healthy eggplant parmesan

Eggplant parmesan fried in Air Fryer for the perfect crispy crust that exactly mimics the deep fried texture. Crusted eggplants topped with marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese. Perfect side dish to try with pasta for a healthy lunch or dinner.

Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

eggplant (mine was around 1.25 lb)

bread crumbs

tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese

salt

Italian seasoning mix

whole wheat flour

egg + 1 tbsp water

olive oil spray

marinara sauce

mozzarella cheese

parsley

Cut eggplant into roughly 1/2" slices. Rub some salt on both sides of the slices and leave it for at least 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile in a small bowl mix egg with water and flour to prepare the batter.

In a medium shallow plate combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning blend, and some salt. Mix thoroughly.

Now apply the batter to each eggplant slice evenly. Dip the battered slices in the breadcrumb mix to coat it evenly on all sides. See the helpful tips section above to do this task perfectly.

Place breaded eggplant slices on a clean and dry flat plate and spray oil on them. See notes section for details.

Preheat the Air Fryer to 360F. Then put the eggplant slices on the wire mesh and cook for about 8 min.

Top the air fried slices with about 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce and lightly spread fresh mozzarella cheese on it. Cook the eggplant for another 1-2 min or until the cheese melts.

Serve warm on the side of your favorite pasta.

All the makings of the best baked eggplant parmesan. I’ve tried it many ways over the years and this is the method that has worked best. No spongey texture, no bitterness in the eggplant, and none of that “Yeah, it’s good…for a baked version.” It’s just plain good, I promise.

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan

eggplant

eggs

breadcrumbs

tomato sauce

mozzarella cheese (sliced

Line 2 baking sheets with a double layer of paper towels and spread the eggplant slices among the sheets evenly.

Liberally salt the eggplant slices, using about a teaspoon total of salt, and let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour. Using fresh paper towels, wipe the tops of the eggplant to remove excess salt and firmly press to release any remaining liquid. Dry on both sides and transfer to a plate.

Wipe the baking sheets and line them with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray well with cooking oil.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Place the breadcrumbs in another medium shallow bowl. Dip one slice of eggplant into the egg, coating both sides, and then press ONE side into the breadcrumbs. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with all remaining slices.

Spray the tops of the eggplant slices well with cooking oil and bake until the eggplant is soft and the crust is crispy, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pans from the oven and spoon a heaping tablespoon of sauce on each, followed by a slice of mozzarella. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Top with fresh basil and serve.

You can use unsweetened almond or cashew milk mixed with cornstarch. It coats well. 1/2 cup milk plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

One of the best one I have tried, thank you this awesome recipe

This healthy air fryer eggplant parmesan is a lighter lower calorie way to enjoy eggplant parmesan without all of the extra fat and calories. It comes out perfectly crispy, and golden topped with zesty tomato sauce and melted cheese in minutes!

Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan 

Italian breadcrumbs

parmesan cheese + more for topping

garlic powder

Italian seasoning

black pepper

basil – optional

Slice the ends off of the eggplant

using a sharp knife, about 1/4 inch from the stem.  Then slice the eggplant into 1/2 -inch thick rounds and place the eggplant onto a small baking sheet or plate. Pro tip: you can also place the sliced eggplant onto a paper towel to let it dry a bit after slicing it if it looks wet. 

Make the breadcrumb mixture

&#8211; Combine the breadcrumbs + parmesan cheese + garlic powder + Italian seasoning + salt &amp; pepper into a medium-sized shallow bowl and mix to combine into a breadcrumb mixture. 

Set up a dredging station

 crack the eggs into another medium size shallow bowl, season with salt &amp; pepper and whisk well to combine. Then set up the breadcrumb mixture + the egg mixture+the sliced eggplant next to each other and dredge each piece of eggplant in the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the eggplant as you dredge them.  Then place the breaded eggplant slices back onto the baking sheet.  Continue until you have breaded all of the eggplants. 

Preheat the air-fryer to 390 degrees F

 (this usually takes 5 minutes).  Once the air-fryer is preheated, spray the basket with olive oil cooking spray and place the eggplant pieces into the air-fryer, spraying each with olive oil cooking spray.  Close the basket and cook for 8 minutes, flipping each piece over and spraying the other side with cooking spray halfway through the cooking time.

Once they are done and super crispy, top each with some tomato sauce, then some shredded mozzarella cheese.  Close the air-fryer and cook for 2-3 more minutes to melt the cheese. 

Remove, top with freshly chopped basil, and enjoy. 

So good and it doesn't take more than 20 minutes start to finish.

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Such a great quick meal! I salted the eggplant after slicing and let sit for twenty minutes. I blotted it with paper towels before breading.Love that this is so healthy, low calorie and economical. I served it with a side salad. This meal is very elegant and great for a date night. Would also be great for entertaining, however, my air fryer will only accommodate four slices. The oven version would be great for cooking for more people.

This was so delicious and crispy! My new go to recipe. Thank you!

Loved this! Especially because the eggplant isn’t mushy like it can get sometimes when I make eggplant parm in the oven. 
I didn’t have gf breadcrumbs, so I used plain fine breadcrumbs- reduced the amount to 1.5 cups, and increased the parmesan cheese to a 1/2 cup. Also, because I used marinara with garlic in it already, I reduced the garlic powder in half. This was easy &amp; delicious! Thanks for sharing!

Just excellent! Made them for dinner. So good with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese on top. Definitely will be making again. Nice and crispy.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1652917093/bynh3fbqpmgb6pgd5ntt.mp4

This healthy air fryer eggplant parmesan is an easy, lighter Italian dish that you can make in under 20 minutes with the help of your air fryer. It tastes fried but contains no oil and is a wonderful hearty meatless meal that your whole family will love!

Healthy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

This Crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan has everything you love about the Italian classic—golden panko-crusted eggplant, rich marinara, fresh basil, Parmesan, and melty mozzarella—without the frying! Lighter, easier, and perfect for a cozy vegetarian dinner, entertaining, meal prep, or freezing for later.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe (Easy, No-Fry Method)

eggplants

eggs,

sea salt

pepper

½ teaspoon chili flakes- optional

panko breadcrumbs

Spray olive oil oil

of Marinara Sauce (use store-bought or make your own). 3 cups.

fresh oregano, optional, or basil

oregano

Preheat oven to 400F

  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush or spray the parchment with olive oil. 

Prep eggplant

Slice eggplant into ⅓-inch round slices. See notes.

Make dry and wet mixtures

In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper and chili flakes. In another wide shallow bowl, mix equal parts panko and parmesan. 

Dredge. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture, then dredge each side into the panko/parm mixture. Place on the sheet pans, repeating until all are done. Sprinkle any excess panko-parmesan mixture over top. Spray or generously with olive oil.

Bake eggplant

  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crispy (no need to cook all the way through). The goal is to get the eggplant deeply golden and crispy, so be patient. All ovens are different; this may take longer- feel free to use your broiler. 

Assemble

Mix ½ cup water into your marinara sauce to make 3 cups. Grease a 9&#215;13-inch baking dish. Cover the bottom with ¾ cup of marinara sauce. Saving the 8 best-looking pieces for the top, layer the remaining eggplant over the sauce. Drizzle with 1 cup of marinara sauce, add ½ of the sliced mozzarella (save 8 slices for the top), and add half the parmesan. Sprinkle with fresh oregano or basil if you like. Add the top layer of eggplant, cover with remaining marinara, sprinkle with remaining parmesan, and top with fresh mozzarella slices. Season with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 

400°F, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until golden, melty and the edges are bubbling.  Feel free to broil. I like to sprinkle with oregano right at the end of baking time. Or garnish with fresh basil at the end. 

Probably the best recipe for Eggplant Parmesan we’ve ever tried. Made it for Thanksgiving and everyone asked for the recipe. Thanks for the clear instructions. One question, do you peel the eggplant like in the video? Or leave the peels on?

sooo good!
love this baked version of a classic.
i also did a pre-bake salting and added a flour dredge but im old and have extra time.
thank you for the share

I have made this several times following the recipe as written. It is always superb. While it might seem like a lot of steps, it’s actually quite easy. Both my husband and I love it.

Easy and delicious! I was dreading the eggplant prep and was so excited to see the note about it not being needed. Highly recommend.

This recipe is delish! I LOVE eggplant parm and this is just sooo good!

This is a dang delicious eggplant parm.  The eggplant gets soft in the middle with crunchy edges from the panko.  It's a little more putzy than another one I tend to make if I'm under crunch time, but worth the time if you have it. Served it with a simple green salad.  The entire house smelled divine!  My husband had band practice the night I made it, and the 3 guys smelled the leftovers so I dished out the remnants to them.  They loved it, too! :-)  I love your recipes!

Delicious!  My son, who had never made, nor eaten, eggplant parmesan, made this for our night before Thanksgiving gathering. This is so good that my eggplant-wary husband heartily approved.  Yummy and easy!

Eggplant Parm is my Prozac. I always order it out but really dislike making it at home — the salting to minimize bitterness, the frying and having the eggplant suck up ridiculous amounts of oil….Then… I found your recipe. It truly was feasting at home. Followed it to the letter — so easy! Know I’ll make it again and again

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/fAKorZE9.mp4

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Top 4 healthy eggplant parmesan recipes from across the web

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Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

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