Bobby Flay Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

This Bobby Flay Eggplant Parmesan is a crispy and cheesy recipe, which is made with a rich roasted red pepper tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. It’s a restaurant-quality dish, ready in about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Bobby Flay Eggplant Parmesan Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes and their juices, crushed with your hands
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Honey, to taste

Eggplant and Breading:

• 2 to 3 medium eggplants (about 2 1/4-pounds), cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices (need about 18 slices)
• 5 cups fresh dried breadcrumbs (made from dried day-old bread)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons water
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Cheese and Assembly:

• Butter, for greasing the dish
• 12 ounces grated mozzarella (not fresh)
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces grated fontina
• 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• Fresh basil leaves, torn

How To Make Bobby Flay Eggplant Parmesan

For the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

1. Sauté aromatics: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add peppers and garlic: Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the roasted red peppers and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Simmer the sauce: Add the plum tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.
4. Blend and finish: Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return the sauce to the pot and stir in the parsley, basil, and oregano. Season with salt, pepper, and honey to taste. Cook for another 10 minutes.

For the Eggplant:

1. Dry the breadcrumbs: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the fresh breadcrumbs evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the oven off and let the crumbs sit in the oven for 30 minutes or until completely dry.
2. Prep for baking: Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 15 x 10 x 2-inch baking dish.
3. Season the breadcrumbs: In a large bowl, combine the dried breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.
4. Set up breading station: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs with 2 tbsp water. Place the all-purpose flour in a third dish.
5. Bread the eggplant: Season each eggplant slice on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off the excess. Dip the slice in the egg mixture, let the excess drip off. Finally, coat the slice completely with the seasoned breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly. Transfer to a baking sheet.
6. Fry the eggplant: Heat 1/2 inch of oil in two large sauté pans over medium heat until it reaches 385°F. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch.
7. Drain the eggplant: Transfer the fried slices to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil.

To Assemble and Bake:

1. First layer of sauce: Spread a layer of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
2. First layer of eggplant: Layer half of the fried eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
3. First layer of cheese: Cover the eggplant with more sauce. Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella, grated fontina, grated Pecorino Romano, and torn basil leaves.
4. Second layer: Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.
5. Final toppings: Cover the second layer with the remaining sauce. Top with the fresh mozzarella slices and the remaining Pecorino Romano.
6. Bake the dish: Bake at 400°F until hot and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
7. Rest and serve: Let the Eggplant Parmesan rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe Tips

• How do I get the breading to stay on? The key is the standard 3-step breading process: DRY-WET-DRY. Make sure your eggplant slices are patted dry before starting. Coat them in flour (dry), then dip in the egg wash (wet), then press them firmly into the breadcrumbs (dry). This creates a durable, crispy crust.
• Do I need to salt the eggplant first? This recipe skips that step, but if you have time, it helps. “Sweating” the eggplant (salting the slices and letting them sit for 30 minutes, then patting dry) draws out excess moisture, which leads to a crispier fry and prevents a soggy final dish.
• Can I bake the eggplant instead of frying? Yes. For a lighter version, place the breaded eggplant slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spray them generously with cooking oil and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping once, until golden and crispy.
• What are “fresh dried breadcrumbs”? This means breadcrumbs made from day-old (stale) bread, not the fine, sandy crumbs from a can. To make them, tear stale bread into pieces and pulse them in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs.

What To Serve With Eggplant Parmesan

This is a very rich and hearty main course, so simple sides are best.

• A side of spaghetti with garlic and oil
• A simple, crisp Caesar salad or arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette
• Warm, crusty Italian bread for soaking up the extra sauce

How To Store Eggplant Parmesan

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container (or just cover the baking dish) in the refrigerator for up. to 4 days.
• Freeze: This dish freezes very well. You can freeze the entire baked-and-cooled dish or freeze individual portions. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
• Reheat: Bake, covered with foil, in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.

Eggplant Parmesan Nutrition Facts

(Per serving, assuming 8 servings)

• Calories: ~780 kcal
• Total Fat: 45g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Cholesterol: 160mg
• Sodium: 1450mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 58g
• Dietary Fiber: 12g
• Sugars: 13g
• Protein: 32g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Bobby Flay Deep Dish Pizza Recipe Recipe
• Bobby Flay Homemade Pasta Recipe Recipe
• Bobby Flay Grilled Corn Salad with Lime, Red Chili and Cotija Recipe