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.
One of my son'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.
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? I wasn't entirely convinced it would work, but when eggplant went on sale, I decided to give it a try.
I am thrilled to report that it was a smashing success. Much like my Crockpot Corn Casserole, Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, and Crockpot Mac and Cheese, it quickly became a favorite.
Serve this Gluten Free Focaccia, Green Beans or Caramelized Brussels Sprouts for a simple meal they will love!
Looking for more Italian-inspired recipes? Don't miss my Meatball subs, Crockpot Lasagna, and Vegetarian Lasagna.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
I’ve made this with regular, panko, and gluten-free breadcrumbs, and they all work.
If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, mix up your own with equal parts dried basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley. And for the marinara, go with a good-quality sauce. I usually reach for my Crockpot Marinara—it’s simple and full of flavor.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure your eggplant slices are cut to a fairly even thickness so that they will cook evenly.
- Peeling the eggplant 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.
- 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 it too thick, turn it up to high until it is cooked through. (Every slow cooker is slightly different, so make sure you keep an eye on it toward the end.)
- Don't skip patting the eggplants dry after you sweat them. Use paper towels or a clean dishcloth.
- Want a touch of heat? Add black pepper and red pepper flakes when you add the Italian seasoning.
Make it Keto
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!
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.
Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds eggplant
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- 1 ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 3 ounces Parmesan cheese rennet free for vegetarian
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil for topping
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.
Becky Smith says
The wedges cut is confusing me. Not rounds, like normal. Please put details on how you cut them
Wendy Polisi says
Becky, it is normal rounds!
Tigger says
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!
Maureen Demar Hall says
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?
Sarah says
Does the eggplant get soggy in the crockpot?
mhf7 says
How many servings does this make? 4 pounds of eggplant seems like a lot.
Wendy Polisi says
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!
Ethel says
About how many is 4 lbs
Wendy Polisi says
Since eggplants vary so much in size, that is difficult to say. I recommend a digital scale, but in this recipe, it doesn't need to be exact.
Amanda says
Do you think this would work if cooked on high for 3-4 hours? Great recipe idea, btw!
Hannah Freiberg says
what size crock pot do u use?
Wendy Polisi says
I have a 7 quart crockpot.
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
Hannah Freiberg says
From recipe
Wendy Polisi says
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.
Janet says
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!
Alana says
Have you ever prepared the Eggplant the night before? Do you think/know if it would keep?
Thanks
Sharon says
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.
Ashley says
Hi Wendy! I was wondering if leftovers would keep well?
Wendy Polisi says
Hi Ashley,
Yes they do! My husband loves leftover Eggplant Parmesan.
Ashley says
Great! I will be trying this soon. 🙂
davey says
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?
Jaz Sood says
Can you substitute anything for the eggs or leave them out entirely?
Lauren says
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.
Wendy Polisi says
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.
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Sarah says
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!!
Wendy Polisi says
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.)