10 Eggplant Parmesan Recipes

It's Comfort Food at Its Best

Eggplant Bake

Few Italian dishes conjure up the iconic feeling of comfort food like eggplant parmesan. It has all the rich, cheesiness of chicken parmesan, without the meat. It's also a great way to use up extra eggplant from your summer garden or make the most of the purple produce. Try one of these eggplant parmesan recipes, and some twists on the classic, for dinner tonight.

  • 01 of 10

    Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

    Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
    Iain Bagwell/Stockbyte/Getty Images

    No one will miss the animal products in this satisfying vegan eggplant Parmesan. Soy or other nondairy cheese, silken tofu, tahini, and nutritional yeast contribute to that savory, cheesy flavor you love, while still being perfect for vegans or those avoiding dairy.

  • 02 of 10

    Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan

    Eggplant Parmigiana
    Eggplant Parmigiana. Diana Rattray

    Eggplant gets coated in breadcrumbs and then sautéed before layering in the slow cooker to create a lovely, hands-off eggplant parmesan. This recipe works great for days when you don't want to heat up your kitchen or stand over the stove.

  • 03 of 10

    Eggplant and Tomato Casserole

    Eggplant with Sweet Onions and Tomatoes and Mozzarella Cheese
    Eggplant with Sweet Onions and Tomatoes. Diana Rattray

    This eggplant casserole tastes very similar to eggplant parmesan, but just without the name (or the breading). You don't dredge the eggplant in breadcrumbs like in other recipes, so this one has fewer carbs than the traditional preparation and is naturally gluten-free.

  • 04 of 10

    Authentic Eggplant Parmigiana

    Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di melanzane)
    Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di melanzane). Fabio Bianchini/Getty

    This authentic eggplant parmigiana comes straight from Italy, where the eggplant doesn't get breaded before assembling the layers. It also calls for Buffalo mozzarella, which will give the dish a soft, velvety texture. And because it uses less cheese than some, you will really taste the eggplant.

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  • 05 of 10

    Stuffed Eggplant with Beef

    Stuffed Eggplant Parm

    The Spruce

    If you like your eggplant with a little extra heft, try this stuffed eggplant with ground beef, tomato sauce, and cheese. It tastes similar to eggplant parmesan, but with the addition of beef. Use smaller eggplants so each halved eggplant makes one serving.

  • 06 of 10

    Greek-Style Stuffed Eggplant

    Baked stuffed eggplant with cheese
    istetiana / Getty Images

    This stuffed eggplant recipe tastes like a cross between eggplant parmesan and the Greek moussaka. Eggplants get halved and stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, garlic, spices, and some ground beef. Then, the whole thing gets covered with a creamy béchamel sauce for a gooey comfort food treat.

  • 07 of 10

    Baked Eggplant with Feta

    Stuufed eggplants with mozzarella
    Viel, Pierre Louis / Getty Images

    Give your eggplant parmesan a Greek accent by swapping out the mozzarella for feta in these easy eggplant boats. Use the long, slender ones often labeled "Italian eggplants" for this recipe, which don't have the signature bitterness that you sometimes find in other types. It makes a wonderful end-of-summer dish when eggplants are plentiful.

  • 08 of 10

    Grilled Eggplant with Spinach and Feta

    Eggplant involtini

    Try these smoky grilled eggplant slices rolled around spinach and feta, then baked in a succulent tomato sauce. It comes out similar to eggplant parmesan, but with a smokier, saltier, slightly lighter flavor. Prepare it for a meatless main or as a hearty side.

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  • 09 of 10

    Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

    Eggplant Bake with Bread Crumb Topping
    Eggplant Bake with Bread Crumb Topping. Diana Rattray

    Think of eggplant parmesan but swap mozzarella for cheddar, tomato sauce for diced tomatoes, and add a creamy sauce and you have this comforting cheesy eggplant casserole. It tastes just as rich and smooth as the original, with a slightly different profile.

  • 10 of 10

    Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cheese

    Roasted tomatoes and eggplant

     Olena Sudina/EyeEm/Getty Images

    If you want the flavor of eggplant parmesan but as a side dish, try these roasted eggplants and tomatoes with parmesan cheese. Roasting eggplants and tomatoes give them a lovely smoky note that tastes awesome alongside steak, chicken, or even pork.