Martha Stewart's Super Simple Eggplant Parm Skips the Messy Frying, but Keeps the Flavor

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We grew up eating eggplant parmesan, and even though we still love it, it’s not something we make at home very often. That’s because we remember how much work went into making the dish. Eggplants were sliced, salted, and patted dry; the countertops became cluttered with bowls full of egg, flour, and breadcrumbs; and then came the frying, done in several batches, and leaving our biggest skillet full of old oil and burnt crumbs. So when we saw Martha Stewart’s eggplant parmesan recipe, which keeps our favorite parts (creamy eggplant, crispy breadcrumbs, cheese) and removes the frying element, we were immediately on board.

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Martha Stewart dramatically simplifies eggplant parmesan in her recipe. Rather than slicing the eggplant into rounds, she cuts it lengthwise into four planks. That’s immediately easier to work with than dozens of small rounds.

Then, instead of being breaded and fried, the eggplant slices are broiled on both sides until tender. Stewart tops them with a Parmigiano-Reggiano panko breadcrumb mix, then broils one more time to get the topping golden and crispy. You get the same craveable contrast of creamy and crunchy as with the original recipe, and the flavor of savory salty Parm infuses each bite, all without having to deep-fry.

Courtesy of Shirakiku.

Rather than pair this eggplant parm with tomato sauce, Stewart puts together a fast and flavorful salad with a smoked paprika dressing, fresh mint, and arugula.

Courtesy of Burlap & Barrel.

The salad adds a pop of freshness that helps lighten up the already pretty bright-tasting eggplant parm. Best of all? Including both the eggplant and the salad, this recipe comes together in just 30 minutes. That’s a weeknight win in our books.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below: