This Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich is the ultimate meatless comfort food! Loaded with fresh eggplant, melty cheese, and plenty of marinara sauce, this sandwich is utterly irresistible.
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Eggplant parmesan sandwiches are my death row meal.
Actually, if I'm being honest, it would just be way too hard to decide what to eat as my final meal and I would probably end up ordering an enormous pile of food. Buuuuut this sandwich would definitely make the list.
No fry eggplant parmesan sandwich
The filling is based on my Easy Eggplant Parmesan, with a couple of extra ingredients like mushrooms and onions. I love this eggplant parm filling because it's so simple and requires no messy dredging or frying!
Serve it in a toasted hoagie and you've got a warm, melty, delicious sandwich that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. I like to serve it with a simple salad for a wholesome meal the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- Eggplant
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion, sliced
- Baby portobello mushrooms
- Marinara sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Coarse kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Whole wheat hoagie buns
- Parsley (optional)
How to make an eggplant parm sandwich
- Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Broil until soft and just beginning to brown.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
- Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Pour a little marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and mushroom mixture in an even layer, then top with the eggplant. Cover with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella, then the breadcrumb mixture. Season to taste. Bake until bubbly and beginning to brown.
- In the last 5 minutes of baking, place opened hoagie buns on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Serve scoops of eggplant bake in toasted buns and top with chopped parsley.
Top tips
Vegetarian parmesan cheese
Real parmesan cheese is not vegetarian because it uses animal rennet. If it is important to you to make this a vegetarian eggplant parm sandwich, look for a parmesan cheese made with vegetable rennet instead.
Don't rinse mushrooms
Mushrooms usually have a little dirt clinging to them, but don't rinse them under running water! Don't soak them either. Mushrooms won't dry fully and then won't get as golden when cooking as they would otherwise.
Instead, gently wipe any dirt away with a washcloth, either damp or dry, before slicing.
Slice the eggplant as evenly as possible
Even slices mean even cooking! Try to slice all the pieces of eggplant to they are the same thickness.
To avoid tough eggplant, make sure to slice it no thicker than ½ inch. For this recipe, I like to cut the rounds about ¼ inch in thickness to ensure they'll be fully cooked through.
How to store no fry eggplant parmesan sandwiches
If possible, I recommend storing the eggplant filling separate from the hoagie rolls. Store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
You can also freeze leftover filing in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Tips for customizing baked eggplant parm sandwiches
- Skip the mushrooms and onions for a straight up classic eggplant parmesan sandwich
- Use whatever vegetables you love and have on hand - roasted red peppers or zucchini would be great
- Use your favorite store bought or homemade marinara sauce, or really change it up with pesto or alfredo sauce
- Make it without cheese for a vegan sandwich option
- Skip the bread and enjoy over pasta or with a side salad
- Meat eaters can swap the eggplant with chicken (adjust your cooking time accordingly)
FAQ
It's not necessary to peel the eggplant for this recipe, but I do think it's worth the extra step! Personally I find it easier to eat when the eggplant is peeled.
In my opinion, mozzarella is the best cheese to use for this recipe. If you're out of mozzarella, you can substitute another soft, easily meltable cheese like provolone.
Salting the eggplant is not necessary for this recipe, but if you have extra time, give it a go!
Simply slice the eggplant, sprinkle kosher salt on the tops and bottom of each slice and leave to sit for about an hour. The salt will pull moisture out of the eggplant and take the bitterness out of the skin. Then, after the hour, pat the eggplant slices dry with a paper towel.
More vegetarian sandwich ideas
- Hummus Sandwich
- Peach, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Sandwich
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sandwich
- Scrambled Egg Sandwich
- Double Bean Pita Sandwich
- The Best Veggie Sandwich
- Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
- Deep Green Sandwich
- Greek Pita Sandwich
- Goat Cheese and Veggie Sandwich
- Cheesy Spinach Baked Egg Sandwiches
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants, peeled and sliced about ¼ inch thick
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the eggplant
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 whole wheat hoagie buns
- Chopped fresh parsley, (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the broiler to high and place a rack in the highest oven position.
- Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Broil 5-7 minutes per side or until soft and just beginning to brown. When the eggplant is done remove from the oven and move the oven rack to the middle position. Set the oven temperature to 400ºF.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the onions are soft, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
- Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour a little marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread around evenly. Add the onion and mushroom mixture in an even layer, then top with the eggplant, slightly overlapping as necessary. Cover with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella, then the breadcrumb mixture. Finally, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly and beginning to brown.
- In the last 5 minutes of baking, place opened hoagies on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Serve scoops of eggplant bake in toasted buns and top with chopped parsley if desired.
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
These remind me of the eggplant parmesan sandwiches my mom used to make when I was a kid. I can't wait to make these myself. They look amazing!
Tammy says
It's been a while since I've had eggplant but boy oh boy am I craving eggplant parm now! 😀 These sandwiches look so good!
Elinor Kugler says
I'm totally craving your eggplant sandwich right now! I love how easy, and forgiving it is. Will have to try this very soon, thanks for the recipe 🙂
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says
Loving this idea! Already a fan of a good eggplant parmesan, but it never dawned on me to turn it into a sandwich. Can't wait to try this!