Authentic Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana Di Melanzane)

By
Danette St. Onge
Danette St. Onge
Danette St. Onge
Danette St. Onge is a food writer specializing in international cuisines. She authored "The Better-Than-Takeout Thai Cookbook" and has also served as the Italian Food Expert for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/5/21
Authentic Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana Di Melanzane)

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
621 Calories
53g Fat
27g Carbs
15g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 621
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 53g 68%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 82mg 27%
Sodium 663mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 12mg 60%
Calcium 282mg 22%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 676mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di melanzane), is a true classic Italian dish that has become immensely popular around the world. So much so, it has spawned other versions of "Parmesan"-style dishes that don't really exist in Italy (or at least not under this name), such as chicken Parmesan and veal Parmesan. It is, however, sometimes made with zucchini in place of eggplant in Italy, where it is called Parmigiana di zucchine.

The Italian-American version is usually breaded before frying, but the traditional Italian version is not. As a result, it's not only lighter, faster, and easier to prepare, but you can really taste the rich eggplant flavor. If you are a fan of eggplant, then you may prefer this recipe. If you want to make it even lighter, you could grill or bake the eggplant slices instead of frying them.

This is an incredibly comforting dish that makes a hearty side (contorno) or a satisfying meatless/vegetarian main, together with a salad and some crusty Italian bread. Serve with a full-bodied Merlot or Chianti.

Ingredients

For the Eggplant:

  • 2 1/2 pounds eggplant (about 2 to 3 medium eggplants)

  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt

  • 1 cup vegetable oil, or enough needed for frying

For the Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 2 cups tomato puree (passata di Pomodoro)

  • 1/8 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste

For the Parmigiana:

  • 2 small eggs

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • 1 cup small fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped, optional

  • 1 (9-ounce) ball of soft, fresh mozzarella, preferably buffalo mozzarella, torn into pieces

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Eggplant

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    eggplants, salt and oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Wash and dry the eggplants. Cut off the cap end and then slice the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch (1/2-cm) thick slices.

    eggplants cut lengthwise, thick slices

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Arrange the slices on large trays or baking sheets lined with several layers of paper towels, and sprinkle them lightly with coarse salt on both sides. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour so the salt draws out the excess water. (You can also stack the slices in a large colander, with salt sprinkled between each layer, and set in a sink.) 

    eggplant on top of a paper towel lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pat off the excess water and salt from the eggplant slices. Rinse them, then dry again with paper towels, pressing down to dry them thoroughly. Set aside.

    eggplants on baking sheet, patted dry with paper towel

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tip

If you're concerned about sodium or just don't want to bother, you can skip the salting step (although that's how it's done in Italy). Some Italians say that salting them is to "draw out bitterness," but it's really mainly to draw out excess water. Salting them, according to cooking science-great Harold McGee, has the added virtue of making the eggplant absorb less oil during frying.

Make the Tomato Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    tomato sauce ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil with the minced garlic and chopped onion.

    garlic and onions in a pot with olive oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

    onions and garlic cooking in a pot with olive oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the tomato puree. Season to taste with salt (if you've salted the eggplant, go easy on the salt in the sauce, or omit it completely). Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is flavorful and slightly thickened.

    tomato sauce in a pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Fry the Eggplants

  1. In a large skillet, heat about 1/4-inch of vegetable oil over medium heat. Give the eggplant slices a final pat with paper towels to remove any excess water that may inhibit browning and cause oil splatter.

    pan with oil and eggplant slices

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Fry the eggplant slices, 2 or 3 at a time, in the hot oil until well browned on each side, 3 to 5 minutes.

    eggplant frying in oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. As the eggplant slices are removed from the oil, let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate or tray. Adjust the burner temperature and oil level as you fry the remaining eggplant.

    eggplant cooking in a frying pan, cooked eggplant on a paper towel lined plate

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Assemble the Parmigiana

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). When the tomato sauce is done, transfer 1/3 of the sauce to a small mixing bowl and the remainder to a large mixing bowl.

    tomato sauce in a two bowls

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Let the tomato sauce cool to room temperature, then add the eggs to the larger bowl of sauce and mix well to combine. If the sauce is too hot, you'll cook the eggs, so make sure it has cooled down.

    eggs mixed with tomato sauce

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Cover the bottom of a small 8- by 11-inch rectangular baking dish with a thin layer of the eggless tomato sauce, then add a layer of fried eggplant slices (use your biggest slices for this first layer; they can overlap a bit).  

    eggplant on top of sauce in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Cover the eggplants with a layer of egg-tomato sauce, then a generous sprinkling of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a sprinkling of chopped basil (if using), and then evenly distribute pieces of the mozzarella.

    cheese and basil on top of eggplant in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Cover the mozzarella with another layer of eggplant, then some egg-tomato sauce, Parmigiano, basil (if using), mozzarella, and then another layer of eggplant.

    layer of fried eggplant in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Repeat until all of the ingredients are used up. The top layer should be the eggless tomato sauce, topped with a final sprinkling of grated Parmigiano. If you prefer a cheesier topping, sprinkle some mozzarella pieces on top as well.

    cheese on top of eggplant parmesan in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and golden brown. For the best results, let it sit for an hour.

    Authentic Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana Di Melanzane) in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Serve and enjoy.

Why Is It Called Parmigiana?


In spite of the name, which means "Parma-style Eggplant," this dish originated in southern Naples, not the northern Emilia-Romagna town of Parma where the well-known cheese was first produced. There are a few theories as to the name, but most seem like a stretch. The most believable is that it refers to the use of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the dish, together with the more typically Neapolitan mozzarella cheese.

Tips

  • Use the freshest and most flavorful eggplants you can find, though this dish will still be fantastic with winter eggplant.
  • If possible, use buffalo mozzarella, which is incredibly tender and far more flavorful than cow's milk mozzarella.
  • It is best to let the dish rest for at least 1 hour after cooking; it will become more tender and allows any excess liquid to be absorbed and the flavors to develop (it also tastes even better the next day).
  • While eggplant parmesan is usually served over pasta (often spaghetti) in the U.S., that's not the tradition in Italy. However, the sauce made with this dish tastes absolutely wonderful over pasta, and the pasta helps to cut the richness and saltiness.