Perfect all by themselves or dipped in your favorite tomato sauce, these tasty mouthfuls often vanish straight from the baking sheet in our house. If you have lots of leftover eggplant at the end of the season, use the step-by-step freezing instructions listed below to cook and freeze your eggplant so you can use it to make Eggplant Parmesan a few months from now.

You can freeze your cooked eggplant, but I don’t recommend adding sauce, cheese and basil until you thaw and reheat. Eggplant will keep in your freezer for approximately 2 to 3 months. Whether you use option 1 or 2, you should be able to pull out as many slices as you need at a time.

Option 1: Allow eggplant to cool completely. Lay slices on a baking sheet and place baking sheet in the freezer until each slice freezes, approximately 2 hours. Once the eggplant is frozen, you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container or baggie.

Option 2: Allow eggplant to cool completely. Place parchment paper between slices of eggplant so they do not stick together. Wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe container or baggie.

To Thaw: How you thaw the eggplant slices is just as important as how you prepare and freeze them. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight.