Grandma's Baked Eggplant Parmesan

4.99 from 78 votes

My grandmother's easy baked eggplant parmesan recipe is a delicious vegetarian dinner with just 15 minutes of prep!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baked eggplant parmesan, baked eggplant parmesan recipe, Eggplant parmesan, simple eggplant parmesan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 262.9kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
½ cup Corn Flakes cereal crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Dash of ground black pepper
1 small eggplant
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup marinara sauce
2 ounces (½ cup) shredded mozzarella cheese (or use sliced fresh mozzarella if you prefer)
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley, basil, or other herbs
Optional for serving: cooked spaghetti with additional marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pour melted butter into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Place egg in a shallow dish. Set aside. In a separate shallow dish, combine Corn Flakes crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Peel eggplant and cut into ¾-inch thick slices. Dip each slice in egg and coat with crumb mixture.
Place in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes; flip the slices over, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Pour marinara sauce over eggplant and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 3-5 more minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Look for a small eggplant, which tends to have the sweetest flavor.
This dish serves 2-3 people as an entrée. You might be able to stretch it to serve 4 people if you're also offering a heartier side dish like pasta. If you're feeding a bigger family, I recommend using 2 eggplants, doubling all of the other ingredients, and baking the eggplant in a 9 x 13-inch dish or on a larger rimmed baking sheet.
Corn Flakes are the best option for breaded eggplant. You can substitute with panko breadcrumbs, but they are definitely not as crispy and they're lacking the flavor that you get from the crushed cereal.