Italian Eggplant Parmigiana is one of the tastiest eggplant dishes ever. Its simplicity of ingredients, rich flavor, and creamy texture will make you fall in love with this delicious meal.
Eggplant parmigiana is a naturally vegetarian dish; however, you can easily make it vegan by using dairy-free cheese alternatives.
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It isn't easy to describe the flavor of eggplant parmigiana in words and how well its simple ingredients fit together to create a perfect harmony of textures and flavors.
A simple tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves, tenders eggplant slices, plenty of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and melty Mozzarella cheese meld together perfectly to create an umami-rich, creamy, yet delicate flavor palette everyone will love.
Eggplant Parmigiana - parmigiana di melanzane in Italian - is a staple dish where we live in Italy and is served in most restaurants in the area. Italians love this dish, but the foreign tourists that visit our town love it even more.
And we love to see the expression on their red sun burnt faces as they gobble it down with a glass of local red wine. "Mamma mia," they say, gesturing with their hands in approval as if they, too, for a moment, were Italian.
What to expect?
This blog post will show you how to make an authentic Italian parmigiana with simple ingredients and straightforward instructions.
This recipe slightly differs from the American version of eggplant parmesan or eggplant parm. In Italian Eggplant Parmigiana, the eggplant slices are not breaded in all-purpose flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs.
The original parmigiana di melanzane recipe is made with deep-fried eggplant slices. However, these days most people, including us, make parmigiana with oven-baked eggplant to make the dish a little lighter and healthier.
You can serve a small portion of parmigiana as a starter or side dish or a larger portion as a main dish.
Two key ingredients of parmigiana are Parmigiano Reggiano and Mozzarella cheese.
For vegans, you can easily use vegan cheese alternatives. Vegan eggplant parmigiana is still really delicious.
Ingredients
Eggplant
Italian eggplant and globe American eggplant are the best varieties to make Italian parmigiana. They are the large, oval-shaped ones with dark shiny skin.
Tomato Passata
Often labled as tomato puree in the USA and tomato passata in Italy and Europe. Try to get one imported from Italy; they are less acidic and slightly sweeter, and you won't need to add sugar to the sauce.
You can often find them in glass bottles. You can use smooth passata or chunky passata; that's up to you.
Garlic and Onion
Add flavor and aroma to the tomato sauce, similar to a marinara sauce but slightly sweeter, thanks to the addition of onion. Try to use fresh ingredients, not onion powder or garlic powder.
Olive oil
We use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to gently fry the onion and garlic and make a flavor base for the "sugo" - tomato sauce.
We also use olive oil to brush the eggplant slices before baking them in the oven.
Parmigiano Reggiano
I'd avoid generic "parmesan" and opt for imported Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. Also, get a piece and grate it finely at home to ensure you get the real deal.
You can substitute Pecorino Romano or Pecorino Sardo for Parmigiano Reggiano; remember that they have a more pungent, almost spicy taste.
NOTE: just so you know, while we consider cheese vegetarian, technically, neither Parmigiano Reggiano nor Grana Padano or Pecorino are because they are made with animal rennet.
If that's a problem for you, feel free to replace them with a vegetarian or vegan cheese alternative. We have an easy vegan parmesan recipe if you are interested.
Mozzarella
You can use fresh mozzarella that you chop up at home or grated mozzarella that is generally used for pizza.
Mozzarella is suitable for a vegetarian diet. For vegans, you can easily find grated melty vegan cheese in most supermarkets these days.
Basil
Fresh basil leaves are a must and can't be replaced with any other herb. Dry basil leaves are not suitable for this recipe.
Salt and Pepper
We add some sea salt or kosher salt for taste and freshly ground black pepper for aroma.
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Tomato Sauce
In a large pan with low edges, gently fry the finely chopped onion in oil for 3 minutes. Add finely chopped garlic and fry for one more minute.
Add tomato passata, salt, and pepper, and simmer on medium to low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, bake the eggplants.
Tip: Do not add water to the sauce. The tomato sauce should be quite dense by the end and not watery at all.
Step 2: Bake the Eggplants
Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line three large baking trays or baking racks with parchment paper.
Wash and dry the eggplants and remove their stems. Cut the eggplants into ⅕ inch (0.5 cm) slices.
Tip: don't cut thick slices; the parmigiana won't be as delicious.
Arrange eggplant slices on the baking trays on a single layer without overlapping. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 430°F or 220°C for about 25 minutes, until the eggplant slices are slightly golden brown on top (see picture).
Tip: You can bake the three trays simultaneously, but you have to switch them around as they cook. Using the fan-assisted function of the oven helps distribute the heat when the oven is crowded.
All slices must get golden brown on top. The eggplant is tastier this way, and less watery, making a creamier and richer parmigiana.
Step 3: Assemble the Parmigiana
BEFORE YOU START: We make a parmigiana with four layers of eggplant slices, and the last layer has more sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella than the other layers. Keep this in mind when you add the sauce and the cheese.
Add just a bit of tomato sauce to a large baking dish or casserole (9 x 13 inches | 23 x 33 cm).
Add the first layer of eggplant slices. Arrange them tight but without overlapping. Cut the slices with scissors if they are too large.
Cover with a ladleful of tomato sauce and spread it with a spoon.
Drizzle with a couple of handfuls of finely grated parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of grated or chopped mozzarella cheese, and a handful of basil leaves.
Cover with the second layer of eggplant slices, this time arranged in the opposite direction.
Add a ladleful of tomato sauce, parmesan, mozzarella, and basil.
Repeat with two more layers of eggplant (4 eggplant layers in total).
The last layer should have more tomato sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella than the other layers. Do not add basil on top.
Step 4: Bake the Parmigiana
Bake the eggplant parmigiana in a preheated oven at 350°F or 180°C for 30 minutes until the tomato is bubbling and the cheese melts.
Serving Suggestions
Let cool down for 15 minutes. Then garnish with fresh basil leaves and cut into eight portions.
Tip: cut it with a sharp knife and serve with a spatula for lasagna. It's important to let the parmigiana cool down 15 to 30 minutes before serving it.
Serve a large portion as a main dish, with a fresh crunchy salad and a slice of bread on the side.
Cut into smaller portions if you want to enjoy eggplant parmigiana as a starter or as a side dish.
You can drizzle with a few drops of good quality extra virgin olive oil just before serving.
Get Ahead
Parmigiana can be a little intimidating at first because of the different steps involved and the relatively long cooking time.
However, the great thing about this dish is that you can break it down into smaller steps and make it at different stages.
For example, you can easily bake the eggplant slices and make the tomato sauce a day or two in advance. Then assemble and bake the eggplant parmigiana the day after. Then store it in the fridge, warm it up and serve it the third day.
In fact, it's common practice in Italy to make parmigiana the day before serving it! That's because its flavors meld overnight in the fridge, and it tastes even better the day after.
It's the perfect make-ahead meal because you can make it up to three days in advance. Then when you have guests over, you just need to warm it up in the oven for 15 minutes.
What is super important, though, is that you bake the parmigiana as soon as you assemble it.
You cannot store it in the fridge before baking it. It will get watery and acidic, and it won't taste good.
Storage
Let the eggplant parmigiana cool down completely at room temperature, then store in the fridge in an airtight container or the same baking dish covered in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or the oven at 350°F or 180°C for 15 minutes.
You can also freeze Italian parmigiana. To do so, let it cool down completely at room temperature, then transfer it into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 6 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or the microwave with the thawing function. Reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F or 180°C for 20 minutes.
Variation
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
There are several options to make vegan eggplant parmesan. If you want to avoid store-bought vegan products, you can use our homemade vegan parmesan cheese instead of regular cheese.
To make it even richer and more fulfilling, you can crumble some of our homemade vegan ricotta between layers and on top of the final eggplant layer. It fits perfectly with the tomato sauce and the eggplant.
Alternatively, there are many vegan cheese options on the market, including vegan parmesan and mozzarella.
Questions
Yes, you leave the skin on for eggplant parmesan and eggplant parmigiana.
The salt was used in the past to remove bitterness and get rid of some water in the eggplant.
These days you don't have to salt eggplants because eggplants are selectively bred not to be bitter.
However, if you are deep frying the eggplant and want drier, less juicy eggplant slices, then you can salt the slices with coarse salt and let them sit for 1 hour to purge some of their juices.
Then rinse them and pat them dry with a paper towel. Don't use fine salt because it penetrates the eggplant making it too salty.
If you make eggplant parmesan with oven-baked eggplants, there's no need to salt them because their water will evaporate while the slices cook in the oven.
Who Invented Parmigiana?
Eggplant Parmigiana, called "Parmigiana di Melanzane" in Italian, is undoubtedly one of the most internationally known Italian dishes.
Its origins, though, are uncertain, and different Italian regions, including Sicily, Campania, and Emilia Romagna, claim to have invented this delicious dish.
What does parmigiana mean?
Even the origin and meaning of the name is uncertain, and there are two main schools of thought.
The first suggests that the name of the dish comes from Parmigiano Reggiano, a cheese produced in the Emilia Romagna region around Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena.
To further support this theory, there's evidence that a few centuries ago, the name "cucina parmigiana" was used more broadly to refer to the local cuisine of the area around the city of Parma.
The second theory supports the idea that the name "parmigiana" comes from the Sicilian word "parmiciana," which in English can be translated as "Italian wooden window shutter."
Based on this theory, the way the eggplant slices are arranged in parmigiana recalls the shape of the wood slats of the window shutter, hence the name.
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Recipe
Eggplant Parmigiana
Equipment
- Baking dish (9 x 13 inches | 23 x 33 cm)
Ingredients
TOMATO SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 4 cups tomato passata
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
OVEN ROASTED EGGPLANT
- 4 pounds eggplants 4 medium-large ones
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 1½ cups (5 oz) parmigiano reggiano finely grated - or vegan parmesan
- 2½ cups (10 oz) mozzarella grated or chopped - or vegan alternative
- 1½ cups basil leaves
Instructions
STEP 1: MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE
- In a large pan with low edges, gently fry the finely chopped onion in oil for 3 minutes. Add finely chopped garlic and fry for one more minute.
- Add tomato passata, salt, and pepper, and simmer on medium to low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, bake the eggplants.
STEP 2: BAKE THE EGGPLANTS
- Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line three large baking trays with parchment paper.Wash and dry the eggplants and remove their stems. Cut the eggplants into ⅕ inch (0.5 cm) slices.
- Arrange eggplant slices on the baking trays on a single layer without overlapping. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake at 430°F or 220°C for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the eggplant slices are slightly golden brown on top.
STEP 3: ASSEMBLE THE PARMIGIANA
- We make a parmigiana with four layers of eggplant slices, and the last layer has more sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella than the other layers. Keep this in mind when you add the sauce and the cheese.
- Add just a bit of tomato sauce to a large baking dish or casserole (9 x 13 inches | 23 x 33 cm).
- Add the first layer of eggplant slices. Arrange them tightly but without overlapping. Cut the slices with scissors if they are too large.
- Cover with a ladleful of tomato sauce and spread it with a spoon.
- Drizzle with a couple of handfuls of finely grated parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of grated or chopped mozzarella cheese, and a handful of basil leaves.
- Cover with the second layer of eggplant slices, this time arranged in the opposite direction.
- Add a ladleful of tomato sauce, then parmesan, mozzarella, and basil like before.
- Repeat with two more layers of eggplant (4 eggplant layers in total).The last layer should have more tomato sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella than the other layers. Do not add basil on top.
STEP 4: BAKE THE PARMIGIANA
- Bake the eggplant parmigiana in a preheated oven at 350°F or 180°C for 30 minutes until the tomato is bubbling and the cheese melts.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Let cool down for 15 minutes. Then garnish with fresh basil leaves and cut into eight portions with a sharp knife. Serve with a simple side salad.
Notes
- Do not add water to the tomato sauce. The tomato sauce should be quite dense by the end and not watery at all.
- Don't cut eggplant slices too thick; the parmigiana won't be as yummy.
- You can bake the three trays of eggplant slices simultaneously, but you have to switch them around as they cook. Using the fan-assisted function of the oven helps distribute the heat when the oven is crowded.
- All slices must get golden brown on top. The eggplant is tastier this way, and less watery, making a creamier and richer parmigiana.
- It's important to let the parmigiana cool down 15 to 30 minutes before serving it.
Nutritional Values
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