The End-All Best Eggplant Parmesan Recipe, Period (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep eggplant parmesan from getting soggy? ›

You want to do the most to protect your eggplant. Salting it to remove moisture before it starts cooking is very important (and letting it squeeze out excess moisture beneath the weight of a heavy pot for an hour is crucial, too). Then cut it lengthwise instead of across into medallions.

The peel of an eggplant is completely edible. However, as the eggplant grows bigger and matures, the peel may become tough and bitter. People often prefer to peel larger eggplants because of this, but smaller eggplants do just fine unpeeled. It ends up being a matter of personal preference.

Arrange the eggplant slices on several baking sheets and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 hour. Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water.

It helps draw out moisture from the eggplant. You don't have to salt eggplant though, it depends on the texture your looking for. Salting gives it a more creamy texture when cooked and not salting helps the eggplant hold up and be a little firmer after cooked.

Submerge the pieces in the salted water. Use an upside-down plate or pot lid to weigh down the eggplant so it is fully submerged in the water. Let the eggplant sit in the brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Drain the eggplant and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towels.

Making Eggplant Parmesan Ahead of Time

When preparing eggplant parmesan in advance, you will definitely lose some of the crispness of the breading. With that said, you can layer and assemble the eggplant parmesan in the baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight.

Next, soak the eggplant in ice-cold water: The chill shocks the surface of the vegetable and fills tiny air pockets between the cells, preventing the oil from entering them.

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Avoid using fresh mozzarella, as it can add too much extra moisture and make the eggplant parmigiana watery.

Undercooked eggplant will ruin your eggplant Parmesan. The texture of undercooked eggplant is tough and spongy at the same time. Ideally, the texture should be firm enough to sink your teeth into but with a crisp outside and a chewy inside.

Why isn't my eggplant crispy? ›

The best eggplant is caramelized and crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. This is achieved by giving the cubes or slices enough room to brown while they cook. If you overcrowd them in the pan or baking sheet, they'll steam instead of brown and you'll never get that caramelization.

We want less seeds to have the driest eggplant slices possible. Also, bigger eggplants can yield a more bitter taste. (We actually got to PICK our own italian eggplants in Tuscany for this dish). parmesan cheese - Don't you DARE buy the pre-shredded kind!

Not necessarily; it depends on what you're looking for in the finished dish. Though salting works when you want the eggplant to be creamy and tender — such as with parmigiana — in those cases where you want the eggplant to retain its shape and have a slightly firmer texture — such as ratatouille — you can skip it.

Salt your eggplant if it's old and soft and/or if you're frying it and looking for a texture so accommodating it will bend over backwards for you—or, if you're doing absolutely everything in your will to make sure it doesn't taste bitter.

Most people prefer to rinse their eggplant after salting it, but you'll be fine without this extra step. Instead, you can simply blot excess salt with a paper towel or bypass this step entirely for a super well-seasoned eggplant. Should you peel eggplant before cooking?