Crisp, breaded eggplant rounds layered with bright, simmered tomato sauce and gooey melted mozzarella, finished with salty Parmesan and fresh basil for a savory, hearty vegetarian main.
Tall, Crispy Eggplant with Melty Mozzarella
All the familiar comfort of eggplant Parmesan—crisp, cheesy, and saucy—reimagined as elegant individual stacks that come together without a lot of fuss.
This recipe exists because sometimes you want the rich, saucy satisfaction of eggplant Parmesan but not the whole pan to wrestle with. Slicing the eggplant into half-inch rounds and stacking them makes portioning effortless and gives each bite an ideal crisp-to-cheese ratio. They look special on the plate but are surprisingly simple to pull off on a weeknight.
The trick is in the prep: a short salting step draws moisture out of the eggplant so the rounds brown instead of turning soggy, and a classic dredging station—flour, eggs whisked with a little milk, then panko mixed with grated Parmesan and Italian seasoning—creates a golden, crunchy crust that holds up under sauce. A quick sear or an oven finish gets the exterior perfectly toasted.
Meanwhile a straightforward tomato sauce of sautéed onion and garlic, crushed tomatoes, a pinch of black pepper and Italian seasoning simmers until bright and slightly reduced—just enough acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese. Layer the warm sauce between the fried rounds, tuck in slices of mozzarella, and finish with a shower of salty Parmesan so every stack bubbles and turns pillowy.
These stacks are wonderfully adaptable: make the sauce ahead, salt the eggplant early, or assemble and bake at the last minute for guests. Finish with fresh basil and an extra drizzle of olive oil; serve alongside a crisp salad or some crusty bread for soaking up any saucy crumbs.
Ingredients
How to Make Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
- Slice the eggplants into 1/2-inch rounds; arrange in a single layer on a tray, sprinkle both sides lightly with kosher salt and let sit 15 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Meanwhile make the tomato sauce: finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, about 4–5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) and 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning to the skillet, bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook gently 10–12 minutes until slightly reduced; keep warm.
- Set up a dredging station: put flour in one shallow dish, whisk eggs with milk in a second, and combine panko, grated Parmesan, remaining 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a third.
- Working in batches, dredge each eggplant round in flour (shake off excess), dip in the egg wash, then press into the panko mixture to coat; lay coated rounds on a rack while you finish the rest.
- Heat 2–3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; pan-fry coated eggplant rounds 2 minutes per side until golden (you may need to add a touch more oil between batches); transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish, spoon 1–2 tbsp tomato sauce per stack, top with a fried eggplant round, a tablespoon of sauce, a slice or small piece of fresh mozzarella, and repeat to make 3 layers, finishing with a sprinkle of Parmesan on top.
- Bake the stacks 10–12 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are bubbling; if you want the tops browned, broil 1–2 minutes while watching closely. Garnish with torn basil leaves and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.
Recipe Card
Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
Crisp, breaded eggplant rounds layered with bright, simmered tomato sauce and gooey melted mozzarella, finished with salty Parmesan and fresh basil for a savory, hearty vegetarian main.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the eggplants into 1/2-inch rounds; arrange in a single layer on a tray, sprinkle both sides lightly with kosher salt and let sit 15 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Meanwhile make the tomato sauce: finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, about 4–5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) and 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning to the skillet, bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook gently 10–12 minutes until slightly reduced; keep warm.
- Set up a dredging station: put flour in one shallow dish, whisk eggs with milk in a second, and combine panko, grated Parmesan, remaining 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a third.
- Working in batches, dredge each eggplant round in flour (shake off excess), dip in the egg wash, then press into the panko mixture to coat; lay coated rounds on a rack while you finish the rest.
- Heat 2–3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; pan-fry coated eggplant rounds 2 minutes per side until golden (you may need to add a touch more oil between batches); transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish, spoon 1–2 tbsp tomato sauce per stack, top with a fried eggplant round, a tablespoon of sauce, a slice or small piece of fresh mozzarella, and repeat to make 3 layers, finishing with a sprinkle of Parmesan on top.
- Bake the stacks 10–12 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are bubbling; if you want the tops browned, broil 1–2 minutes while watching closely. Garnish with torn basil leaves and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 50
- Saturated Fat
- 12
- Sodium
- 850
- Fiber
- 6.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 22.3
- Protein
- 27
- Fat
- 34
- Cholesterol
- 150
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 640
- Sugar
- 8