Parmigiana di Melanzane - Eggplant Parmigiana
Parmigiana di melanzane or eggplant parmigiana is one of the most famous Italian recipes, here you'll find all the tips to prepare this wonderful vegetarian comfort food recipe!
Parmigiana di melanzane, also called melanzane alla parmigiana or eggplant parmigiana, is a traditional Italian recipe featuring layers of fried eggplant slices, Italian tomato sauce, basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella.
It's basically a vegetarian no-noodle lasagna!
Growing up in Sicily, I've seen many different versions of melanzane alla parmigiana, but today I'm sharing with you the most basic version, which is the clear winner for me.
You can of course use it as a base and then add some extra ingredients such as sliced hard-boiled eggs or thin slices of cooked ham (prosciutto cotto).
The beauty of this dish is that it calls for a few simple inexpensive ingredients, it's a super easy and satisfying vegetarian dish.
You can serve parmigiana di melanzane hot or cold, so you can enjoy leftovers for days or please a large and hungry crowd!
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Parmigiana di Melanzane Ingredients
This delicious vegetarian Italian recipe is incredibly easy to make, and all you need is less than 10 ingredients:
- Tomatoes: use tomato passata (pureed tomatoes) or canned tomatoes to prepare a simple Italian traditional tomato sauce.
- Eggplant: use firm eggplants, I like to use long dark eggplants instead of round ones because it makes the assembling stage easier and gives a more lasagna-like end result.
- Basil: fresh basil leaves are a must in the parmigiana, and will add a wonderful aromatic note.
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is, together with the eggplant, the star of this dish! My go-to option is 18-month Parmesan cheese, but you can also substitute it with cheaper (but still delicious!) Grana Padano.
- Mozzarella: Although optional, add some fresh mozzarella (you can even make homemade mozzarella!) to finish the dish. You can substitute it with scamorza cheese or caciocavallo cheese.
- Breadcrumbs: It's totally optional, but I like to sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the top to add some welcomed crunchiness.
- Vegetable oil: I like to fry the eggplant slices in sunflower oil, other neutral, vegetable oils that work well for frying are peanut or canola oil.
How to make Eggplant Parmigiana
This parmigiana di melanzane recipe is ready in four simple steps and less than 1 hour:
It's one of those easy Italian recipes that are always a crowd-pleaser and don't require much effort!
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Slice the eggplants, sprinkle them with salt, and let rest, then rinse and pat dry. In the meantime prepare a simple Italian tomato sauce.
STEP 2. Fry the eggplant slices until golden, then arrange them on kitchen paper to absorb the oil in excess.
STEP 3. Assemble the eggplant parmigiana. Arrange a layer of tomato sauce, followed by a layer of eggplant slices, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and scatter a few basil leaves on top. Repeat the process until there are no eggplant slices left.
STEP 4. Top the eggplant parmigiana with a layer of tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes, then let it rest for 15-20 minutes and serve.
Melanzane alla Parmigiana Cooking Tips
- Try to use freshly-grated Parmigiano cheese if possible, it tastes so much better than pre-grated Parmesan cheese.
- Cut the eggplant into 5 mm / ¼ inch slices.
- When salting the eggplant slices, use coarse sea salt or kosher salt, which is easier to wash than fine salt.
- To prevent the parmigiana top from being too watery, slice the mozzarella in advance and arrange the slices on kitchen paper before use.
- Use a large frying pan to reduce the amount of vegetable oil you need, and fry a few eggplant slices at a time.
- When frying, the oil should have a temperature of 350°F or 175°C. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, try adding a small piece of eggplant, if tiny bubbles form around it, you're good to go!
- You can prepare the pomodoro sauce a day in advance to save some extra time.
- Eggplant parmigiana is best with a smooth tomato sauce, so I recommend using passata rather than whole tomatoes for making the tomato sauce.
What to serve with Eggplant Parmesan
In Italy, eggplant parmesan is often served as a main course, but also as a side dish together with grilled fish or meat.
Here are a few favorite ways to serve eggplant parmigiana:
- Sourdough bread: the best way to serve eggplant parmesan is with some crusty artisanal Italian bread!
- Green bean and potato salad: light and refreshing, perfect for a summer lunch!
- Sauteed broccolini: a simple way to incorporate extra veggies for a well-balanced meal.
- Roasted potatoes: quick and super easy, potato and eggplant is always a great combo, any time of the year.
Recipe FAQs
If you prepare the eggplant parmigiana in an oven-proof baking dish, simply transfer the dish to a pre-heated oven to 350°F /170 °C and reheat for 10 minutes.
For a healthier eggplant parmigiana, you can use oven-fried eggplant slices. Brush with oil the eggplant slices, arrange them on a baking pan covered with parchment paper, and bake in a preheated oven to 350°F /170 °C for 15-20 minutes.
I absolutely recommend it. Salting the eggplant before frying draws out excess moisture, and it will prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil.
More traditional Italian recipes to try
- Mafaldine pasta with Napoletana sauce
- Pasta e fagioli - pasta with beans
- Orecchiette with broccoli rabe
- Bucatini Pomodoro
- Duck ragu pasta
- Ricotta meatballs
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Recipe
Parmigiana di Melanzane - Eggplant Parmigiana
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants,
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups pureed tomatoes or passata,
- small bunch of basil leaves
- 3 cups sunflower oil or vegetable oil,
- 2 tablespoon breadcrumbs, (optional)
- 1 ball mozzarella cheese, sliced or cubed
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly-grated
Instructions
- Cut the eggplant into 5 mm / ¼ inch slices. Arrange the eggplant slices in a large colander, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, cover with a plate and put a weight on it, to allow the eggplants to sweat some of their water. Let them sit for 30 minutes, then rinse them and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat a sauce pan with the olive oil, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the tomato passata and a couple of basil leaves. Simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring every now and then. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper and set it aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan oil until it reaches a temperature of 350°F / 175°C. Add a few eggplant slices at a time and fry until golden, then remove them and place them on kitchen paper to absorb the oil in excess.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and arrange the baking tray onto the middle shelf.
- Spoon a bit of the tomato sauce over the base of a baking dish. I use a 10.5" x 7"/ 26cm x17cm dish, a smaller dish will work well too.
- Arrange a layer of eggplant slices, then cover with a few spoonfuls of tomatoes sauce, some grated parmesan cheese, and scatter a few basil leaves on top. Repeat with a layer of eggplant slices, then tomato sauce, parmesan cheese and basil leaves, until you have used up all the eggplant slices.
- Finish with a layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle some parmesan cheese and optional breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese on top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the parmigiana di melanzane from the oven, allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes and serve.
Video
Notes
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- Try to use freshly-grated Parmigiano cheese if possible, it tastes so much better than pre-grated Parmesan cheese.
-
- Cut the eggplant into 5 mm / ¼ inch slices.
-
- When salting the eggplant slices, use coarse sea salt or kosher salt, which is easier to wash than fine salt.
-
- To prevent the parmigiana top from being too watery, slice the mozzarella in advance and arrange the slices on kitchen paper before use.
-
- Use a large frying pan to reduce the amount of vegetable oil you need, and fry a few eggplant slices at a time.
-
- When frying, the oil should have a temperature of 350°F or 175°C. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, try adding a small piece of eggplant, if tiny bubbles form around it, you're good to go!
-
- You can prepare the tomato sauce a day in advance to save some extra time.
-
- Eggplant parmigiana is best with a smooth tomato sauce, so I recommend using passata rather than whole tomatoes for making the tomato sauce.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Do did not mention the temperature to cook in the oven
Thanks Bonnie, you're absolutely right! It's fixed now, the parmigiana should bake at 350°F / 175°C.