Inspired by authentic plates in Italy, this pared-back eggplant parmigiana relies on roasted slices, a straightforward tomato sauce, and plenty of melted cheese for an elegant, unfussy bake.
Last year I confessed that, despite eggplant being out of season, I can’t stop craving eggplant Parmesan every winter. Who doesn’t love a bubbling, cheese-stretchy casserole that brings those comforting, pasta-like flavors without the heaviness of noodles? I’d held back from posting my version because it felt like a bit of an impostor: no breading, no frying, and absolutely no ricotta. The working file on my computer even called it “(Not Really) Eggplant Parmesan.”
What changed my mind was a trip to Italy. We ordered parmigiana di melanzane whenever it appeared on the menu, and the plates that arrived often looked exactly like this — no crumbs, no ricotta. Reading about the dish’s history nudged me to stop hemming and hawing and finally share my recipe.
I love how this comes together: thick slices of eggplant are salted, patted dry, then roasted with a generous drizzle of olive oil at high heat until deeply browned on both sides — basically “almost fried” but without the splatter and paper towels. While the eggplant roasts you make a simple tomato sauce: onion, garlic and red pepper flakes gently cooked in olive oil, then finished with canned tomatoes and a handful of fresh basil. The slices are fanned into a baking dish with sauce beneath and layered over, piled with mozzarella and parmesan, and baked until the cheese is blistered and the whole thing becomes spoonable — every portion battling to stretch the cheese back into the pan. It will probably wobble on the first scoop; that’s a win.
Servings: 4 to 6
Time: ~2 hours (mostly hands-off)
Ingredient | Imperial | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Eggplant, cut into generous 1/2-inch slices | 2 lb | ~900 g | — |
Kosher salt | — | — | To taste |
Olive oil | — | — | For cooking |
Freshly ground black pepper | — | — | To taste |
Small onion, finely chopped | 1 | — | — |
Garlic cloves, minced | 3 cloves | — | — |
Red pepper flakes | 1/4 tsp | — | — |
Whole tomatoes (canned) | 28 oz | ~800 g | With juice |
Dried oregano | 1 tsp | — | — |
Fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped | Handful | — | — |
Parmesan or pecorino, finely grated | 1/2 cup | ~50 g | — |
Mozzarella, grated or thinly sliced | 8 oz | ~225 g | — |
Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Let them sit for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
Preheat to 425°F (220°C).
Pat the slices dry with paper towels and dry the baking sheet. Coat the sheet with about 3 tablespoons olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper. Arrange the eggplant in one layer, drizzle with another 2 tablespoons oil and season again with black pepper. Roast until nicely browned on the bottom, about 20–25 minutes. Using a thin spatula, flip the slices and roast until the second side is browned, another ~10 minutes. They don’t need to be fully tender at this stage. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F (175°C).
Open the canned tomatoes and chop them into smaller pieces with kitchen shears or a clean pair of scissors. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium–large saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt (adjust later to taste). Let the sauce simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a smoother sauce, mash the tomatoes with a potato masher or briefly use an immersion blender. Stir in the basil, taste, and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon about 1/2 cup of sauce into a 1.5–2 quart baking dish (6–8 cup capacity). Arrange half the eggplant slices in a slightly overlapping layer, spread another 1/2 cup sauce over them, then arrange the remaining slices and ladle more sauce over the top to your liking. [Store any leftover sauce in the fridge for 4–5 days.] Sprinkle the assembly with mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. If you want more browning, briefly place it under the broiler.
Allow the eggplant Parmesan to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving — it helps everything set up and makes spooning easier. It’s wonderful with garlic bread on the side.
This keeps very well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat at 350°F (175°C), covered for the first half of reheating, for about 25–30 minutes. You can also wrap and freeze it for a few months.
