Aubergine Parmigiana (Melanzane alla Parmigiana)
Layered aubergine bake with a bright slow-simmered tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella and grated hard cheese — crisp around the edges, silky in the middle.
A proper aubergine parmigiana is comfort food with a PhD in deliciousness: layers of roasted aubergine, a bright tomato sauce and melting mozzarella that pulls like a good joke at a dinner party. It’s the Italian answer to ‘I want something warming but a bit cleverer than toasted cheese’.
Make it for a relaxed Sunday supper, to feed a crowd, or to show off at a potluck — it holds well and actually tastes better the next day. Follow the few critical steps here (salting and drying the aubergine, sensible saucing, resting the bake) and you’ll have neat, sliceable layers instead of a soggy mess.
This version keeps things approachable (we roast not deep-fry) but stays deeply indulgent — think plenty of cheese, slow-flavoured tomatoes and that irresistible aubergine tang.
Ingredients
- 3 medium aubergines (eggplants)
- coarse sea salt — for salting aubergine
- 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 15 ml olive oil (for sauce)
- olive oil (for brushing/finishing) — extra, as needed
- 1 medium onion — finely chopped (about 120 g)
- 3 cloves garlic — crushed or finely sliced
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes or passata — use good-quality passata or chopped plum tomatoes
- 15 ml tomato purée (concentrate) — optional, for extra richness
- 10 g fresh basil — about a handful, leaves torn
- 5 ml dried oregano
- salt and freshly ground black pepper — to taste
- 400 g mozzarella — use whole-milk, torn or sliced
- 80 g grated vegetarian hard cheese (eg vegetarian Parmesan-style) — or Pecorino / Parm-style vegetarian alternative
- fresh basil leaves (to finish) — a few for garnish
Equipment
- two baking sheets
- 33 x 23 cm (approx) ovenproof baking dish
- silicone brush or spoon for oiling
Instructions
Trim the aubergines and slice into 1 cm rounds (about 12–16 slices per aubergine depending on size). Lay the slices in one layer on a large tray or baking sheet.
Generously sprinkle both sides of each slice with coarse sea salt and leave to sweat for 30 minutes. This draws out excess moisture and reduces bitterness.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan (400°F). Line two baking trays with parchment. Brush both sides of the aubergine slices lightly with olive oil and arrange in a single layer (do not overlap).
Roast the aubergine slices on the middle racks for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden brown and slightly shrunk.
While aubergines roast, make the tomato sauce: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sweat the finely chopped onion for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the passata (or chopped tomatoes), tomato purée (if using), torn basil, dried oregano and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes until thickened and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Reduce oven to 190°C / 170°C fan. In a 33 x 23 cm (approx) ovenproof dish, spread a thin layer of sauce to stop aubergines sticking. Arrange a single layer of aubergine slices over the sauce.
Spoon more sauce over the aubergines (about 150–200 g), scatter torn or sliced mozzarella evenly, and sprinkle with a little grated hard cheese. Repeat to make 2–3 layers, finishing with a generous final sprinkle of grated hard cheese.
Bake the assembled dish, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden brown. If you like a very crisp top, switch to grill (broil) for the last 2–3 minutes, watching constantly.
Allow the parmigiana to rest for 15 minutes before serving — this is critical to let the layers set so you can slice neat portions.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves, drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil if liked, slice and serve warm with a simple green salad or crusty (gluten-free if needed) bread.
Tips
- Salting and fully patting dry the aubergine is the single most important step — it stops the bake becoming watery and helps the slices brown.
- Roasting aubergine on parchment prevents excess oil absorption; if you prefer the classic flavour, shallow-fry the slices quickly in oil but drain them on kitchen paper before assembling.
- Make the tomato sauce a day ahead — flavours develop and it saves time on the day you assemble and bake.
- If your mozzarella is very wet, slice and pat it dry on kitchen paper to avoid a watery top.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days and reheat in a low oven (160°C) to keep edges crisp; it also freezes well — cool completely, wrap tightly, then thaw overnight before reheating.
Substitutions
mozzarella → buffalo mozzarella or low-moisture mozzarella (same quantity). Buffalo is creamier, low-moisture browns better
Stays closegrated vegetarian hard cheese → regular Parmigiano-Reggiano (same quantity) if you’re not vegetarian
Stays closeroast aubergine method → shallow-fry slices in sunflower oil for 1–2 minutes per side for a more traditional, richer finish
Noticeably differentpassata/tinned tomatoes → fresh tomatoes in summer (about 800 g, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped) simmered down to a thick sauce
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 450
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I skip salting the aubergine?
You can, but the result will be wetter and possibly slightly bitter. Salting and patting dry reduces moisture and improves browning — it’s highly recommended.
Can I make this ahead and freeze it?
Yes. Assemble, cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 160°C oven until hot.
How do I get a non-soggy parmigiana?
Salt and dry the aubergine, don’t over-sauce the layers, use slightly drier mozzarella (or pat it dry) and let the bake rest before slicing so it sets.
Can I use other cheeses?
Yes — aged cheddar gives a sharper note (noticeably different), or use a blend of mozzarella and a Grana/Pecorino-style vegetarian alternative to keep the classic flavour.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!