A crispy baked eggplant parmesan with an extra level of heat from herbs, peppers, onions, and spices.
Eggplant parmigiana, or eggplant parmesan, is one of those comforting dishes that we thank the Italians for. Many people believe eggplant parmesan is just a vegetarian alternative to chicken parm, but it’s actually the other way around!
This Italian dish is a classic that was made in Italy as early as the 1780s. As it grew in popularity, variations evolved outside of Italy, such as chicken, veal, and other meat cutlets or vegetable fillings to substitute for eggplant (zucchini is a popular one in Italy).
Now, as good as the Italians are at a good baked comfort food recipe, we South Asians have to turn up the heat a little to truly enjoy our food!
This Spicy Baked Eggplant Parm I’m sharing with you is a variation of my mom’s recipe. Over the years, I’ve tweaked it to better fit my palate and kitchen convenience.
A classic eggplant parm consists of sliced eggplants pan-fried in oil and layered with tomato sauce and cheese before it is baked in an oven. In many recipes, the eggplant slices are dipped in beaten eggs and covered in flour or breadcrumbs before frying to get that breaded texture.
My mom originally added a South Asian twist to her spicy eggplant parm recipe by swapping the flour batter for chickpea flour and adding sliced peppers and onions to each layer between the eggplant slices.
I wanted something a bit more approachable and crispy, so I opted for all-purpose flour and cover my eggplant with seasoned panko breadcrumbs. I also chose to ditch the egg mixture, because when you fry the sliced eggplants, the egg can sometimes taste like a breakfast scramble. (Plus, you get an eggy smell that totally ruins the aroma of the actual dish!)
Although it may not seem like a holiday dish, my mom used to make this Spicy Baked Eggplant Parm for Christmas all the time. It is such a filling meal and if you pair it with
something like a Cheesy Garlic Herb Bread (or just slap some garlic butter on some sub rolls), it makes for the perfect dish for a group of people.
Whether you have several mouths to feed or just want something comforting and warm for those chillier nights, this spicy eggplant parm is the recipe you didn’t know you needed.
How to Get the Best Spicy Eggplant Parm
The key to making this dish really well is to achieve that crispy texture on your eggplant. This can be challenging because not only do eggplant retain moisture, they actually absorb it pretty well.
In other words, if you’re not patient, you may end up with some mushy and oily eggplant.
To get a good crunch on your eggplant, be sure to salt your slices after cutting and let them sit for 10 minutes to release moisture. I like to do this on a paper towel-lined baking sheet so any natural water that is released will get absorbed by the paper towel instead of getting re-absorbed by the eggplant.
Why I Love This Dish
This Spicy Baked Eggplant Parm is a great recipe to test your chops in the kitchen after you’ve mastered more basic recipes, but it’s still simple and easy enough to get you that delicious and satisfying meal.
It also makes for incredible leftovers. Actually, my favorite thing to do is sandwich my eggplant parm between two toasty pieces of garlic and herb bread, add a layer of pesto, and all the cheese I can fit! If you want my exact recipe, check out my Eggplant Parm Sandwich.
Of course, like many of my recipes on my blog, you can also easily prepare this dish well in advance for the holidays or any day you want to make it.
Simply air fry or fry the eggplants the day before serving for the easiest make-ahead preparation. I personally shallow-fry the eggplant the day before and let them cool before storing them in an air tight container. Then, on the day of, you can assemble everything and bake it!
You can also make the garlic butter for the side bread in advance.
If you’re like me and want some extra heat to your Spicy Eggplant Parm, add sliced jalapeños or Serrano peppers on top and in between the layers for extra heat.
Another way to get some added heat is to use a Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce instead of regular pasta sauce.
Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds. Lay out in a single layer on a paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 10 mins to release moisture.
Set up 2 shallow dishes for dredging. In the first dish, stir together flour, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning and water. In the second dish, stir together panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning.
Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in batter, and then coat in bread crumb mixture. Place baking sheet and fry until golden brown.
Spread a thin layer of marinara into the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 dish. Layer half of the eggplant slices onto the bottom, add a small dollop of Boursin cheese and add sliced onions and peppers along with half of the cheeses. Top with half of the remaining marinara, and then layer of eggplants and cheese on top.
Bake, uncovered, in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and the top is bubbling and lightly browned.
Garlic Butter Bread
In a bowl, mix the butter and all of the seasonings.
Slice the sub roll half way down the middle and toast it in the oven until it’s golden brown. Spread the garlic butter on top and add eggplant parm. Enjoy!
Notes
To air fry the eggplant, make sure you preheat the air fryer to 400F and spray the eggplant with oil after breaded it. This is the only way you can achieve crispy eggplant without frying.
If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake the breaded eggplant at 380F for 17-20 mins, flipping it halfway through.
Just an East/West coast girl living the southern life. I love sharing all my tested and perfected recipes here, along with some travel guides and a little bit of my lifestyle
