Baked Eggplant Parmesan (No Breadcrumbs)

Why This Is Strictly Keto

Traditional eggplant parmesan gets its crunch from a flour-and-breadcrumb coating — this version skips breading entirely. The eggplant is simply roasted until tender, then layered with no-sugar-added marinara and real mozzarella and Parmesan, so every ingredient is whole and unprocessed.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (for sweating the eggplant)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/3 cups marinara sauce (no sugar added)
• 1 2/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil, torn, for garnish

Instructions

1. Sweat the eggplant: Arrange eggplant slices on a wire rack or paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and let sit 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Blot dry.

2. Roast: Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides, arrange on baking sheets, and roast 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until softened and lightly golden.

3. Layer: Spread a thin layer of marinara in the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x13 baking dish. Layer half the eggplant, more marinara, and half the mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, marinara, and cheeses.

4. Bake: Bake 25 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

5. Rest and serve: Cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.

Nutritional Info (per serving, approximate)

Tips

• Salting and blotting the eggplant is the key step — skip it and the finished dish turns watery.
• Broil for 2–3 minutes at the end if you want deeper color on the cheese.
• Leftovers reheat well in the oven; the microwave will soften the eggplant further.