Eggplant Parmesan Recipe (Melanzane Alla Parmigiana)

Eggplant Parmesan, also called Melanzane Alla Parmigiana or Parmigiana di Melanzane, is one of the most famous Italian vegetarian dishes and is perfect for summer. It is made by layering lightly fried eggplant slices with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves. This bake is then topped with a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano and baked to gooey perfection! It's simple, delicious, and so satisfying!

🛒 Ingredients

• Eggplant [Aubergine]: To pick the best eggplants [aubergines] for cooking parmigiana, look for those that feel heavy and firm, with smooth, shiny skin (avoid any with soft spots or wrinkles). Choose smaller to medium-sized eggplants for a tender texture and milder flavor, perfect for a delicious parmigiana!
• Tomato Sauce: Don't use premade, storebought sauces, like jarred marinara sauce. Use simple, passata made of plain tomatoes, as I will share how to prepare a simple homemade tomato sauce. Should you prefer to use canned chopped tomato instead, make sure to use some tomato paste too, to enhance the flavor profile.
• Parmesan Cheese and Mozzarella: Choose cheeses that you need to grate and chop. Pre-grated cheeses have anti-caking agents to stop them from clumping together and to extend shelf life, changing, even if slightly, the overall texture and flavor. The ones you get to grate and chop tend to have a more authentic flavor, and, melt better, I find.

♻️ Substitutions and Variations

• Breaded Eggplant: Before frying, the slices of eggplant can be breaded with flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs. This gives the baked eggplant parmesan added texture.
• Grilled Eggplant: If you are not a fan of frying vegetables, then you can grill the sliced eggplant. By doing so, you can skip the step where it requires you to salt the eggplant to remove excess moisture.
• Mixed Vegetables: You can add zucchini to the bake.
• Sliced Eggs or Ham: Add egg or ham slices in between layers for added texture and flavor.
• Basil Pesto: Should you not have fresh basil leaves, then you can add some pesto to the tomato sauce.
• Mix The Cheeses: Instead of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, you can use different types of cheese for varied strengths and flavors. Fontina, caciocavallo, provolone, or caciotta are great Italian options, however, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby melt perfectly too!

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make (step-by-step)

Prepare the Eggplant

1. Wash the eggplant well. Cut them length-wise in slices approx ¼" [5-6mm] thick.
2. In a large sieve or colander, layer the eggplant slices with some salt in between each layer; if you have it, opt for rock salt, as it will be easier to remove afterward.
3. Once all the slices of eggplant are layered, weigh them down using something heavy, like a saucepan filled with water or a bottle of oil. [Picture 1] This step will help remove the excess moisture, which could make the eggplant parmesan watery and any bitterness the eggplant may have.
4. Leave the sieve or colander to drain the excess water in a bowl or sink for about 30 minutes.
5. Remove the slices from the colander, and remove the excess salt using a clean wet teatowel or cloth. Don't clean them under running water as eggplant is like a sponge, and it would absorb some water again.
6. Once the salt has been removed, pat dry the slices using a clean tea towel. [Picture 2]

7. The slices can now be deep-fried in good-quality sunflower oil. They will require about 3 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown and are cooked thoroughly. [Picture 3]
8. Once fried, lay them on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. [Picture 4]
9. Once safe, taste them to ensure they are well cooked. You will notice that they shouldn't even require further salting.

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

10. Thinly slice or cube the onion and peel the garlic clove.
11. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once warm, add the sliced onions and whole garlic cloves; lightly salt and mix well. [Picture 5]
12. Once the onions are soft and transparent, add the tomato passata, and 3-4 leaves of fresh basil, and mix well once more. [Picture 6]
13. Cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Once the sauce starts bubbling, allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes.
14. Once done, remove the garlic clove. The tomato sauce will be thicker, which is perfect for preparing a bake.

Next, Prepare the Eggplant Parmesan

15. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (FAN), 350 Fahrenheit FAN, gas 6 or static oven 200 degrees Celsius or 400 Fahrenheit.
16. Dice the mozzarella ball and grate the Parmesan cheese, and set them both aside.
17. Cover the bottom of your baking dish with a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce. This will prevent the eggplant parm from sticking to it. [Picture 7]
18. Next, create a layer of eggplant slices, ensuring they slightly overlap on each other.
19. Cover the slices of eggplant with some sauce, diced mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano. If liked, add a couple of leaves of basil too! [Picture 8]

20. Repeat layers until you finish all the ingredients, ensuring the last layer is of tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. [Picture 9]
21. Cover the baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven on the middle shelf for 20 minutes.
22. After 20 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese on top turns golden brown. [Picture 10]
23. Remove the Eggplant Parmesan from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving it. This allows the temperature and the layers to settle, making it easier to slice the bake and further improving the texture and flavors.
24. Enjoy your Parmigiana with a side dish of green salad and a slice of crusty bread, perhaps with some garlic butter on top!

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🍽️ Recipe

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe (Melanzane Alla Parmigiana)

Elle John

Layers of eggplant, cheese, and tomato sauce are baked to perfection in this classic Italian dish. Simple to prepare, with only 9 ingredients!

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 portions

Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 medium Eggplants [Aubergines]
• ▢ 16-18 oz Tomato Passata
• ▢ 4 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
• ▢ 2 Mozzarella [about 8-9 oz of cheese]
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Olive Oil [to make the homemade sauce]
• ▢ 8-10 Basil Leaves
• ▢ 1 Garlic Clove
• ▢ 1 Small Onion
• ▢ Sunflower Oil to Deep Fry The Eggplant Slices
• ▢ Salt to Taste

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Instructions

 

Prepare the Eggplant

• Wash the eggplant well. Cut them length-wise in slices approx ¼" [5-6mm] thick.
• In a large sieve or colander, layer the eggplant slices with some salt in between each layer; if you have it, opt for rock salt, as it will be easier to remove afterwards.
• Once all the slices of eggplant are layered, weight them down using something heavy, like a saucepan filled with water or a bottle of oil. This step will help remove the excess moisture which could make the eggplant parmesan watery, and any bitterness the eggplant may have.
• Leave the sieve or colander to drain the excess water in a bowl or sink for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the slices from the colander, and remove the excess salt using a clean wet teatowel or cloth. Don't clean them under running water as eggplant is like a sponge, and it would absorb some water again.
• Once the salt has been removed, pat dry the slices using a clean tea towel.
• The slices can be now deep fried in good quality sunflower oil. They will require about 3 minutes on each side, until they turn golden brown and are cooked thoroughly.
• Once fried, lay them on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.
• Once safe, taste them to ensure they are well cooked. You will notice that they shouldn't even require further salting.

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

• Thinly slice or cube the onion and peel the garlic clove.
• Heat up the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once warm add the sliced onions and whole garlic clove to it; lightly salt and mix well.
• Once the onions are soft and transparent, add the tomato passata, and 3-4 leaves of fresh basil, and mix well once more.
• Cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 20 minutes from the moment it starts bubbling.
• Once done, remove the garlic clove. The tomato sauce will be thicker, which is perfect for preparing a bake.

Prepare the Eggplant Parmesan

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (FAN), 350 Fahrenheit FAN, gas 6 or static oven 200 degrees Celsius or 400 Fahrenheit.
• Dice the mozzarella ball and grate the Parmesan cheese, and set them both aside.
• Cover the bottom of your baking dish with a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce. This will prevent the eggplant parm from sticking to it.
• Next, create a layer of eggplant slices, ensuring they slightly overlap on each other.
• Cover the slices of eggplant with some sauce, diced mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano. If liked, add a couple of leaves of basil too!
• Repeat layers until you finish all the ingredients, ensuring the last layer is of tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
• Cover the baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven on the middle shelf for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese on top turns golden brown.
• Remove the Eggplant Parmesan from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes, before slicing and serving it. This allows the temperature and the layers to settle, making it easier to slice the bake, and the texture and flavors to even further improve.
• Enjoy your Parmigiana with a side dish of green salad and a slice of crusty bread, perhaps with some garlic butter on top!

Notes

• Parmesan Cheese and Mozzarella: Choose cheeses that you need to grate and chop. Pre-grated cheeses have anti-caking agents to stop them from clumping together and to extend shelf life, changing, even if slightly, the overall texture and flavor.
• Storage: The remaining eggplant parmesan can best stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. You can freeze leftovers for up to three months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in a hot oven or microwave.
• Balance Flavors With Salt: As this is a baked dish, each ingredient needs to be properly seasoned before baking. Taste the fried eggplant and homemade sauce, and remember that while mozzarella is quite mild, Parmesan cheese has a strong nutty taste, that adds saltiness.
• Slice Thickness: Try as much as you can to cut the eggplant in slices of about the same thickness. This ensures they cook uniformly, maintaining the same texture.
• Nutritional Values: The nutritional values shared do not include deep frying as there is no exact method to calculate these. 

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 5gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 82mgPotassium: 890mgFiber: 9gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 495IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2mg

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