Eggplant Parmesan With Easy Homemade Sauce

I wasn't an eggplant lover until a friend gave me this eggplant Parmesan with homemade tomato sauce recipe which I have tweaked and updated. The sauce is made with just a few ingredients and is far tastier than canned sauce. All you need is a side salad and crusty bread to make a meal!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 389 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) package fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 eggplant - trimmed, peeled, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 ½ (6 ounce) cans water

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8x14-inch baking dish.

Step 2

Mix seasoned bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes in a shallow bowl. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and press into bread crumb mixture to coat. Lay slices onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove eggplant and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 3

Whisk tomato paste and water in a saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper.

Step 4

Place eggplant slices into the prepared baking dish, overlapping the slices. Spoon tomato sauce over eggplant and top with mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 more minutes to give cheese topping a golden color. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.