Recipe

Best Italian Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich (Pan Fried Recipe)

Servings:
4
Total Time:
1
hr
15
min
Jump to RecipeA slice of an eggplant parmesan sandwich on a plate.
Healthy Highlights
Meal Type
Main Dishes
Sandwiches
Dietary
Vegetarian
Follow Along

I love an eggplant parmesan so making it into a sandwich is all the better. You get the seasoned eggplant, the melty cheese, and the flavorful marinara sauce all in one bite. These eggplant parmesan sandwiches take a little bit of time but are so worth it!

How to Make an Eggplant Sandwich

There are a few steps you need to make an eggplant sandwich. Here is a quick breakdown of the steps.

  1. Salt the eggplant to pull out excess moisture.
  2. Bread and fry the eggplant.
  3. Assemble the sandwich and toast it.
Slice of an eggplant parmesan sandwich.

Best Bread for an Eggplant Sandwich

In this recipe I use a french baguette. If using a french baguette try to find one that isn’t too hard. Also, I like to take out some of the bread in the center so the sandwich ingredients sit nicely in the bread.

You could also use a ciabatta roll or buns. This is a great alternative as well.

Tips for Making the Best Eggplant Parmesan

  • Make sure to use enough oil. I don’t like to use a ton of oil when pan frying the eggplant but you want to use enough to coat the bottom of the pan. If you don’t have anough oil the bread crumbs will start to burn on the bottom.
  • Cut your mozzarella thin enough. If using a fresh mozzarella ball, cut it into thin slices. You want to make sure they can melt on to the bread. If the cheese slices are too thick it may be hard to get that gooey melty cheese.

Other Sandwiches You Might Like

Best Italian Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich (Pan Fried Recipe)

5 stars4 stars
(
1
)
Servings:
4
Prep Time:
10
min
Cook Time:
1
hr
20
min
Total Time:
1
hr
15
min
A slice of an eggplant parmesan sandwich on a plate.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Eggplant

  • 1 large eggplant (about 1.5 lbs), cut into ½-inch rounds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • olive oil, for pan frying

Breading

  • 1 + 1/2 cups unseasoned panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sandwich

  • 1 large french baguette or ciabatta laof
  • 1 cup marinara sauce (I love Rao’s Arrabbiata Tomato Sauce)
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
  • fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Slice your eggplant into 1/2-inch slices and place on a wire rack. Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over the slices and let sit for at least 45 minutes. This will pull water out of the eggplant. Using paper towels or a kitchen towel soak the excess water and brush off the salt.
  2. Heat your oven to 300°F. (This will be to melt the cheese and toast the sandwich.)
  3. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix all breading ingredients together.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
  5. When the oil is hot, take each pice of eggplant, dip it in the egg and then in to the breadcrumb mixture (make sure to coat both sides with breading). Then add the slices to the hot oil in a single layer. You will have to do this in batches, I can typically fit 4 pieces in my frying pan at once. Cook each side of the eggplant until is is golden brown about 2-3 minutes per side.
  6. When they are done set them aside and continue with the others. Towards the end there may not be as much oil so make sure to add in a little extra so that the bottom of the pan is covered.
  7. Now you can assemble the sandwich. Add the tomato sauce to one side of the bread, top with your eggplant and a little more tomato sauce. Add the mozzarella to the other side. Place it open face in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese in nicely melted.
  8. Once you take it out of the over, add in some fresh basil and serve!

Notes

Products Used

baking sheet.
Kitchen

Baking Sheet

Caraway pots and pan set.
Kitchen

Caraway Cookware

Chefs knife
Kitchen

Shun Chef's Knife

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