This Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan recipe is made with a low-carb breading that gives this dish an incredibly rich and luxurious taste while keeping it both gluten-free and low in carbs.
Smothered in rich marinara sauce and parmesan cheese, the crispy, breaded eggplant is truly the star of this simple gluten-free entree. Serve with a side of green beans almondine or roasted asparagus, for the ultimate dinner that is gluten-free and low in carbs.
Rich & Crispy Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
The secret to making incredibly satisfying gluten-free Eggplant Parmesan? Coconut flour. In fact, I’d argue this recipe delivers the best Eggplant Parmesan you’ve ever had.
I know coconut flour might sound like an odd choice. But trust me on this. As the eggplant bakes, the coconut flour breading absorbs excess moisture, resulting in the crispiest texture, while keeping the recipe completely gluten-free and low-carb friendly.
And the flavor? Incredible. There’s no overpowering coconut taste, just a nutty, cheesy, absolutely divine crust. Even people who hate coconut love this Eggplant Parmesan.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Eggplant: Select a small, shiny eggplant that feels heavy for its size. I recommend using smaller eggplants as they have fewer seeds and are less bitter. If your eggplant is really small, use several.
- Coconut Flour: There is no substitute for using coconut flour to keep this recipe gluten-free, keto-friendly, and low carb. You can order it online, but I can find it at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. Note: This is coconut flour NOT flaked coconut.
- Marinara: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade marinara or spaghetti sauce. This is not the time to use plain tomato sauce.
- Cheese: While freshly grated parmesan yields the best flavor, feel free to use any grated parmesan you have on hand. And for really cheesy results, top with mozzarella cheese if desired.
How to Make Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Eggplant. Eggplant can be very bitter if not prepared correctly. The way to combat this is to peel, slice, and heavily salt the eggplant and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. The salt will draw out the eggplant’s natural liquid, which is what is responsible for the bitter flavor in eggplant.
- Pat Eggplant Dry. After the eggplant has sat, you will notice water droplets on its surface. Use a paper towel to blot it dry, removing the liquid and bitter taste. This also will help ensure the breading can adhere to the eggplant.
- Bread Eggplant. To bread the eggplant, first dip it into an egg wash and then dip into seasoned coconut flour. Use one hand to press the breading onto the eggplant, to ensure it is evenly breaded.
- Bake. Use a sheet pan lined with a baking rack to bake the breaded eggplant. This allows the air to circulate evenly, creating crispy baked eggplant parmesan.
- Add Marinara and Cheese. Now it is time to turn the crispy, baked eggplant into eggplant parmesan. To do this, layer the eggplant slices in a 2-quart baking dish with marinara sauce and top with parmesan cheese and/or mozzarella cheese.
- Finish Baking. Once assembled, you simply need to bake the eggplant parmesan until the cheese melts and the sauce warms through.
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Peel and slice 1 large eggplant into ½-inch slices. Generously salt each side of the slices with kosher salt and place the eggplant onto a baking sheet lined with a rack. Let sit for up to 1 hour and then rinse the slices and pat dry.
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Rinse and dry the pan and rack used to salt the eggplant, as you will use it baking the eggplant.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the 2 large eggs, a generous pinch of salt and small pinch of pepper. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together ½ cup coconut flour, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, a generous pinch of salt and small pinch of pepper.
Dip each slice of eggplant into the egg wash, followed by the flour mixture, shaking off the excess and then set onto the baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Bake for 15 minutes and then flip eggplant slices over and drizzle with a tiny bit more olive oil. Continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove the eggplant from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350℉ (175℃).
In a 2 quart baking dish, cover the bottom with a layer of marinara sauce. Cover with a layer of eggplant, repeated with freshly grated parmesan. Repeat layers until all eggplant is used. On final layer top with remaining sauce and a generous layer of parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Calories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 9gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 878mgPotassium: 679mgFiber: 10gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 655IUVitamin C: 11.1mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 2.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally posted in 2017 and updated in 2025.
