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Home » Gluten Free Recipes » Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan

Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan

Published: Jan 2, 2020 by Wendy Polisi Modified: Apr 4, 2022 · 1083 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article. This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

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Photo of Eggplant Parmesan on a white plate garnished with basil sitting on a wooden background with the text Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan above it.

You don't want to miss this Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan. It will have everyone thinking you spent all day in the kitchen. Cheesy and delicious with a fraction of the effort of traditional Eggplant Parm. Perfect for easy entertaining. I've used gluten free breadcrumbs, but if your family isn't gluten free any breadcrumbs will work. Or skip the breadcrumbs altogether for a low carb alternative.

Photo of Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan stacked on a white plate garnished with basil.
This Crock Pot Eggplant Parmesan is pure comfort food!

How This Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Came About

One of my husband's favorite dishes is Eggplant Parmesan.

Typically, I make it only four or five times a year, because...it's a process.  One that I don't particularly enjoy.

My traditional recipe requires either baking or frying the eggplant before it goes into the casserole. There are few things that I hate more than standing over a hot stove frying.

I adore my slow cooker, so a few weeks ago when he asked for it, I started thinking - would it be possible to make Eggplant Parm that resembled my traditional dish in my slow cooker?

Was it even possible that Crockpot Eggplant Parmesan could taste anything like the original?

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¾ overhead photo of Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan with stringy cheese garnished with fresh basil and a glass of white wine behind it.


I wasn't entirely convinced it would work, but when organic eggplant went on sale, I decided to give it a try.  

I am thrilled to report that it was a smashing success.

This is perfect for the occasions when you are called to entertain and need a dish that just looks and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.

One thing you want to keep in mind when making this is that the time it takes to cook will depend largely on how thick you cut the Eggplant. Taste it at about 6 hours and if you have cut too thick turning it up to high until it is cooked through.  (And obviously, every slow cooker is slightly different, so make sure you keep an eye on it toward the end.)

Advice

Do Not Skip Salting the Eggplant!

Frequently Asked Questions

What does eggplant Parmesan taste like?

Eggplants are a bit of a chameleon, taking on the flavors of whatever ingredients are around them. They readily absorb spices. Because of this, Eggplant Parmesan tastes like the other ingredients in it - cheese, marinara, Italian seasoning, and breadcrumbs. The flavor profile is similar to Chicken Parmesan, though the texture is softer.

Should you peel eggplant for eggplant Parmesan?

This is a matter of personal preference, but I do peel mine. The taste of the peel of young eggplants is relatively mild, but as they get a bit more mature, the skins can have a bitter flavor and may also be tough.

Why is it necessary to salt the eggplant?

Salting eggplant pulls the moisture out of it and prevents the dish from being runny. Even if you don't like salt, don't skip this step! If you do, or if you don't salt well, the resulting dish will be soggy.

Can I fry the eggplant and finish in the slow cooker?

Yes, by all means! If you have the time you can cook the eggplant by frying or in your Air Fryer. Reduce the cooking time to 2-4 hours.

How do I make keto slow cooker eggplant Parmesan?

The most important thing is to make sure you choose a keto marinara sauce. Many brands have added sugars. You can skip breading the eggplant all together if you like! Many traditional eggplant Parmesan recipes don't have breading and the resulting dish will still be delicious. If you like, you can roast the eggplants in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker. This step is completely optional!

What foods go with eggplant Parmesan?

I generally thing of Eggplant Parmesan as a complete meal by itself. If you want a side dish, some things that work well are:

  • Gluten Free Focaccia
  • Green Beans
  • Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Picking Eggplant

The eggplants most commonly used for Crockpot Eggplant Parmesan are the large deep purple globe eggplants. Those are the ones I recommend using. You want to look for firm eggplants that are glossy and free from any bruises. The larger the eggplant, the more bitter it will be. So, it is a good idea to pick smaller ones.

Storing Eggplant

Eggplants are not friends with the refrigerator. Buy them no more than a few days before you plan on using them, and store them away from direct sunlight on the counter or in the pantry.

Close up photo of Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan with stringy cheese down the side.

If you like this Crock Pot Eggplant Parmesan, you may want to check out these other slow cooker recipes!

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa is the perfect way to mix up Taco Tuesday. I recommend doubling the salsa so that you can re-purpose it the next day.
  • These Chipotle Meatballs are super-easy to make and work equally well as an appetizer as they do for the main course.
  • Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas are so simple and delicious - they deserve to become a habit.
  • Spicy Crockpot Almonds are a delicious nibble you will turn to again and again. So ridiculously good!

Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe:

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  • Slow Cooker
  • Large Metal Colander
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Print Recipe
4.85 from 13 votes

Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan

This Gluten Free Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan will have everyone thinking you spent all day in the kitchen. Perfect for easy entertaining!
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time8 hrs
Total Time8 hrs 25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Italian
Servings: 12
Calories: 258kcal
Author: Wendy Polisi

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Colander

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds eggplant
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cup milk of choice
  • 1 ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
  • 3 ounces vegetarian Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning make sure it is gluten free
  • 4 cups marinara sauce use a low-sugar brand like Rao's
  • 16 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced or shredded Daiya
  • fresh basil for topping
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Peel eggplant and cut into ⅓ inch rounds. Layer in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt. Allow to sit for 30 minutes and then pat dry. (If you aren’t a fan of salt you can rinse and pat.)
  • Spread ½ cup of sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Whisk together the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Stir together breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning in a separate bowl. Dip eggplant in egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs. 
  • Layer ⅓ of the slices in the slow cooker. Top with 1 cup sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers two more times. Cook on low for eight hours.
  • If desired, top with fresh basil leaves.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1380mg | Potassium: 678mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 775IU | Vitamin C: 9.1mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Other Fabulous Crock Pot Recipes to Try:

  • Slow Cooker Mediterranean Eggplant from Everyday Eileen
  • Crockpot Ground Beef Eggplant Casserole from Low Carb Yum

« 52 Healthy Winter Salads to Supercharge Your Diet
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About Wendy Polisi

Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becky Smith

    December 04, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    The wedges cut is confusing me. Not rounds, like normal. Please put details on how you cut them

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      July 07, 2017 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      Becky, it is normal rounds!

      Reply
  2. Tigger

    December 05, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    This is one of my husband's favs as well - can't wait to try it! Just a side note - it's a good idea NEVER to fry eggplant - it's super absorbent & soaks up tons of oil which is why traditional eggplant parmesan is SO high in calories!

    Reply
  3. Maureen Demar Hall

    December 06, 2015 at 8:26 pm

    This sounds great! I love eggplant Rollatini, thinking of adding a dollop of ricotta (mixed with an egg, chopped spinach and dash nutmeg) on top of each layer of eggplant before the sauce and mozzarella.......do you think this would work?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      January 07, 2020 at 1:34 am

      Does the eggplant get soggy in the crockpot?

      Reply
  4. mhf7

    April 06, 2016 at 2:53 am

    How many servings does this make? 4 pounds of eggplant seems like a lot.

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      April 12, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      I don't know that I calculated nutritional information on this. I would say it is somewhere between 8-12 servings. It is definitely a crockpot full!

      Reply
  5. Amanda

    April 21, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    Do you think this would work if cooked on high for 3-4 hours? Great recipe idea, btw!

    Reply
  6. Hannah Freiberg

    May 16, 2016 at 12:41 am

    what size crock pot do u use?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      May 16, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      I have a 7 quart crockpot.

      *Wendy Polisi*

      *https://wendypolisi.com *

      Reply
      • Hannah Freiberg

        May 16, 2016 at 4:12 pm

        From recipe

        Reply
  7. Wendy Polisi

    July 28, 2016 at 5:16 pm

    Yes, it isn't as crispy as some but I totally loved it! So glad that you enjoyed it. Moussaka is such a great idea - let me know how it goes.

    Reply
  8. Janet

    August 02, 2017 at 2:24 pm

    4 stars
    I made this last night and was short on time, so I did High for 4 hours - it was good, but some of the cheese got tough - I think I could've gotten better results with High for 3 hours, or low for 5 (my slow cooker runs a bit hot). Also I skipped the breadcrumbs altogether and it was still delish! But my favorite Eggplant Parm is always un-breaded, so it might not be for everyone!

    Reply
  9. Alana

    August 18, 2017 at 8:26 pm

    5 stars
    Have you ever prepared the Eggplant the night before? Do you think/know if it would keep?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Sharon

      September 23, 2017 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      I salted the eggplant the night before and then rinsed them and stored in ziplock bag to assemble the next day. I ended up cooking it on high for 4 hours, turned out great.

      Reply
  10. Ashley

    August 26, 2017 at 2:39 pm

    Hi Wendy! I was wondering if leftovers would keep well?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      August 26, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      Hi Ashley,

      Yes they do! My husband loves leftover Eggplant Parmesan.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        August 31, 2017 at 3:03 am

        Great! I will be trying this soon. 🙂

        Reply
  11. davey

    September 14, 2017 at 6:39 pm

    Just curious -- what is the point of breading the eggplant if you're not going to fry (or bake) to develop a crust on the outside? Doesn't the breading just turn to mush in the crockpot? Why not just put the eggplant in the slow cooker without breading it?

    Reply
  12. Jaz Sood

    September 26, 2017 at 5:27 pm

    Can you substitute anything for the eggs or leave them out entirely?

    Reply
  13. Lauren

    December 14, 2017 at 1:22 am

    4 stars
    Mine turned to mush ☹️. I totally forgot step one, does itbreally make that big of difference? Just curious. Still tasted good, but it was soggy.

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      January 07, 2018 at 11:13 am

      Yes - step #1 is crucial because it pulls the liquid out of the eggplant and helps to keep it from getting mushy. Also, your slow cooker could be hotter than mine so you may need to adjust the cooking time.

      Reply
  14. Danny117

    February 04, 2018 at 10:50 am

    5 stars
    Hello,
    Always a great article. I read well. I see you know what you're doing and you're going.Just the next one. You have my support.
    Sorry for my English. 😀

    http://velocicosm.com/G4sT

    Reply
  15. Sarah

    February 25, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Hi! Trying to halve the recipe since the serving size is too much for my 2-person household, lol! Would it work if I just cut everything in half or are there certain things that need more/less? Also we are vegan so will be trying with egg replacer with hopes it’ll turn out good.
    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      February 25, 2018 at 2:57 pm

      I haven't tried it, but it should be fine to cut in half. I would just pay close attention to the cooking time. Let me know how it goes with the egg replacer. I think a flax egg would work fine since the purpose is just to hold the coating on. (I used to be vegan too.)

      Reply
  16. Danielle

    July 08, 2018 at 6:32 pm

    How many eggplants did you use? Or, how many eggplants is 4 pounds?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      July 09, 2018 at 12:01 pm

      It obviously depends on the size but I used three medium.

      Reply
  17. Alina

    October 31, 2018 at 3:15 am

    This sounds delicious & I'm going to make the eggplant this week! Do you think leaving the skin on the eggplant would change the recipe in any way?

    Reply
  18. Alina

    October 31, 2018 at 3:31 am

    This looks delicious & I'm going to make it this week! Would leaving the skin on change the recipe at all?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      October 31, 2018 at 11:56 am

      I have never tried it that way! But if you have made Eggplant Parm before and liked it with the skin on, I don't think it would make a big difference.

      Reply
  19. Susan

    March 19, 2019 at 1:55 am

    When you say, "milk of your choice," does this mean I could use almond milk? Or does it need to be cow's milk?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      August 10, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      Yes, you could use almond milk.

      Reply
  20. Frankie

    August 06, 2019 at 4:09 am

    This recipe looks so good! I can't wait to try this someday. Thanks a lot for sharing this!

    Reply
  21. Brittany

    August 11, 2019 at 12:06 am

    I am not a fan of tomato sauce. Typically when I order eggplant parmigiana at a restaurant, I asked them to replace the tomato sauce with alfredo sauce. Do you think I can make this recipe in the slow cooker using alfredo sauce as opposed to a marinara you use?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      August 11, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      I haven't tried it, but it sounds amazing to me!

      Reply
  22. Denise Keller

    October 11, 2019 at 8:48 pm

    In the midst of a kitchen remodel I was relegated to a toaster oven and a crockpot. Let’s face it, most crockpot dishes are either bad or just average. After trying many different recipes I was about to give up when I stumbled onto this one. I make a mean eggplant Parmesan and didn’t think this could possibly work. Was I completely and pleasantly surprised when it did. This is by far the best crockpot recipe I’ve ever tried. It not only worked, but tasted good, had the right textures and as an added plus, is a more figure friendly version. Thank you for posting.

    Reply
  23. Melanie

    January 05, 2020 at 9:51 pm

    Made this for dinner tonight ant it turned out great!
    Thank you for a great recipe idea . I’m in a low carb lifestyle so replaced the bread crumbs with half the quantity of ground almonds . Worked a treat for me ! Yummy!

    Reply
  24. Callie

    February 18, 2020 at 1:17 am

    5 stars
    I made this today and it was amazing. So simple and one of the best eggplant parmesan dishes I have ever had.

    Reply
  25. Amy

    March 12, 2020 at 1:54 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I will make this again. I thought I should put it on high for first 1/2 hour and then low for 4-6 hours. Think I should have just used 4-5 hours on low as it was a bit overdone. Flavor still excellent though.

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      March 12, 2020 at 12:37 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  26. Betsy

    May 02, 2020 at 5:17 am

    Is there a way to make this without the egg portion? I am gluten and egg sensitive but would love to try this recipe. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      May 03, 2020 at 8:36 am

      You could leave off the breading if you wanted.

      Reply
  27. Susan Dubose

    May 14, 2020 at 1:35 am

    5 stars
    I made this today and it was amazing. So simple and one of the best eggplant parmesan dishes I have ever had.

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      May 14, 2020 at 11:57 am

      I am so glad that you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  28. Barbara Miller

    August 10, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    5 stars
    Made this today, 1/2 recipe I am only one who eats it! Used my 1 1/2 quart crockpot, cooked on high for 3 hours, was perfect not mushy at all. Also I did use the long Japanese eggplant from our garden cut in rounds, did egg and bread but did not fry. Also stewed our fresh garden tomatoes for the sauce. This is a great easy recipe. I had my doubts, but will be only way I make eggplant parmesan from now on. Had with mozzarella stuffed ground turkey meatballs. Thanks so much for sharing this excellent recipe!

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      August 10, 2020 at 5:05 pm

      So glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.

      Reply
  29. Lisa

    July 13, 2021 at 9:38 pm

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday and it was delicious! I cooked mine on low for six and a half hours, and it was fully cooked. I, too, am not a fan of the long process of the traditional way of making eggplant parmesan. In fact, the last two times I did it, my back was sore from standing so long to fry the pieces. I was dubious about trying it in the slow cooker, but it was so much easier and tasted great. The other advantage is I can make it when eggplant is at its peak (summer) without having to use the oven; a real advantage when you live in a hot climate. This one is a keeper!

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      July 14, 2021 at 1:29 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  30. Mindy-Michelle

    October 27, 2021 at 7:33 pm

    5 stars
    Love this!!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out! Read More…

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