How to Make Eggplant Parmesan "Cutlets" (Patreon)

This article and recipe are a Super Frienji and Cookbook Club exclusive. Join the club to get the full build, trade notes with fellow kitchen obsessives, and hang with a community of cooks and food nerds swapping tips, stories, and sandwich secrets—plus learn why shingling, compressing, and resting matter just as much as salami, provolone, and olive oil.

A few weeks back I was scrolling my Instagram feed when I came across a video posted by my friend Joe Sasto making what, at the time, was a new-to-me form of eggplant parmesan. See, I love simplicity of classic Sicilian melanzane alla Parmigiana—bare eggplant fried until creamy in olive oil, layered with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. I'm also a huge fan of the Italian-American version where the eggplant is breaded, fried, and baked in a big, bubbling casserole (I have a recipe for it in my first book that also appears on Serious Eats). But this eggplant parm Joe was making was something different, more closely resembling an eggplant version of chicken or veal parm, where the main ingredient is breaded and fried, then served with a layer of sauce and cheese.

Turns out that Joe got the idea from a sandwich Jess Jenkins (@adip_chef) had recently posted on his own Instagram feed. The idea was simple. Rather than slice, purge, bread, and fry the eggplant, instead he roasted the whole eggplant over the flame of a gas burner until the skin was charred and the flesh was tender—just as you'd do for a dish like baba ganoush. After that he carefully peeled off the charred skin, flattened the eggplant with a fork (eggplant flesh is full of air pockets, so once the heat collapses those spongy cell walls, it compresses into a dense, creamy texture when pressed), breaded it, fried it, and served it in a sandwich with a quick cherry tomato sauce, slices of mozzarella cheese, and fried basil leaves.

Both versions struck a chord: treat the eggplant less like a casserole filler and more like a cutlet. You can even leave the stem on if you want to serve your eggplant cutlets "bone-in." I tried out the technique, testing a few different cooking methods, and came up with a version that works for me. Here's how I do it.

Trial by Fire (and Broiler, and Pizza Oven)

First, I tested preparing the eggplant with a broiler, the flame of a gas burner, and the pizza oven. All of them work very well, so long as you turn the eggplants once in a while to make sure they char evenly. I like to use smaller eggplant varieties—Italian or Japanese—as opposed to larger globe eggplants which are difficult to cook all the way through without completely incinerating.

Leaving the skin on is key—it not only traps the steam to gently cooks the flesh (so instead of drying out, it turns tender and rich), but it also chars and adds a layer of smoky flavor to the dish. A grill or even a live wood or charcoal fire would get you even smokier results if that's what you're after.

One note: prick a couple of holes in the skin of the eggplant with a fork or a skewer. I've had more than one eggplant explode on me from built-up steam pressure when I've forgotten to do that.

Once the eggplants are charred all over and tender throughout (a knife or skewer should go through them with no resistance), I like to cover them so that the steam they give off can help loosen their skin. An overturned bowl works, as does a paper grocery bag.

After they've cooled, a fork is the easiest way to get the skin off of them, gently pulling at it to remove the charred skin while disturbing the flesh as little as possible. You can use the same fork to gently flatten them into dense, creamy "cutlets" (leaving the stem on, if you prefer).

You can do all of this in advance, storing the peeled eggplant cutlets in the fridge until you're ready to fry and serve. In fact, it makes the breading process a bit easier to work with chilled eggplant—hot eggplant is very delicate.

Crumb and Get It

From there, it’s standard Parm technique: dredge in seasoned flour, dip in beaten egg, coat in breadcrumbs, and fry in olive oil until golden and crisp. Breading the eggplant can be the trickiest step, especially if you try while the eggplant is hot. As always, I like to keep one hand for lifting things out of the dry ingredients and depositing them into the wet, and vice versa with the other hand. When lifting that eggplant, make sure to cradle it gently so that it doesn't fall apart. For the breadcrumb layer, I gently lay the eggplant down in the plate of crumbs, then use my dry hand to scoop more crumbs on top before gently pressing and flipping. This saves me from accidentally breading my fingers.

The beauty of roasting first is that much of the moisture has already cooked out, so you end up with cutlets that are creamy, dense, and packed with flavor. As the eggplant cutlets finish frying, I transfer them to a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a warm (200°F) oven to stay hot and crisp while I finish frying the remaining cutlets.

The sauce is very simple and based on my Pasta with Quick Cherry Tomato Sauce. Cherry tomatoes are ideal for quick cooking: they’re high in natural pectin, which helps the sauce thicken and gloss over without a long simmer. They also happen to ship better when ripe—thank the square-cube law for that—since their small size means they don’t crush under their own weight. I toss them into a skillet with olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (I like to add a sprig of thyme, rosemary, or basil, too). Cook until they burst and turn jammy—it only takes a few minutes.

To finish, I spoon the sauce over the fried eggplant cutlets, tear some burrata or fresh mozzarella on top, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, drizzle with some more extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish with a bit of parsley or basil. I don't even bother heating the cheese, though you can if you want it a little gooier. When you break through that crust, it’s everything you want from eggplant Parm—velvety and saucy—but with more intense eggplant flavor, a hint of smokiness, and a crisp crust.

This “bone-in” eggplant Parm sits somewhere between a sandwich filling and a plated entrée. You can serve it with a knife and fork, or tuck it into bread like Jesse’s version for an over-the-top parm sub. Either way, it captures that satisfying mix of crunch, smoke, and creaminess that makes eggplant such a chameleon.

Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan "Cutlets"

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I love about this recipe:

Whole roasted or grilled eggplant turns smoky, rich, and silky.

Flattening the peeled eggplant creates a “cutlet” with a creamy, dense texture.

Cherry tomatoes make an ultra-quick, jammy sauce thanks to their natural pectin.

Creamy burrata or fresh mozzarella provides perfect textural contrast.

Roasting or grilling eggplant whole makes it smoky and rich—no bitter, soggy slices.

Yield: 4 servings

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 

Notes: You can roast, grill, or char the eggplants a day ahead, then peel, press, and fry when ready.

Ingredients

For the eggplant cutlets

4 small Italian or Japanese eggplants (about 6- to 8-ounces each; 170-225g)

Decent quality olive oil for drizzling and frying

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging

3 large eggs, very well beaten

2 cups (7 ounces; 200g) fine dry breadcrumbs or panko

For the quick cherry tomato sauce

3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces; 45ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 quart (about 1 1/4 pounds; 600g) cherry tomatoes

1 small thyme, rosemary, or basil sprig (optional)

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For finishing

1 ball (9 ounces; 250g) burrata or fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Basil or parsley leaves, for garnish

Method

Char the eggplants:Heat a grill, pizza oven, broiler, or gas burner to high, or preheat your broiler to 450°F (230°C). Prick each eggplant a few times with a fork or skewer to prevent steam explosions. Roast or grill whole, turning occasionally, until the skin is fully blackened and the flesh feels soft and custardy throughout (a knife or skewer inserted into it should have no resistance), about 15-20 minutes.

Steam and peel:Transfer the charred eggplants to a tray and cover with foil or an overturned bowl for about 10 minutes. The trapped steam helps loosen the skins. Once cool enough to handle, use a fork to gently peel away the skin (keep the stem intact if you want to serve them "bone-in").

Flatten and season:Use the same fork or your hand to press each peeled eggplant into a rough oval “cutlet.” The roasted flesh compresses easily, becoming dense and creamy. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. (Chilling the cutlets at this stage makes breading easier.)

Bread:Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). Set up three shallow dishes—one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs. Working one cutlet at a time and using one hand only, lift the cutlet and place it in the bowl of flour (this is your “wet” hand). Use your other hand (your “dry” hand) to lift some flour and sprinkle it over the top, then use your dry hand to flip the cutlet and ensure it is coated evenly in flour. Use your dry hand to transfer the cutlet to the beaten egg, then use your wet hand to turn the cutlet and ensure it is completely coated. Transfer the cutlet to the breadcrumbs using your wet hand, then use your dry hand to lift crumbs and bury the cutlet. Press gently with your dry hand to ensure an even coating. Lift the cutlet and transfer to a large plate or baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Dry:Heat 1/2 inch (1cm) of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the eggplant cutlets in a single layer until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, season with salt, and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest and make the sauce.

Make the sauce:In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and the herb sprig (if using). Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes burst and the sauce thickens to a jammy consistency, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and discard the herb sprig.(Science note: Cherry tomatoes are naturally high in pectin, which gives quick sauces body. Their small size also lets them ripen on the vine and get shipped without crushing under their own weight)

Assemble and serve:Spoon some sauce onto a preheated serving plate. Shingle the eggplant cutlets on top and spoon the remaining sauce over them, leaving some of the crust un-sauced. Top with torn burrata or mozzarella, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with basil or parsley. Serve immediately, or briefly broil to melt the cheese if you prefer it gooier.