- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 900 g
- 3 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 700 ml
- 3 cloves
- 15 g
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 1 tsp
- 250 g
- 80 g
- 2 tbsp
Process
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Slice the eggplant into 1 cm rounds. Sprinkle both sides with the fine salt and lay on a rack or colander for 20 minutes. Pat completely dry with kitchen paper; this removes bitterness and stops the bake turning watery.
Heat oven to 220°C. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and arrange in a single layer on baking trays. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until golden and soft. Work in batches if needed.
While the eggplant roasts, make the sauce. Warm the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the tomato passata, add the dried oregano, black pepper and sugar if using, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir through half the basil leaves and season to taste.
Lower the oven to 180°C. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the base of a 20 x 30 cm baking dish. Cover with a single layer of roasted eggplant, then spoon over more sauce, scatter with a third of the mozzarella and a third of the parmesan. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes until the top is deep golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges. If the cheese browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Rest the parmigiana for 10 minutes before cutting so the layers hold. Scatter with the remaining fresh basil and serve.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is skipping the salting and drying step. Wet eggplant steams instead of roasting and makes the finished dish soupy. Salt, wait, then pat bone dry.
- Roasting rather than frying the eggplant cuts the oil dramatically and gives a firmer layer that holds its shape when sliced.
- Drain the mozzarella well and tear it rather than slicing it; too much milky liquid will pool at the bottom of the dish.
- Let the baked parmigiana rest for at least 10 minutes. Cutting straight from the oven causes the layers to slide apart.
Substitutions
- tomato passata→canned chopped tomatoes blended smooth
- fresh mozzarella→low-moisture mozzarella, use 200 g and add 2 tbsp milk to the sauce
- parmesan→grana padano or pecorino
- fresh basil→1 tsp dried basil added to the sauce
Storage & reheating
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until hot through, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the top. Individual portions reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, though the topping will soften. Freeze slices wrapped tightly for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my eggplant parmigiana watery?
The usual causes are unsalted eggplant, wet mozzarella or a thin sauce. Salt the eggplant for 20 minutes and pat it dry, drain the mozzarella thoroughly, and simmer the passata until it coats a spoon before layering.
Do I have to salt the eggplant?
Salting draws out moisture and reduces any bitterness, and it noticeably improves the texture. If you skip it, the slices release water in the oven and the dish can turn soggy. Twenty minutes on a rack is enough.
Can I make eggplant parmigiana ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to the baking time because it starts cold. You can also bake it fully, cool, and reheat at 180°C for 20 minutes.
Can I freeze eggplant parmigiana?
It freezes well once baked and cooled. Wrap portions tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered at 180°C for 20-25 minutes so the middle heats through without drying the top.
How do I know when it is done?
The cheese should be deep golden and the sauce visibly bubbling around the edges of the dish. If the top is browned but the centre is not hot, cover with foil and bake another 10 minutes. A knife inserted in the middle should feel hot to the touch.
Can I use a different cheese instead of mozzarella?
Yes. Low-moisture mozzarella gives a firmer slice, while provolone or a mild scamorza melt well. Keep the parmesan or grana padano for the salty top layer, and avoid very soft cheeses that release water.
Should I peel the eggplant?
No. The skin holds the slices together and softens fully during roasting and baking. Peeling makes the layers mushy and the dish harder to portion.
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