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    Home » Recipes » Dinner » Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan

    Published: Sep 12, 2022 · Modified: Apr 23, 2023 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    An Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan copycat using the exact recipe that Olive Garden uses! Full of meaty eggplant, marinara sauce, and melted cheese, learn how to make this italian classic, eggplant parmigiana, at home.

    3 slices of eggplant parmesan on a white plate.

    While I love a good dinner out, I am all about remaking restaurant favorites at home. It's significantly more affordable and you can tailor everything to fit you and your family's tastes.

    This Olive Garden eggplant parmigiana recipe is the exact recipe that Olive Garden uses (thank you, Reddit), and it's surprisingly simple to make! Serve this italian staple with some salad and garlic butter breadsticks for the full experience. Don't forget the freshly grated parmesan cheese!

    olive garden eggplant parmesan on a plate with noodles.

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    Ingredients

    ingredients for olive garden eggplant parmesan on a white background.
    • eggplant
    • flour
    • eggs
    • milk
    • bread crumbs
    • olive oil
    • marinara sauce
    • fresh mozzarella cheese

    How to make copycat Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan

    Wash eggplant and trim off ends. Slice into ¼ inch thick slices, approximately 12 slices should come out of a standard sized eggplant.

    slices of eggplant on a green cutting board.
    flour, breadcrumbs, and egg wash, in separate bowls.

    Measure flour and bread crumbs into separate bowls. Measure egg wash ingredients (egg and milk) into a bowl and whisk together.

    Coat eggplant slice completely in flour.

    Next, coat the flour covered slice in egg wash mixture.

    Coat with breadcrumbs until completely covered and place on a plate to the side. Repeat steps until all of the eggplant slices have been coated.

    one slice of eggplant in a bowl of flour.
    one slice of eggplant in an egg wash.
    one slice of eggplant in a bowl of breadcrumbs.

    Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in stages fry eggplant until both sides are golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat until all eggplant slices have been fried.

    4 slices of breaded eggplant in a frying pan
    4 slices of breaded eggplant golden brown in a frying pan

    Place in a casserole dish or baking sheet. Cover with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender.

    breaded eggplant slices in a white baking dish.
    fried eggplant covered in marinara.
    breaded eggplant covered in sauce and fresh mozzarella in a baking dish.

    Serve with a extra marinara sauce on the side and a bed of pasta noodles.

    olive garden eggplant parmesan in a casserole dish.

    Optional cooking methods

    Olive Garden actually broils their eggplant instead of frying, but I find that difficult to control. This recipe calls for the breaded eggplant to be pan fried, but you can certainly prepare it other ways if you would like.

    Air fry for less oil but still a lot of crispness. If you have an air fryer, you can certainly air fry the eggplant instead of pan frying. Simply prepare as normal and then brush or spray with a bit of oil. Air fry at 390 for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

    You will have to work in batches with this method because most air fryers don't have the capacity to do all of the eggplant at once.

    Bake for a more hands off method. After breading the eggplant, you can spray or brush with oil and place all of them in a single layer in baking dish. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, until the eggplant are tender inside and crispy outside. Remove from the oven and top with sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

    plated eggplant parmesan with spaghetti.

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Make sure to divide the oil when pan frying. The breadcrumbs and eggplant will soak it up with cooking, and you don't want to run out before you finish cooking all of it. Divide by how many batches you will doing and add a fraction each time.
    • Peel the eggplant for a smoother bite. Olive Garden does not peel their eggplant before breading it, so I kept it on as well. I think next time I make it, I will remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. The skin is slightly tougher than zucchini skin, but still completely edible.
    olive garden copycat eggplant with pasta.

    What to serve with eggplant parmesan?

    At Olive Garden you would generally see eggplant parmesan served with a side of spaghetti and the classic olive garden salad. You could even pair it with crockpot olive garden chicken.

    I always find it nice to serve with additional red sauce for dipping. If you want to keep the dish lower carb, you can serve the fried eggplant without pasta and just do steamed broccoli or a salad.

    If you want to add a little extra protein, try serving with a side of italian sausage or chicken breast.

    3 slices of eggplant parmigiana on a white plate.

    Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan

    Sarah Baumeister
    A copycat Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan recipe for an easy way to enjoy this classic italian restaurant favorite at home.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course dinner
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 343 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 large eggplant
    • ¼ cup flour
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup milk
    • ½ cup bread crumbs
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup marinara sauce
    • 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Wash eggplant and trim off ends. Slice into ¼ inch thick slices, approximately 12 slices should come out of a standard sized eggplant.
    • Measure flour and bread crumbs into separate bowls. Measure egg wash ingredients (egg and milk) into a bowl and whisk together.
    • Coat eggplant slice completely in flour.
    • Next, coat the flour covered slice in egg wash mixture.
    • Coat with breadcrumbs until completely covered and place on a plate to the side. Repeat steps until all of the eggplant slices have been coated.
    • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in stages fry eggplant until both sides are golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat until all eggplant slices have been fried.
    • Place in a casserole dish or baking sheet. Cover with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender.
    • Serve with a extra marinara sauce on the side and a bed of pasta noodles.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 9gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 302mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7g
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I could stand and am excited to share my love for being in the kitchen with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, we love it all!

    Learn more about me →

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