Keto Eggplant Parmesan

With such tender, juicy eggplant and luscious cheese topping, you’d never know it’s low-carb and sugar-free!

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Got a lot of local eggplant to use up? Whether your eggplant is farm fresh or not, this delicious dish is an egg-cellent way to enjoy one of the world’s weirdest vegetables.

Thought to hail from the Indian subcontinent, eggplant is a glossy purple vegetable with a spongy texture that’s surprisingly versatile. It absorbs nearly any sauce or seasoning, transforming into a meaty or creamy dish depending on the cooking method. In this recipe, the eggplant is sliced into tender, juicy patties topped with a rich red sauce and gooey cheese.

High in protein and fantastic flavor, keto eggplant parmesan satisfies carb cravings without compromising your diet. Make it for lunch or dinner—either way, this ketogenic comfort food fills you up and keeps you energized!

Is Keto Eggplant Parmesan Healthy?

As a keto-friendly version of traditional eggplant parmesan, this dish is vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, and low-carb. Plus, it’s got a good dose of protein from the cheese and almond flour. It’s great for veggie lovers, meat-eaters, and anyone looking to cut back on carbs.

To make it dairy-free, you can substitute regular cheese for plant-based options, but keep in mind this might lower the protein content significantly. Nutritional yeast is one of my favorite cheese-free cheesy seasonings, so feel free to play with that if you or your guests have a dairy allergy.

What Makes it Keto?

The ketogenic (keto) diet is characterized by fewer carbs, more protein, and healthy fats. Carbohydrates like bread, rice, and pasta are a big “no-no,” but meats and plant proteins like tofu are encouraged. Plants like avocado are also a win because they’re high in good fats and low in carbs. A keto diet aims to train the body to get its energy from protein and fats instead of stored carbohydrates, improving weight loss, sustained energy, and blood sugar balance. This version of eggplant Parm is aligned with the keto diet because it uses almond flour instead of breadcrumbs alongside a sugar-free marinara sauce.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cup almond flour
2 cups marinara sauce (sugar-free)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare

Season and coat eggplant slices; begin baking process.

Bake
Bake eggplant until golden.

Assemble and Serve

Layer ingredients in dish, bake again, and garnish with basil.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store

To prepare these ahead of time, you can follow all the instructions up to the point of baking. After that, wrap the baking dish in foil and refrigerate until ready. I recommend storing them like this the night before and baking them the next day.

Already-made leftovers can be stored in the same way in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing these; they’re best enjoyed as fresh as possible without any thawing involved.

Tip 1: Salting the Eggplant

You’ll notice that the first step is to salt the eggplant. To achieve the best texture, thoroughly coat both sides in salt to release excess moisture.

Tip 2: Adding Spice

When I make eggplant Parmesan, I enjoy sprinkling a few dashes of cumin and smoked paprika. But feel free to play with your favorite spices, herbs, and hot sauces to find your flavor combo.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite pairing for eggplant Parmesan is garlic toast, but you can keep it keto-friendly by making roasted garlic cauliflower instead.

If your mouth is watering for meat, consider pairing it with air fryer garlic and parmesan chicken wings or crockpot meatballs.

You can also go full-send vegetarian with eggplant meatballs. Garnish with fresh basil, and you have an Italian vegetarian’s dream!