Eggplant Parmesan Pasta (Baked Casserole)

★★★★★
“Tried this dish and it came out excellent! The entire family loved it and it was my first attempt at cooking with eggplant. I love your blog – I will definitely be trying more recipes.”
– Anonymous

Eggplant Parmigiana is one of those dishes I refrain from ordering in a restaurant due to the unforeseen calories and fat. For this reason, I have my mom’s healthier Baked (not fried) Eggplant Parmesan recipe on the blog.

I took the “original” eggplant parm recipe one step further, added whole wheat spaghetti in Rao’s Homemade Marinara, and baked it all together. The end result is a mindblowing baked casserole dish with a fraction of the calories.

For the Eggplant Bake

• Eggplant – Slice the eggplant into 1/4″ slices. Anything larger, and I find the eggplant won’t bake all the way.
• All-Purpose White Flour – Use regular white flour, or for a gluten-free option, use white gluten-free flour.
• Eggs – You’ll need eggs to bind the flour and panko crumbs. If you prefer eggless, use milk instead.
• Panko Crumbs with Seasonings – For the breadcrumb mixture, add panko crumbs and season with dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.

For the Spaghetti & Sauce

• Spaghetti (whole wheat) – I love using whole-wheat pasta, however feel free to use white pasta or gluten-free. Additionally, linguine, rigatoni, and penne would all work well here.
• Marinara Sauce – I used 24 ounces of store-bought Marinara sauce since there are some great options nowadays. I love Rao’s Marinara Sauce.
• Garlic – A few cloves of chopped garlic.
• Onions – You’ll need chopped white onions.
• Olive Oil – You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
• Spices – Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, and Black Pepper.

For Assembling

• Cheese – Sliced Burrata and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Fresh Basil – Julienned fresh basil leaves.
• Marinara Sauce – You’ll need an additional 2 cups of jarred Marinara sauce to top over the eggplant slices and for the base of this dish.

*See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.*

Substitutions

• For gluten-free – use gluten-free white flour instead of all-purpose white flour. Use the gluten-free panko crumbs and gluten-free spaghetti.
• For dairy-free – use non-dairy parmesan cheese and burrata. If you can’t find non-dairy burrata, use non-dairy mozzarella cheese instead.
• For egg-free eggplant parmesan – use almond milk or regular dairy milk in place of eggs.
• For cheese – you may substitute fresh mozzarella cheese for burrata cheese. You should definitely use parmesan cheese though.
• For whole wheat spaghetti – Instead of whole wheat spaghetti, you may use rigatoni or penne. Additionally, you can use whole wheat pasta of your choice.

How to Make Eggplant Parmesan Pasta Recipe

Step 1 – Bake the Eggplant

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees while you prep the eggplant. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large baking tray. (Image 1)

2. Brush the olive oil all over. (Image 2)

3. Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch pieces. (Image 3)

4. Dip the eggplant slices in all-purpose flour on both sides. Coat it well. (Image 4)

5. Now dip the eggplant slice in eggs on both sides. Again, coat it well. (Image 5)

6. Finally, dip the eggplant slice in the seasoned panko bread crumbs on both sides. Make sure to season the panko crumbs with garlic powder, dry oregano, dry basil, salt, and black pepper. (Image 6)

7. Place the eggplant pieces on the greased baking tray. Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees – flipping halfway. (Image 7)

8. Once done, the eggplant should be slightly golden brown. (Image 8)

Step 2 – Prepare the Sauce & Spaghetti

1. Boil a pot of water for the pasta. (Image 1)

2. Once boiling, season well with salt. Add whole wheat spaghetti to the large pot of salted water. Follow the instructions on the back of the pasta box and cook pasta until al dente. (Image 2)

3. Heat up a Dutch castiron on medium heat. Once hot, add two tablespoons of olive oil. (Image 3)

4. Once the oil is hot, add crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds.(Image 4)

5. Now add chopped garlic. Cook for 45 seconds or so. (Image 5)

6. Add chopped onion and season with salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the onions are golden-brown. (Image 6)

7. Add 24 ounces of Marinara sauce – I used Rao’s Marinara. (Image 7)

8. Season with black pepper. You really don’t need salt since the sauce has enough. Cover and simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes. (Image 8)

9. Once heated through, add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss until well coated. (Image 9)

10. This is what you should have. (Image 10)

Step 3 – Assemble Eggplant Parm Pasta Bake

Note: You’ll need some additional ingredients – grated parmesan cheese, fresh burrata that’s been sliced, freshly julienned basil, and another 2 cups of Marinara sauce straight from the jar (again, I used Rao’s Homemade Marinara).

1. Add 1/2 cup of Marinara sauce to the bottom of the baking dish. (Image 1)

2. Transfer all the spaghetti to the baking dish. (Image 2)

3. Place 6 crispy eggplant slices (or more if your baking dish is wider) over the spaghetti. (Image 3)

4. Top each slice of eggplant with a spoonful of jarred Marinara sauce. (Image 4)

5. Top each slice of eggplant with burrata cheese and about a tablespoon of grated parmesan. (Image 5)

Repeat steps 4-6 one more time with another layer of eggplant slices. Then add Marinara sauce followed by burrata and parmesan cheese. (Image 6)

7. Add the remaining eggplant, cut them in half if you need to, and place them in sections over the spaghetti where there is room. (Image 7)

8. Top the eggplant pieces with Marinara sauce and both cheeses as follows. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees – uncovered. (Image 8)

9. Once done, this is what you should have. (Image 9)

10. Top with julienned basil leaves. Serve immediately because this dish is best eaten hot. (Image 10)

Serving Suggestions

→ Enjoy this Baked Eggplant Parmesan Pasta hot. Serve immediately once out of the oven.

→ Pair this dish with a glass of red wine such as Chianti.

→ This dish is pretty carb-heavy so serve bread only if you are cooking for a crowd. Garlic Bread is always a great option prepared on a baguette of French or Italian bread.

→ A simple Arugula Salad prepared with a Balsamic dressing is elegant and delicious.

More Baked Casserole Recipes

Pasta & Noodles

Vegetable Lasagna (gluten-free option)

Vegetarian

Baked Ziti with Spinach (vegetarian, vegan option, gluten-free option)

Recipes

Baked Eggplant Spinach Rollatini (gluten-free)

Vegetarian

Baked Eggplant Parmesan (GF option, Vegan option, Vegetarian)

Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I’m happy to share and mention you. Thank you!