This Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan recipe is a gluten-free alternative to a classic Italian dish. It's made of crispy, breaded slices of eggplant topped with marinara, parmesan, and mozzarella.
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This Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmigiana is one of my favorite meals. I mean, what's not to love about crispy baked slices of eggplant smothered in tomato sauce, topped with two types of cheese, then baked until melty, gooey, and delicious?
This recipe is a great low-carb meal option whether or not you're following a gluten-free diet. It's always a hit! You can serve it as a low-carb vegetarian main course or pair it with gluten-free Italian meatballs or creamy zucchini risotto.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is all about texture. There are three things I did to keep the eggplant crispy
- Baked and not fried. Baking keeps the breadcrumbs from absorbing moisture and getting gummy. The crispier the better.
- Individually baked, then stacked for serving. This helps keep the coating nice and crispy.
- Salted - Salting the eggplant before we batter it helps draw out excess moisture that would make the flour gooey.
🧾Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant - You'll need two large eggplants for this recipe. If all you can find are smaller eggplants, you can use three. Look for eggplants that are slightly firm and have shiny skin.
Flour - You can use rice flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour. While other gluten-free flours will work, I don't recommend using coconut flour. It's more absorbent than other varieties and won't yield the same results.
Eggs - Egg helps the parmesan and seasonings stick.
Breadcrumbs - I use gluten-free breadcrumbs but feel free to use regular breadcrumbs if preferred. I use GF Panko. Alternatively, check out my gluten-free chicken nuggets post for information on GF breadcrumb alternatives!
Parmesan - Freshly grated or pre-grated will work.
Seasonings - We're seasoning our eggplant with a blend of salt, black pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, and dried basil.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil Spray - Either one will work. You will need just a thin layer of oil or cooking spray to grease the pan before baking the eggplant.
Mozzarella - You can use fresh mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella. Either way, fresh is best! You can also substitute dairy-free cheese without issue. Trader's Joe dairy-free mozzarella is my favorite!
Marinara Sauce - Store-bought or homemade tomato sauce will work.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
⏲️How to Make Gluten-Free Eggplant Parm
This gluten-free eggplant parmesan is the perfect easy and tasty dinner that's ready in under an hour!
Step 1 - Prep the Eggplant
Slice the eggplant into ⅓ to ½-inch thick slices, then lay the rounds of eggplant out on a wire rack set over a large baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides with salt, then let the slices sit for 20-30 minutes or, if you have time, up to an hour.
Whisk the eggs together in a shallow bowl as the eggplant drains. In a separate bowl, add the flour. In another separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, and seasonings. So in total, you should have three bowls each with their own layer of the final batter.
Once the eggplant is drained, rinse it to remove excess salt and pat the slices dry gently with paper towels.
Step 2 - Bread and Bake
First, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Next up, the breading process!
Dip each slice of eggplant into the flour followed by the egg and then the breadcrumb and parmesan mixture. Place each breaded slice of eggplant onto a prepared baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each piece.
You will likely need more than one baking sheet. Repeat with all of the eggplant.
Bake the breaded eggplant in a preheated oven for 30 minutes total, flipping halfway through the cooking time. This ensures that they bake nicely and evenly.
Step 3 - Assemble
Kick the oven temperature up to 400ºF.
Top each piece of eggplant with 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce and a slice or a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. If you're using shredded mozzarella, I recommend shredding your own for the meltiest, gooiest texture.
Sprinkle the eggplant with the rest of the parmesan cheese, then bake again until tender and cheesy. This usually takes about 20 additional minutes.
If you notice the cheese browning too much on top before the eggplant is softened to your liking, cover the sheet pans with foil to prevent it from burning.
You can also bake directly in a casserole dish for easy serving.
🥗What to Serve with Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant parmesan is excellent on its own, but it's a delicious addition to a larger meal too.
Enjoy it with a side of fresh garden salad, garlic bread (GF), and a few extra roasted mushrooms. Serve it as a side dish paired with gluten-free chicken piccata.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
Don't over-sauce the eggplant. Instead, warm up extra marinara sauce and serve on the side for dipping.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
To store leftovers, let them cool completely, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 3-5 days.
I don't recommend freezing this dish. The texture of the eggplant and breading will be affected.
More Eggplant Recipes
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! To make this eggplant recipe in an air fryer, cook the eggplant for 5 minutes at 380 F degrees then flip the slices over and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Assemble and then cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted.
If your eggplant parmesan is soggy, you may not have let it drain long enough.
Another issue could be not letting your oven preheat. You need your oven fully preheated before baking.
Yes! Eggplants have a high water content. So, if you baked the eggplant without salting and draining it first, that water would cook out into the breading and make it soggy.
Salting beforehand draws out that moisture so that you can proceed with the breading and baking process and get the crispiest results!
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup rice flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs
- ¾ cup grated parmesan plus ½ cup for the top
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ t teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- olive oil or oil spray for pan
- 8 ounces mozzarella either 1 fresh mozzarella ball or 1- ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 2 cups fresh marinara sauce
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Lay the eggplant rounds out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let the rounds sit while you prep the dredging station. They can sit for up to an hour but 20 to 30 minutes is plenty of time.2 large eggplants, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 large sheet pans with oil. Set aside.olive oil or oil spray for pan
- In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs. In another bowl, add the flour. In the final bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, basil, salt, and pepper.¾ cup rice flour, ¾ cup grated parmesan plus ½ cup for the top, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ t teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried basil, 2 eggs, 1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs
- Rinse the salt from the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels. Dip each eggplant slice completely in the flour, followed by the egg allowing the excess egg to drop off before placing it in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the breaded slices on the baking sheets.
- Bake until golden brown on the bottom. Flip the slices; continue baking until browned on the other side, for 30 minutes in total. Remove from oven and raise oven heat to 400 degrees.
- Top each piece of eggplant with 2 Tablespoons of sauce and a slice of (or sprinkle) mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.8 ounces mozzarella, 2 cups fresh marinara sauce
- Bake until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly about 20 minutes. Move to a serving platter and garnish with fresh basil.fresh basil
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