Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant parmigiana – parmigiana di melanzane in Italian – is a mouthwatering Italian casserole dish with simple ingredients, rich flavors, and a creamy texture.

Make it with slices of eggplant – roasted or deep fried – layered with a tasty tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves, melty mozzarella cheese, and grated parmesan cheese.

Eggplant parmigiana embodies the essence of Italian home cooking.

Like in our Eggplant Pizza and eggplant rollatini, simple Italian ingredients meld together into a gorgeous dish with a bold, captivating flavor and irresistible texture.

With cherry tomato pasta, eggplant risotto, spaghetti al pomodoro, and rigatoni arrabbiata, it is one of our favorite Italian dishes when we feel like having something comforting and oozing with a tasty tomato sauce.

In some ways, this dish is similar to Pasta alla Norma – a delicious Italian eggplant pasta dish – but less mundane and somewhat more festive.

Like an excellent vegetarian lasagna or Greek Moussaka, eggplant parmigiana is a fulfilling casserole dish everyone loves, yet it is easier to make and less labor-intensive.

You can make parmigiana with fried eggplant or with oven-roasted eggplant. We will show you the oven-baked version as we think it’s more modern, easier to make, and possibly healthier.

Also, note that unlike Eggplant Parm – its American cousin – the eggplant slices in Italian parmigiana are not breaded in all-purpose flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Eggplant

Italian eggplant and globe American eggplant are the best varieties to make Italian parmigiana.

They are large, oval-shaped ones with dark, shiny skin.

There is no need to peel the eggplants, and there is no need to salt and purge the eggplant slices to remove bitterness.

That’s an unnecessary old practice that will make your dish too salty.

Tomato Passata

Often labeled as tomato puree in North America & Canada and tomato passata in Italy, Europe, and Australia.

Try to get one in a glass bottle imported from Italy; they are less acidic and slightly sweeter, and you won’t need to add sugar to the sauce.

You can use smooth passata or chunky passata; that’s up to you.

Substitute passata with canned crushed tomatoes, although they tend to be more watery, which means you might have to cook the sauce a little longer.

You can use store-bought marinara sauce for a speedier parmigiana, but remember that homemade is always better.

Garlic and Onion

Garlic and onion add flavor and aroma to the tomato sauce.

You want something similar to a marinara sauce but slightly sweeter, thanks to adding 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” (sauce) of this parmigiana di melanzane.

We also use olive oil to brush the eggplant slices before baking them in the oven. This way, they cook faster and have more flavor.

Parmigiano Reggiano

I’d avoid generic “parmesan” and opt for imported Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. Also, get a piece and grate it at home to ensure you get the real deal.

Often, pre-grated storebought mixes include cheaper ingredients and stabilizers that melt terribly.

You can substitute Pecorino Romano or Pecorino Sardo for Parmigiano Reggiano; remember that they have a pungent, almost spicy taste, and some people might not like them.

Vegetarians & Vegans: Just so you know, while we consider cheese vegetarian, technically, neither Parmigiano Reggiano nor Grana Padano or Pecorino are vegetarian because they are made with animal rennet.

If that’s a problem for you, please replace them with a vegetarian or vegan cheese alternative.

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. We tested Vio Life and Simply V, and they both worked well.

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.

Other herbs you might be tempted to use are dried oregano, Italian seasoning, rosemary and thyme. We would recommend sticking to fresh basil to make authentic parmigiana.

Salt and Pepper

We add sea salt or kosher salt for taste and freshly ground black pepper for aroma.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

1. Make the Tomato Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large pan with low edges. Add finely chopped onion and fry it for 3 minutes, then add grated or minced garlic and fry for one more minute.

Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt and pepper, and simmer on medium to low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, bake the eggplants.

Tip: Don’t add water to the sauce. It should be pretty dense and not watery once it’s cooked.

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 1/5 inch (0.5 cm) slices.

Tip: the slices should be pretty thin so the parmigiana will melt in your mouth.

Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking trays on a single layer without overlapping.

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt.

Bake in the oven (fan-assisted if your oven has that) at 430°F or 220°C for about 25 minutes until the eggplant slices are slightly golden-brown.

Tip: You can bake the three trays simultaneously but must swap their position as they cook.

Using the fan-assisted function of the oven helps distribute the heat when the oven is crowded with three baking trays.

All slices should get golden brown on top. The eggplant is tastier this way and less watery, making a creamier and more flavorful parmigiana.

3. Assemble the Parmigiana

BEFORE YOU START: We make 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 some tomato sauce to a large baking dish or casserole (9 x 13 inches | 23 x 33 cm). We use a Pyrex dish.

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 the back of 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.

Optionally you can add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Cover with the second layer of eggplant slices, this time arranged in the opposite direction.

Add a ladleful of tomato sauce, a handful of grated parmesan, one of mozzarella, and some fresh basil leaves.

Repeat with two more layers of eggplant (4 eggplant layers total).

The last layer should have more tomato sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella than the other layers.

Don’t add basil on top.

4. Bake the Parmigiana

Bake the eggplant parmigiana in a preheated oven at 350°F or 180°C for 30 minutes until the tomato sauce bubbles and the cheese melts.

Let cool down for 15 minutes. This is much recommended and part of the recipe, as the parmigiana will taste much better if the ingredients have time to cool down and meld together.

Then garnish with fresh basil leaves and cut into eight portions.

Tip: cut it with a sharp knife and serve it with a spatula for lasagna. Letting the parmigiana cool down for 15 to 30 minutes before serving it is essential.

Eggplant Parmigiana as an appetizer

Parmigiana is an excellent appetizer. Serve it in smaller portions; your guests will be impressed by its creamy texture and comforting flavors.

Put some good bread or focaccia on the table so people can sop up the tomato sauce left over on their plates.

You can drizzle with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Eggplant Parmigiana as a main dish

Serve a larger portion as a main dish, with a fresh crunchy salad or an Italian salad and some bread or focaccia on the side.

You can also serve it with other bread-based sides, such as crostini, bruschetta, and Panzanella.

Eggplant Parmigiana as a side dish

Cut it into smaller portions to enjoy eggplant parmigiana as a side dish. We recommend serving it with other vegetarian meals, such as:

• Lentil loaf
• Pasta e ceci
• Mushroom Wellington
• Stuffed butternut squash
• Italian tofu with pizzaiola suce
• Grilled tofu or mushroom tofu.

Mains

Lentil Loaf

Mains

Mushroom Wellington

Mains

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Tofu

Tofu Mushroom Recipe

Vegan Eggplant Parmigiana

There are several options to make vegan eggplant parmigiana.

If you want to avoid store-bought vegan products, 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.

Parmigiana can be a little intimidating at first because of the different steps involved and the relatively long cooking time.

But the recipe is easier than you think, and you can break it down into smaller steps and make it at different stages.

For example, you can 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, store it in the fridge, warm it up, and serve it on the third day.

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 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.

If you love cooking with eggplant, try these favorite eggplant recipes:

• Eggplant caponata
• Eggplant dip
• 30-minute eggplant curry
• Pasta alla Norma
• Stuffed eggplant

Mains

Eggplant Curry

Sides

Sautéed Eggplant

Sides

Eggplant caponata

Starters

Baba Ganoush Recipe

For more eggplant inspiration, check out our 35 best eggplant recipes with pasta, salad, and appetizer ideas.