Here, almond flour, pork panko, and Parmesan cheese create a deliciously crisp, savory coating for tender eggplant. Once baked and topped with keto-friendly marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella, it’s a dream dinner, without the sogginess and pan-fry mess of traditional eggplant Parmesan. If you prefer easy cleanup over pretty baking-dish presentation, cook the eggplant on a baking sheet or baking dish lined with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.
Ingredients List
- cooking spray
- 1 large or 2 medium eggplants (1¼ lb total), ends trimmed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp water
- 3/4 cups fine almond flour
- 3/4 cup pork panko
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup no-sugar-added marinara sauce (like Yo Mama’s or Rao’s)
- 1 cup (3 oz) shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 lightly packed cup fresh basil leaves, rough chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray an 11- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 6 1/2-inch-thick slices.
- In a small baking dish, whisk together the eggs and the water.
- In another baking dish, mix together the almond flour, pork panko, half of the Parmesan, and the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, letting extra egg drip off, then dredge it through the almond flour-panko mixture. Place the coated eggplant on the prepared baking sheet in one layer. Bake, flipping halfway through, until the breading is deep golden brown and eggplant is very tender, about 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining Parmesan cheese and the mozzarella.
- Remove the eggplant from the oven, top each slice with some of the marinara sauce followed by the Parmesan-mozzarella mix. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden in spots, 5 to 8 minutes more. Garnish with the basil and serve.
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Credits
RecipeEric Lundy
PhotographyErin Ng
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