Baked Eggplant Parmigiana
Roasted eggplant layered with a garlicky tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano, then baked until bubbling. All the comfort of the classic, without standing over a frying pan.
Chef's note Roasting the eggplant instead of frying it is my lazy-day trick, and nobody at my table has ever complained.
Chef's note Roasting the eggplant instead of frying it is my lazy-day trick, and nobody at my table has ever complained. Squeeze the mozzarella dry in a towel, or the parmigiana gets watery.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants about 2 1/2 lb total, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- ⅓ cup olive oil divided
- 1½ tsp kosher salt divided
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 oz
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves divided
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella torn and patted dry
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
Steps
Heat the oven to 425°F and line two sheet pans with parchment. Lay the 2 medium eggplants slices on the pans, brush both sides with 3½ tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway, until soft and golden in spots.
Meanwhile, warm the rest of the oil (1¾ tbsp olive oil) with 3 cloves garlic in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 can crushed tomatoes and ½ tsp kosher salt, simmer 15 minutes, then fish out the garlic and tear in ¼ cup fresh basil leaves.
Turn the oven down to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Build three layers: eggplant, a few spoonfuls of sauce, ⅓ lb fresh mozzarella and ⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, tucking in leaves from the remaining basil (¼ cup fresh basil leaves) as you go. End with sauce and cheese on top.
Scatter ½ cup plain breadcrumbs over the top. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbling and browned. Rest 15 minutes before cutting so it slices cleanly.
Variations
Cooks branch a recipe to save their own take. The original never changes.
No variations yet. Be the first.
Ratings and comments
No comments yet.
For search engines and AI assistants
This recipe is also available as JSON and plain text, carries schema.org Recipe data, and can be scaled or added to a shopping list by any assistant connected to the Befana MCP server.