Crispy Baked Eggplant with Cherry Tomatoes

This Crispy Baked Eggplant with Cherry Tomatoes is coated in bread crumbs, then baked to perfection. It's crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and topped with roasted cherry tomatoes.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

You are going to love this eggplant recipe. It's filled with all those delicious summer flavors and it's made healthier by baking instead of frying. You won't believe how crispy these get!

This is the perfect vegetarian summer dinner that's great for meatless monday, or any night of the week.

If you're looking for more summer recipes, we've got plenty!

Ingredients

• Eggplant: One large eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds). You could use 2 smaller eggplant instead. Check out these tips for buying eggplant.
• Bread crumbs: Both panko and whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs, to make it extra crispy. If you don't have whole wheat, you can use regular.
• Parmesan Cheese: A couple tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. This gives it a little extra flavor, however you can leave it out to make it dairy-free.
• Egg: Just one egg mixed with a splash of water for breading the eggplant.
• Cherry Tomatoes: One pint of cherry tomatoes. I like to use multi colored, however regular red ones taste just as good!
• Olive Oil: For drizzling over the tomatoes before roasted, and to spray over the breaded eggplant to help it turn golden brown while baking.
• Sea Salt: To salt the eggplant before breading it. This will draw out any excess moisture and bitterness.
• Fresh Basil: For serving.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Generously salt both sides of the eggplant slices and place on a clean towel. Let them sit for 30 minutes to draw out any extra moisture and bitterness. Rinse with cold water to remove the salt, then pat dry with a clean towel.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with olive oil.
3. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. In another shallow bowl or plate, toss the panko, seasoned bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese until combined.
4. Dip the eggplant slices, one at a time, into the egg mixture. Then dip it into the bread crumb mixture until completely coated. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray the tops with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden.
5. Meanwhile, place the cherry tomatoes onto a small baking sheet. Drizzle with some olive oil and season with sea salt. Toss to coat. Place in the oven for the last 10-15 minutes of the eggplant baking.
6. Top the eggplant with the roasted cherry tomatoes, serve and enjoy!

Although Step 1 (salting the eggplant to draw out the bitterness) is optional, I highly recommend it.

Variations

These are some other variations on this Crispy Baked Eggplant.

• Top with marinara or pesto instead of roasted cherry tomatoes.
• Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella on top during the last 5 minutes of baking.
• Use your favorite type of tomato. Sliced heirloom or roma tomatoes would also be delicious as a topping.
• Make it in the air fryer instead of the oven. Adjust the temperature and cook time accordingly.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve Crispy Baked Eggplant with a side salad or over some pasta. It's a light and delicious summer dinner. You could also make it into a sandwich or panini with some pesto, marinara, and/or mozzarella. Another fun way to serve this dish is to cut it into smaller pieces before breading, and serve it as an appetizer.

It also warms up well if you have any leftover. Preheat the oven to 375°F, then bake until heated.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Summer Vegetable Recipes

If you like this recipe, then you'll love these other summer vegetable recipes!

• Eggplant Rollatini
• Tomato Basil Spaghetti Squash
• Baked Zucchini Chips with Sriracha Aioli
• Grilled Vegetable Platter

If you make this recipe and love it, please leave a 5-star rating and comment below!

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