Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

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The best Healthy Eggplant Parmesan that has a crunchy coating, plenty of melted cheese, and a rich tomato sauce without all the calories and fat of the traditional fried version.

290 CAL 33g CARBS 14g FAT 12g PROTEIN 7
7 Comments

This Lightened Up Eggplant Parm is part of our monthly rotation as a plant based version of our beloved healthy chicken parm or spaghetti squash chicken parm. It has tons of flavor, is easy to make, and freezes well for a make ahead meal.

I have always loved eggplant parmesan and when I was a vegetarian it was something I ate all the time when I was out.  However, between the breading, oil from frying, and all the cheese, the traditional preparation is anything but healthy.  This healthy eggplant parm uses roasted eggplant instead of fried and uses less breading and cheese than a restaurant version. Don't worry though, this quick and easy healthy eggplant parmesan still tastes indulgent and no one will guess it is a lighter option.

It all starts with the eggplant. You want to make sure to choose a flavorful, fresh eggplant so look for one that has shiny and smooth skin that is vibrant purple. If it has wrinkled skin or a dull color, it is probably old. The flesh should feel slightly firm to the touch. Finally, the stem shouldn't show any signs of mushiness or mold.

Healthy baked eggplant with marinara sauce and cheese in a glass baking dish.

Once you have an eggplant, the next step is roasting it. Using a healthy baked eggplant instead of a fried version is the main way to make this dish healthier. Plus it ensures the eggplant has great texture since fried eggplant can get really mushy. Roasting it also can help remove some of the natural bitterness. If you have time, I recommend salting the eggplant for 20 minutes before roasting and removing all or most of the skin. Both of these steps will severely cut down on any bitterness naturally found in the eggplant.

After the eggplant is roasted, the rest is easy. All you need is a really flavorful marinara sauce and cheese. Pop everything into the oven and a delicious dinner is on its way.

What does eggplant parmesan taste like?

I was surprised to find out how many people asked what eggplant parm tastes like. Since everyone knows how delicious sauce and cheese are, let's talk about what eggplant tastes like. The closest comparison is a slightly more bitter zucchini. The texture is similar, although eggplant can be more firm and spongy. The taste is also less sweet than zucchini. The most important thing to making sure you enjoy eggplant is removing the bitterness, which is discussed below.

Is eggplant good for you?

The short answer - yes! Eggplants are naturally packed with fiber, minerals, and phenolic antioxidant compounds. These antioxidant compounds help fight free radicals, bad cholesterol, and inflammation. Eggplants are also known to be good for brain, heart, and cardiovascular health.

How do you prepare eggplant for eggplant parm so it isn't bitter?

The most common reason that people don't enjoy eggplant parmesan is because the eggplant tastes bitter.  There are three key ways to minimize the bitterness that work when preparing any eggplant dishes. First, you always want to remove some or all of the skin. The skin tends to be tough and bitter. Next, you want to salt your eggplant. Sprinkling your sliced eggplant with salt and letting it sit out for 20-30 minutes will remove a lot of the natural bitterness. The easiest way to do this is to toss the eggplant pieces with salt, let them sit out, and then rinse them with cold water. Lastly, you can avoid a bitter eggplant by making sure to pick out fresh eggplant that is firm with smooth skin. Also smaller eggplant varieties tend to be less bitter.

A wooden table with baked eggplant Parmesan in a glass casserole dish and basil.

More Tips for Making Baked Eggplant Parm

  • To make it without breading, you can leave out the breadcrumbs completely from the recipe. You could also coat the eggplant in almond flour, crushed almonds, or parmesan cheese.
  • If you want to make it in the slow cooker, you can roast the eggplant as the recipe instructs and then add everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 1-2 hours. 
  • If you love ricotta cheese, consider adding some ricotta mixed with fresh herbs to each layer. This creates kind more of an eggplant parmesan casserole.
  • When it comes to side dishes, you can serve this with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, whole grain pasta, high fiber pasta, or a big green salad.

Here are some products and tools I used to prepare this recipe:

  • Glass baking dish: I use this Pyrex glass baking dish all the time. They last forever and are super affordable.
  • Marinara sauce: Since the marinara sauce is a main component of this recipe, you want one that tastes really good. Usually I make a homemade version or this one from Rao's, which is made with natural ingredients, has no added sugar, and taste just as good as homemade.
The Recipe
Healthy Eggplant Parmesan in a casserole dish with tomato sauce and melted cheese.

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

290 CAL 33g CARBS 14g FAT 12g PROTEIN 7
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 45 Min
TOTAL TIME: 55 Min
7 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 medium eggplant, cut into rounds
  • 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 16 oz. marinara sauce (look for low sugar)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil

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Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2

Cover 2 baking sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the eggplant in a single layer on the baking sheets. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.

3

Bake for 20-25 minutes until softened.

4

Meanwhile, coat an 8 X 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Add about 1/3 of the sauce to the bottom. Add a layer of the baked eggplant. Sprinkle with 1/2 the cheese. Add more sauce, another layer of eggplant, more sauce, and then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

5

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and let cheese brown if desired.

6

Serve with fresh basil.

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 290
Calories from Fat 120
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g
20%
Saturated Fat 5g
26%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 28mg
9%
Sodium 797mg
35%
Total Carbohydrate 33g
11%
Dietary Fiber 11g
44%
Sugars 13g
Protein 12g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
† We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
7 Comments
On Healthy Eggplant Parmesan
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Sarah
March 25, 2024 - 17:30
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5
It was so delicious! I'll do it again for sure! I didn't have marinara sauce so I used a can of regular tomato sauce and added some onion, garlic, herbs and spices.
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Maria
August 3, 2023 - 16:16
Add a Rating:
5
Easy to do excellent will make again
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Sarah
April 10, 2023 - 15:15
This was so easy and delicious! I used Rao's marinara sauce. I also mixed seasoned breadcrumbs with parm/romano cheese blend. Plus I added some Panko breadcrumbs into the mix for more of a texture. The whole family loved it!
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Madeline
July 16, 2022 - 09:39
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4
How thick do you cut the rounds?
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pheedme pls
January 29, 2022 - 12:43
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4
it was good but doesn't eggplant parm usually have some parmesan cheese on it? i added some just for good measure.
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Jeanne
October 1, 2019 - 19:35
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5
My 4year old helped me make this and then when we ate it he asked for seconds! He said it tasted like mini pizza. We had it with the garlic spaghetti squash as recommended in the meal plan.
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Mollie Hewitt
October 1, 2018 - 18:36
Add a Rating:
4
This took 2 eggplants for me. Otherwise good recipe.
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