy seasoned breadcrumb/parmesan mixture and baked to crispy perfection!
Serve these as a side dish next to Oven Baked Chicken Breasts or alongside your favorite appetizer recipes!
Breaded and baked eggplant slices are creamy soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, and adapt well to a variety of baked eggplant recipes and can even replace noodles in your favorite Easy Homemade Lasagna recipe! We love Meatball Subs and often made eggplant parmesan sub sandwiches using these slices in place of the meatballs!
How to Prepare Eggplant
Wash the eggplant and cut off both ends. There is no need to peel the eggplant in this recipe as it bakes up perfectly tender. Slice the eggplant into 1/4″ (or slightly thicker if you’d prefer) slices.
To Salt Eggplant or not to salt… this is the question! I like to salt the eggplant for this recipe as it draws out moisture (and some bitterness) making for a crispy exterior. Generously sprinkle both sides of the slices and allow to sweat for 30 minutes. The eggplant will sweat out some of the moisture.
You’ll want to give the eggplant a quick rinse to remove some of the salt but be sure to be quick so it doesn’t soak up moisture. Immediately dab them dry with a paper towel.
How to Bake Eggplant
Eggplant is an easy vegetable to make and tastes great. Once cooked, the texture can become similar to a soft baked zucchini. The secret to transforming this mild tasting veggie into a savory and substantial dish is all in the prepping. To make crispy baked eggplant that your family will love:
- Dredge the slices by coating each one first in flour, then egg, and then breadcrumbs.
- Place the slices on a cookie sheet and spritz with a little bit of olive oil.
- Bake until soft on the inside and crispy brown on the outside.
Once baked we love to dip baked eggplant in warm Marinara Sauce or even leftover Spaghetti Sauce.
How Long to Bake Eggplant
Since these are thin slices of eggplant they only need about 10 minutes in a hot oven. A whole, roasted eggplant, which you would use for baba ganoush, can take much longer.
If you slice your eggplant a bit thicker, it may need a little bit of extra time to become tender.
To Freeze Baked Eggplant: You can freeze the slices for up to three or four months. Just pack them in zip lock freezer bags and remove as few or as many as you need for a quick lunch or dinner for one or two.
Try These Tasty Italian Favorites:
- Spaghetti Pie – tasty one dish meal!
- Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe – hearty classic italian soup.
- Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe – a fancy dish sure to impress!
- Sausage and Peppers – simple and flavorful meal.
- Chicken Piccata – my all time favorite dish!
Crispy Baked Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 pounds eggplant sliced ¼ inch
- salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon zested
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice eggplant about ¼ inch thick. Place on paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- Whisk eggs together in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, add the flour. In a third bowl combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, lemon zest, garlic powder and basil. Set all three bowls aside.
- After the eggplant has sat for 30 minutes, rinse well under cold running water well and pat dry.
- Dredge each slice of eggplant first in the flour, then into the egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Place each slice of eggplant on prepared parchment lined pans.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake for 5 minutes more or until golden brown.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Have you ever tried using minced lemon peel in place of fresh lemon? Seems like it would work in a pinch.
I have not tried that Linda, but I think that would work! Let us know if you decide to try it!
Would the more slender Japanese eggplant be better suited for this?
Either would work for this recipe.
This recipe sounds fantastic. Looking forward to trying it out. Wondered though if you could use zucchini and summer squash with this recipe as well. If all three could be used, would make a great game day appetizer.
Those should work just fine Diana! Cook time may very so I would keep an eye on them. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
This Crispy Baked Eggplant is absolutely wonderful! I followed the recipe exactly, sans the lemon zest, by mistake…and it truly is the best Crispy baked eggplant ever! I made pasta and sauce on the side for dipping! Yummy, and tomorrow I will use the rest of eggplant for a Parmesan dish! This crispy eggplant is a true winner, and I highly recommend it! I’ll be making it again, and again! I love cooking, baking and reading great recipes from famous chefs, etc… I think Ms. Holly deserves 5 stars on this recipe, and I will be trying more of her recipes! Thank you, Holly for sharing this yummy eggplant recipe! This is a shout out from Florida! If you love eggplant dishes as much as I do; you’re going to love this Crispy Baked Eggplant recipe!
Thank you so much for your review Cristine, I’m so happy you loved this recipe!