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Italian

Eggplant parmigiana

Vegetarian

Parmigiana di melanzane

Layers of fried aubergine slices, tomato and basil sauce, mozzarella and parmesan baked until bubbling — a southern Italian classic that is even better the next day.

Eggplant parmigiana is an Italian bake, ready in about 2 hours 15 minutes and made with eggplant, tomato passata and mozzarella. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
A serving of Parmigiana
Representative photo. Schellenberg / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
40 min
Cook
1 h 15 min
Rest
20 min
Total
2 h 15 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
415

Ingredients

6 servings

For the sauce

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Layer the aubergine (opens in a new tab) slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt, and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse briefly and pat completely dry.

    • 30 min

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile simmer the garlic (opens in a new tab), passata, salt and half the basil (opens in a new tab) with a spoonful of the oil until slightly thickened.

  3. Step 3

    Fry the aubergine (opens in a new tab) slices in batches in the oil over medium-high heat until golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper.

  4. Step 4

    Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 190 °C. Spread a little sauce in a baking dish (opens in a new tab), then layer aubergine (opens in a new tab), sauce, mozzarella (opens in a new tab), basil (opens in a new tab) and parmesan (opens in a new tab). Repeat, finishing with sauce and parmesan.

  5. Step 5

    Bake until bubbling and browned at the edges, then rest for 20 minutes before cutting.

About this dish

Origin
Italy · Origin disputedClaimed by Campania, Sicily and Emilia-Romagna; it is most strongly associated with the south.More food from Italy
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Casseroles & bakes · Main courses
Cooking method
Pan-fried, Oven-baked
Taste
rich, savoury, herby, creamy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Eggplant · Tomato passata · Mozzarella · Garlic · Basil · Parmesan
Techniques
Baking · Pan-frying · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom mozzarella, parmesan

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

415 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 424 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 17%
  • Carbohydrate 24%
  • Fat 59%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy415 kcal98 kcal
Protein18.5 g4.4 g
Carbohydrate26.1 g6.2 g
Net carbohydrate17 g4 g
Sugars13.8 g3.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre9.2 g2.2 g
Fat28.3 g6.7 g
Saturated fat10 g2.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol42 mg10 mg
Sodium786 mg186 mg
Salt equivalent2 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1112 mg
Calcium
422 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
77 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
149 µg
Vitamin C
19 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
1.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
70 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Squeeze or drain the mozzarella well so the dish doesn't turn watery.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the rest — it needs time to set into neat squares.

Serve with

  • Serve warm or at room temperature with bread and a green salad.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen.

Reheating

  • Reheat covered at 180 °C for 20 minutes.

Variations

  • Grilled aubergine: Brush the slices with oil and grill or roast them instead of frying for a lighter dish.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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