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Eggplant Parmesan used to be one of those meals that I would order at an Italian restaurant and savor each crispy, meaty, saucy bite because I always figured it would be way too complicated for me to make at home.
I have news, my friends; making a satisfying eggplant Parmesan at home isn’t all that scary. Yes, it’s slightly more time consuming and labor intensive than most recipes I make here on Robust Recipes, but it isn’t as hard to make as you might think. It is well worth the effort, trust me.
Plus it’s gluten-free! Huzzah!
When considering how to make eggplant Parmesan gluten-free, of course I thought of making homemade breadcrumbs from gluten-free bread. Or taking the egg batter approach with gluten-free flour and frying in lots of oil.
I settled on using my homemade almond flour, because I have a ton of it and I just knew it would add a great nutty flavor and the perfect texture. I hit the nail on the head with this one.
It is even husband-approved. I knew it was a winner when Paul had barely swallowed his first bite and said, “Wow, this is good!” and continued to shovel more into his mouth. Between the next few bites he also said, “You definitely need to make this one again!”
This eggplant Parmesan recipe is everything I dreamed it would be. It is: hearty, crunchy, meaty, slightly nutty, saucy, cheesy, uber filling, and totally gives off the fancy Italian restaurant vibe.
If you are in need of a recipe to make your sweetheart for a date night, such as-ahem-Valentine’s Day, this would be perfect. A little red wine with soft candlelight and you will feel like you are eating at some fancy-smancy Italian restaurant.
Or you can make it for a girls’ evening in, or for your mom. Moms deserve a break from cooking sometimes, too.
Next time you are craving some good ol’ eggplant Parmesan, try making this version. You will be surprised at how simple it comes together and how rewardingly delicious it tastes.
Then you can invite me over so I can awkwardly scarf some down with you while you are enjoying your mood lighting. Just kidding!
But not really.
I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do!
Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 2 to 4 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Italian
Description
This Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan is hearty, super delicious, and simple to make. The traditional breadcrumbs are replaced with almond flour, which gives it a nutty crispiness. This meal is perfect for a date night or sharing with friends.
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant*
- Sea salt
- FOR THE MARINARA SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil, minced (sub 1/2 tsp dried basil)
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced (sub 1/2 tsp dried parsley)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil
- FOR THE EGGPLANT BREADING:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour mixture or rice flour
- 1/4 teaspoon each sea salt and pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup almond flour, homemade or store bought (I used homemade)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons grape seed oil (use an oil that has a high smoke point such as a vegetable oil, coconut oil, or grape seed oil. Do not use olive oil, it has a low smoke point and will burn).
- OPTIONAL: 1 ball fresh mozzarella (torn into small pieces)
- 1 package of gluten-free spaghetti pasta
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant into ½ inch thick rounds. Place them on a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle generously with salt on each side. Allow to rest for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, place a second clean kitchen towel over the eggplant slices and place a heavy baking pan over top to help squeeze out the moisture. Let the eggplant rest for another 10 minutes. Your bottom towel should be quite damp.
- FOR THE MARINARA SAUCE:
- While the eggplants are draining preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a medium-sized sauce pan over medium- low heat. Heat the grape seed oil. Add the onion and season with salt. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and the crushed tomatoes. Bring the heat up to high to allow the sauce to come to a boil; reduce to a simmer.
- Stir in the basil, parsley, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, or until thickened.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the olive oil. Cover and set the sauce aside.
- FOR THE EGGPLANT BREADING:
- Set up your breading station:
- Set the drained eggplants onto a large plate so they are ready for dipping.
- Next mix the all-purpose gluten-free flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow dish (such as an 8 X 8 baking dish or pie plate)
- Next to the dredging flour mixture, place another shallow dish and whisk the 2 eggs in it.
- Follow with the almond flour breading mixture: mix together the almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, cayenne, pepper, and fresh Parmesan cheese in another shallow dish. Stir to combine.
- Next to that set out a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
- Work in an assembly line by first dipping your eggplant into the flour mixture, making sure to coat each side and tapping the eggplant to shake off any excess flour. Next dip it in the eggs; make sure to cover both sides. Allow any excess egg to drip off. Finish the eggplant in the almond flour breading mixture. Use your fingers to coat each side. Place the eggplant on the baking sheet. Repeat this step until all of the eggplant slices are coated.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the eggplants are baking cook your spaghetti according the package directions. (Mine took 10 minutes to cook).
- When the 20 minute baking time for the eggplant is nearly finished, heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the grape seed oil and allow to heat.
- After the eggplants have cooked in the oven for 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet.
- Working in batches of 3 to 4 pieces of eggplant, place them in the hot oil in the skillet. Fry them on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant piece, until each side is lightly browned. Place the fried eggplants back onto the baking sheet. Work until all of the eggplants are fried.
- Top each eggplant slice with pieces of fresh torn mozzarella (if using). Place the eggplants back into the oven for 10 minutes to continue to cook the eggplant and melt the cheese.
- FOR SERVING:
- Serve the eggplant with the spaghetti and sauce on the side so that the eggplant breading will not get soggy from sitting in the sauce. Serve with extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- The eggplant Parmesan is best eaten when fresh.
- Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
*Chose a firm, skinny eggplant with a bright green stem to yield the best results.
Don’t skip the step of draining the eggplant. This helps to draw out the moisture and release some of the bitterness that can often be detected in eggplant.
Don’t skip the frying step. My original goal was to only bake the eggplant in the oven but it just didn’t produce as much of a satisfying crunch as when it was fried a little bit. This step is well worth the extra effort.
Cooking method adapted from: Minimalist Baker
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