No.78 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Eggplant Parmigiana

Made famous by Lidia Bastianich

Photo: Schellenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, 2001.

Fried eggplant layered with tomato and cheese is one of the best-loved dishes on both sides of the Atlantic, and Lidia taught it to American TV audiences for decades.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggplants (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg)
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 2 cups (200 g) fine dry breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil and olive oil, half and half, for frying
• 4 cups (1 l) tomato sauce (Marcella's tomato sauce, recipe on this chart, or a good marinara)
• 1 lb (450 g) fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups (120 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• A handful of fresh basil leaves

Steps

1. Trim the eggplants and peel strips of skin lengthwise so it's striped. Cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) slices. Layer them in a colander, salting each layer, and leave 1 hour. Rinse and pat very dry.
2. Set up three plates: flour, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs. Dredge each slice in flour, dip in egg, then press into the crumbs.
3. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the slices in batches until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
4. Heat the oven to 375F (190C). Spread 1 cup sauce in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
5. Lay in a layer of eggplant, spoon over sauce, add a layer of mozzarella, sprinkle with Parmigiano and tear over a few basil leaves. Repeat, ending with sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano on top.
6. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until bubbling and golden.
7. Rest at least 15 minutes before cutting, so the layers hold.

Chef's tips

• It's even better the next day, at room temperature or warmed.
• To skip frying, brush the breaded slices with oil and bake at 425F (220C), turning once, about 25 minutes.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Bastianich: get the book, No. 92 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

← No. 77Cacio e Pepe→ No. 79Rao's Meatballs