Crispy Cheesy Baked Eggplant Slices

Easy to make, these baked eggplant slices are topped with parmesan and panko for one delicious vegetables side dish.

Close up of baked eggplant slices with panko breadcrumbs and parmesan.

Last Updated on September 26, 2022 by Betty Davies

Coated in parmesan and panko breadcrumbs, these baked eggplant slices are one delicious bite! Simple to make with just a handful of every day ingredients, these eggplant rounds are a delicious veggie side to accompany your favorite meals.

Baked eggplant rounds with a crispy topping.

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These baked eggplant (aubergine) slices are an easy way to get get some veggies, flavor and texture onto your plate. These are seriously delicious guys!

Eggplant is cut into rounds, tossed in seasonings and then topped with panko breadcrumbs and baked. The topping is crispy and cheesy, and they are pretty irresistible! The baked eggplant is soft with a creamy texture, and this will work so well with all of your favorite dishes.

If you are making this side dish, be sure to buy some extra eggplant and make up this delicious Panda Express Eggplant Tofu later in the week – it’s one of my favorite meat-free recipes right now!

Be sure to try my Baked Sweet Potato Slices and Crispy Fried Potato Slices too!

Why you will love this recipe!

Simple ingredients: Made with everyday ingredients, it’s likely that you’ll have most things on hand already.
Easy: This eggplant side dish is super easy and quick to prep, and the cooking time is totally hands off.
So crispy! The panko breadcrumb topping is baked to crispy perfection. With a sprinkle of parmesan, they are pretty much perfection!

Crispy cheesy eggplant slices on a serving plate.

Ingredients

Eggplant: The eggplant is cut into rounds before being seasoned, topped and baked.
Oil: Any high heat neutral oil will work well. Avocado, vegetable and canola all work great.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Parmesan: Use freshly grated parm for the best flavor and texture.
Breadcrumbs: Use panko breadcrumbs for the crispiest bite. In a pinch, you can use regular breadcrumbs, but

How to make Baked Eggplant Slices

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

Toss the egg plant rounds in the oil, seasonings, parm and breadcrumbs (photo 1).
Place in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet and top with breadcrumbs and parm from the bowl (photo 2).
Bake til golden brown and crispy (photo 3).

Three step by step photos to show how to make the recipe.

Recipe Variations

This baked eggplant slices are crispy, cheesy and so so delicious! You can easily adapt the recipe to suit different dietary needs:

Make them vegetarian: Use a rennet free hard cheese to substitute the parmesan.
Make them vegan: Use some nutritional yeast to replace the parmesan.
Make them gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you peel the eggplant?

The flesh of the eggplant gets very soft during baking, so it’s important to keep the purple skin on so that they hold together. The contracts in color also looks pretty on the plate!

Can you make this recipe with other vegetables?

I love eggplant, but you could easily adapt this recipe to use other veggies. Zucchini, portobello mushrooms, sweet potatoes or summer squash will work great with the other ingredients in this recipe, and the method will remain the same.

Can you make this side dish ahead of time?

This dish is best prepped and served straight away. Once sliced, the eggplant can start to brown, and once baked, if it’s stored, it can start to become quite soggy.

Do you have to salt the eggplant before cooking?

A lot of older recipes call for the eggplant to be salted first, this is to reduce bitterness. No harm done if you do, but modern varieties of eggplants are much less bitter so they really don’t need it.

Four eggplant rounds stacked on top of each other.

Serving Suggestions

This cheesy and crispy eggplant side dish is great to serve with all of your favorite meals. From fish to chicken and beef to vegetarian dishes, there’s not much this won’t suit! Try this with:

Recipe Notes and Tips

Cut the eggplant as evenly as you can. Slice the rounds about 1/4 inch in thickness.
Go easy on the salt. The parmesan is quite salty, so you don’t need much more than a pinch.
Line your baking sheet with foil or parchment to cook. The parmesan will melt, so this will make the slices easy to remove from the pan.

Eggplant slices served with a fresh parsley garnish.

These baked eggplant slices are a delicious way to make the most out of this purple veggie. Perfectly cheesy and crispy, each bite is so flavorful. Pick one up from the store today!

More Cheesy Side Dishes

If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!