Authentic Italian Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Discover how to make authentic Italian eggplant parmesan with our brand new video recipe. Watch the Foodie Sisters, Benedetta and Valeria, prepare traditional melanzane alla parmigiana and bring the authentic flavors of this beloved dish into your own kitchen. Check out the video and detailed recipe below.
The Essence of Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Originally from the south of Italy, melanzane alla parmigiana, or eggplant parmesan, is now one of the most celebrated dishes in Italian cuisine. This satisfying dish features layers of fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce, milky mozzarella, and grated parmesan, all baked together until the flavors meld into a delicious mix of creamy cheese, savory sauce, and tender eggplant. Easy to make at home, this wonderful vegetarian recipe from our family cookbook Il Talismano della Felicità is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
Melanzane alla Parmigiana Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 6 large eggplants
- 300g (10.6 oz) mozzarella
- Tomato sauce (made from 1kg of fresh or canned tomatoes, get the recipe here)
- 50g (1.8 oz) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 30g (1 oz) butter
- Frying oil
- Salt
Note: While some prefer to sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for a few hours to remove excess water, it’s not necessary for this recipe. Just make sure to use the freshest eggplants possible.
Instructions
- Prepare the Eggplants: Wash and dry the eggplants, remove the stalks, peel them, and cut them lengthwise into thin slices. Fry the slices immediately in hot frying oil and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Make the Tomato Sauce: Prepare the tomato sauce according to our recipe here.
- Layer the Ingredients: Grease a baking dish with butter. Add the first layer of fried eggplant slices. Cover with tomato sauce, grated Parmigiano, and a few slices of mozzarella. Continue building layers in the same way, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce.
- Bake: Place the dish in a moderate oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until the mozzarella has melted and the flavors have combined.
Learn Real Italian Cooking in a Roman Home
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With Local Aromas, you cook alongside our wonderful local chefs in their own homes, using traditional techniques passed down through generations.
You will cook, laugh, and share stories around the table before sitting down together to enjoy the meal you created.
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Inside the Local Aromas Family, you are not just learning recipes. You are stepping into a community of people who share your passion for Italy, its flavors, and its way of life.
Casa means home in Italian. And that is exactly what this membership is designed to become for you. A place where Italy feels close, familiar, and part of your everyday life — right in your own kitchen.
With Casa, you cook alongside real Italians, learn traditions passed down through generations, and finally understand the why behind every ingredient and technique. At the same time, you connect with others who love Italy just as much as you do.
Through live cooking sessions, traditional recipes, food and wine deep dives, and heartfelt conversations, you do not just gain skills. You gain confidence, inspiration, and a sense of belonging.
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It is a feeling.
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