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Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana

Name: Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 47 min
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; 2 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs; 3 medium eggplants; 9 ounces sliced mushrooms (sliced, and canned (drained)); 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated); 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded); 28 ounces pasta sauce

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What if I told you that you could make Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana in your kitchen in just under 40 minutes using your Air Fryer?

Yes, that’s right. Making this classic Italian dish with the crispy breaded eggplant slices, rich marinara sauce and lots of melty mozzarella cheese is incredibly easy! Serve it with some pasta and you’ve got yourself a hearty and wholesome meal that everyone will love!

Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan served with marinara sauce and melted cheese.

I have to admit- I’m not a big fan of eggplant.

Sure, I’ve tried making some eggplant chips and eggplant fries in the Air Fryer, but that’s pretty much it.

But all of that changed when I tried the eggplant Parmesan at Olive Garden. Oh my- I was blown away at how delicious it was.

So of course, I just HAD to try and replicate it in my kitchen too!

If you love Olive Garden try some of my other copycat recipes, such as olive garden chicken scampi, olive garden chicken tortellini alfredo recipe, olive garden stuffed ziti fritta, or olive garden chicken marsala recipe.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Flavors and textures: You’ll get to enjoy crispy, cheesy, salty and savory flavors and textures in every mouthful. It’s truly magical!
Family favorite: The simple, versatile flavors are sure to make this dish a hit with everyone in the family!
Healthier: The eggplant slices are breaded and crisped up in the Air Fryer, and use considerably less oil than your regular fried eggplant, which makes this dish much healthier!

Ingredients For the Olive Garden’s Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Here are the simple ingredients that you will need to make Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana.

Eggplant: Use fresh firm eggplants for this recipe. They’re the hero ingredient here, so make sure they’re perfect.
Marinara sauce: Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce, or make a simple homemade Instant Pot marinara sauce.
Cheese: I used a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Mozzarella lends a nice, melty and gooey texture, and the Parmesan brings a beautiful nuttiness to the flavor.
Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are the best, especially if you like that crunchy, crispy coating. You could use regular breadcrumbs too, if that’s what you have at hand.
Eggs: To coat over the sliced eggplant and to help the breadcrumbs stick to the surface.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms bring beautiful umami deliciousness to the dish. They’re optional though, so it’s okay to skip this one if you don’t have it at hand.
Olive oil: For frying the eggplant slices. You can use any other oil too, but I love using olive oil for that authentic Italian flavor.
Herbs: Just some fresh basil and oregano to garnish. You can use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh ones.

Variations & Substitutions

Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make the dish gluten-free.
To add extra flavor to the dish, add some Italian seasoning into the breadcrumbs.
To lend the eggplant Parmesan a kick of heat, sprinkle some cayenne or smoked paprika into the breadcrumbs or over the eggplant slices.

How to Make Olive Garden’s Eggplant Parmesan

Here are the step-by-step directions to make Eggplant Parmesan Olive Garden:

Slicing eggplant for Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan recipe.

Prep the Eggplant: Start by slicing the eggplants into ¼ inch thick rounds. Salt them generously in a colander and let them sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the excess moisture. Rinse them under cold water and pat them dry.

Coating eggplant slices in breadcrumbs for Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan.

Get things ready: Beat the eggs in a medium bowl and prepare another bowl with the breadcrumbs and seasonings. In a separate bowl, dice your mushrooms and mix them with the chopped herbs.

Time to coat: Dip each eggplant slice into the whisked egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs, ensuring that they’re coated nicely.

Air Frying breaded eggplant slices until golden brown for Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan.

Cook time: Transfer the breaded eggplant slices to the Air Fryer basket and spray with some cooking spray or drizzle some olive oil over them. Air fry at 320 degrees for 8-12 minutes, flipping them midway through the cooking time.

Layer it up: Spread some marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, add a layer of mushrooms followed by the eggplant slices and the cheese. Make 2-3 layers.

Layering fried eggplant, marinara sauce, and cheese in a baking dish for Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan.

Bake and serve: Add this back to the Air Fryer and cook at 310 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Top with cheese, return to the Air Fryer and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Plating the finished Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan with a side of pasta.

Tips & Tricks to Make the Eggplant Parmigiana Olive Garden Recipe

Remember to salt the eggplant before you begin cooking them. This extra step can actually help reduce their bitterness, and gets them to have a great texture once they’re cooked.
To make the eggplant slices extra crispy, double coat them! Repeat the egg and breadcrumb dips twice before you air fry the slices.
Choose firm eggplants that have a smooth skin. Avoid choosing ones that are too large, or too small. Medium sized eggplants are perfect for this recipe.
If you can, use fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. It really makes a huge difference in how the flavors turn out.
To get the perfect crispy eggplant slices, cook them in batches in your Air Fryer. Don’t overcrowd the basket with a lot of slices, and remember to flip them over midway during the cooking time.

A forkful of Olive Garden Eggplant Parmesan showcasing its layers of eggplant and cheese.

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: You can store your leftover eggplant Parmesan for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Use a clean airtight container for best results. You can also prep it ahead of time if you want to. Simply assemble everything in a baking dish, cover it and refrigerate. Then, all you need to do is bake it for an extra 10-15 minutes and that’s it!
Reheating: You can reheat the dish in the oven or the Air Fryer. I wouldn’t recommend using the microwave, as it can make the dish soggy and soft.
Freezing: To freeze the eggplant Parmesan, allow it to cool down completely, portion it out into freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, first thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then pop it in the oven or the Air Fryer.

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

The best way to enjoy this Olive Garden eggplant Parmesan is to pair it with a pasta dish like Instant Pot pasta carbonara or stuffed spinach pasta shells.

You can also keep it simple and serve it with Air Fryer cheesy garlic bread or Italian pull apart bread rolls, and some Olive Garden creamy garlic sauce.

Olive Garden’s Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Faqs

Can I use a different type of cheese for this copycat Olive Garden eggplant Parmesan recipe? You can! If you don’t want to stick to the basics, try using Provolone, Romano or Asiago cheese to bring a unique flavor to the dish.

Can I use the oven to make the eggplant Parmesan? You definitely can! You’ll need to bake the breaded eggplant slices at 400°F for around 20 minutes or until they’re crispy. Again, remember to flip them halfway through.

Why are my eggplant slices getting soggy? The key to getting the perfectly crispy eggplant slices is to ensure they’re completely dry before you dunk them in the egg mixture. Removing all the moisture from the surface allows them to get crispy when they are air fried.

Baking Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan until bubbly and golden on top.

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