This is my favorite way to make eggplant parmesan. The extra prep step may not seem worth it to you, but trust me – it absolutely is and makes a huge difference. You can read the comments below and see that those who took the extra step did not regret it!
Eggplant parmesan will always be one of my top favorite comfort foods. There is something about the dish that feels like it’s giving you a giant hug.
Growing up, I was not a huge fan of eggplant. I didn’t like the texture. It was soggy and kind of slimey. The only time I would ever eat it would be when my mom deep-fried it or she made this one classic Taiwanese eggplant dish with this amazing garlic sauce.
What a great way to have a hearty meal without meat. It’d be a great meatless Monday meal. Eggplant is hearty and meaty enough to take place as real protein so I can see why this dish is also a favorite amongst vegetarians and why someone came up with it. Basically the vegetarian version of chicken parmesan.
1. Salt the Eggplant to Remove Excess Moisture. This is key to crispy results. Eggplants are 92% water.
The method for the best eggplant parmesan recipe!
Heads up: once you make it this way, this is the ONLY way you’ll want to make your eggplant parmesan in the future.
The technique I talk about is 100% worth it. So many readers have made it before and have told me that they won’t ever skip the prep step again!
Okay, so the best method to make eggplant parmesan is to pull the moisture out of the eggplant prior to frying it.
How do we pull moisture out of the eggplant? We sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices!
The salt pulls out the moisture from the eggplant and therefore, when you cover it with breadcrumbs and fry it, you will have a much crispier and less soggy eggplant parmesan dish.
Exhibit A:
All that moisture beading up on top of the eggplant? That’s the salt doing its job! It’s pulling out most of the moisture
All you have to do is just pat it dry and dust off the excess salt and then you’ll be ready to start making your eggplant parmesan!
What to serve with eggplant parmesan?
If you can’t decide what to serve with eggplant parmesan besides pasta, here are some great side dish ideas that would compliment this dish exceptionally well:
How to make EGGPLANT PARMESAN at home (a seriously easy method)
FAQ
How do you keep eggplant from getting soggy?
Why is my eggplant parm mushy?
How do you fry eggplant without getting soggy?
Can You reheat eggplant parmesan?
Make sure the eggplant parmesan has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing. To reheat, you can microwave your leftovers or use the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the eggplant parmesan in a baking dish, then cover the dish with foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
How do you store leftover eggplant parmesan?
Store leftover eggplant parmesan for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in the casserole dish wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure the eggplant parmesan has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing. To reheat, you can microwave your leftovers or use the oven.
Can you freeze eggplant parmesan?
If you freeze the eggplant parmesan in a glass or ceramic casserole dish, then you’d have to let it sit out on at room temperature before putting it in the oven and by then, your ingredients will all be melting and soggy. Want to save this recipe? Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe directly to your inbox!
Can you make eggplant parmesan before frying?
So many readers have made it before and have told me that they won’t ever skip the prep step again! Okay, so the best method to make eggplant parmesan is to pull the moisture out of the eggplant prior to frying it. How do we pull moisture out of the eggplant?