Use a sheet pan and your broiler for the quickest eggplant Parmesan
September is the perfect month for eggplant Parmesan. Eggplants are abundant and the slight bit of crispness in the air (emphasis on slight) means a warm, cozy meal is welcome — as long as the oven doesn’t have to be on for too long. And it’s possible to get eggplant Parmesan cooked in less than half an hour. You’ll just need to employ a sheet pan and your broiler.
Broiler cooks eggplant quickly with little mess
Cooking the eggplant is often the messiest and most time-consuming step of making eggplant Parmesan. Traditional recipes bread and pan-fry eggplant rounds before layering into a casserole, but this is not truly necessary. The eggplant simply needs to be cooked through, and you can do that under the broiler.
Simply season eggplant rounds with salt, drizzle with oil and stick under the broiler for 6 to 8 minutes a side. Two 1-pound eggplants will fit on a single sheet pan; a few rounds may overlap and/or stick off the sides of the pan, but once they start to cook, they’ll shrink and will fit in a single even layer.
Combine Parmesan and panko for flavor-packed breading layer
While the eggplant cooks under the broiler, prepare the breading. Toasting panko in a bit of olive oil ensures each bite will be golden brown, and the additional oil will bring a bit of pan-fried flavor to the breadcrumbs. I like to stir the Parmesan into the panko after toasting to make sure it gets evenly dispersed over the eggplant in the assembly step.
Assemble in a single layer to cook quickly
Instead of moving the cooked eggplant into a separate casserole dish for assembly, keep the rounds on the sheet pan. A single, relatively thin layer of eggplant Parmesan will finish cooking much more quickly, plus you won’t have to wash an extra dish later.
The best order for assembling eggplant Parmesan on a sheet pan is a little different from a traditional recipe. Instead of adding the breading directly to the eggplant, you’ll pour the sauce over the rounds and then top with the breading mixture. This order helps the panko adhere and still allows it to retain some of its crispness. Finally, top with fresh mozzarella cheese and then pop it under the broiler until everything is hot and browned. It only takes minutes.
Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan
- 2 large (1-pound) globe eggplants, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
- ½ cup panko
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups jarred marinara sauce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
- Optional: chopped fresh basil, for serving
- Heat the broiler to high with a rack placed 6 to 8 inches from the heating element.
- Season the eggplant with salt. Place on a large rimmed sheet pan. It’s OK if the eggplant rounds overlap a bit or hang off the sides of the pan; they will shrink down to fit while cooking. Drizzle on both sides with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- Broil, flipping once, until browned and softened, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the panko and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt.
- Using a spatula, gently push the eggplant together so all the rounds are touching. Spread the marinara sauce over the eggplant in an even layer, then sprinkle evenly with the panko mixture. Dollop the mozzarella over the panko. Return to the broiler and cook until the mozzarella is melted, browned and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Drizzle with a little additional olive oil. Top with basil, if desired, then serve straight from the sheet pan.
Serves 4.