The eggplant parmesan in a skillet is a practical and tasty dish, perfect for summer days when you crave a good parmesan but don’t want to turn on the oven. This recipe is perfect for those looking for a lighter and quicker version of the traditional Sicilian eggplant parmesan, without sacrificing authentic taste.
The ingredients are typical of the Sicilian recipe: eggplants, tomato sauce, basil, and grated parmesan cheese. No mozzarella, to stay true to the classic island version, simpler but equally full of flavor. If desired, mozzarella can be added for a cheesier parmesan.
The eggplants, sliced, are first grilled (or, if preferred, fried), then assembled directly in the skillet (you can use the same one in which you prepared the sauce to limit dishwashing). The cooking is done on the stove, on low heat and with a lid, for about twenty minutes: the final result is surprisingly similar to oven-baked parmesan, but with a significant saving of time, effort, and especially kitchen heat.
A convenient and tasty solution, perfect to serve warm or even cold, which you can alternate with another summer version of parmesan, the “on a plate” version, very popular in Sicily during the hottest months. In short, the eggplant parmesan in a skillet is an intelligent way to bring all the goodness of tradition to the table, with the lightness and practicality that summer requires.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Energy 187.23 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 15.50 (g) of which sugars 3.95 (g)
- Proteins 6.03 (g)
- Fat 12.91 (g) of which saturated 3.37 (g)of which unsaturated 1.39 (g)
- Fibers 5.12 (g)
- Sodium 176.67 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 230 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan in a Skillet
The listed quantities are for an appetizer for 4 people or a main course for 2 people. You can double all the quantities and use a 9.5-inch skillet.
- 1 black oval eggplant (approximately 1 lb)
- 500 g tomato puree
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated)
- A few leaves basil
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Skillet non-stick 8-inch diameter with lid
- 1 Grill Pan
How to Prepare Eggplant Parmesan in a Skillet
To prepare the skillet parmesan start with the tomato sauce: in a non-stick skillet 8 inches in diameter pour 3 tablespoons of oil. Add a clove of garlic and let it gently sauté (1). Then pour in the tomato puree, diluted with half a cup of water, add a pinch of salt, and some torn basil leaves (2). Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook on low flame for about 15 minutes (3).
When the sauce is ready, turn off the heat and remove the garlic (4). Transfer the sauce to a container or bowl, keeping the skillet in which you cooked it still stained with sauce: you can use it later to assemble the parmesan. Wash and dry the eggplant and slice it about 1/8 inch thick (5). Place a non-stick grill pan on the heat and lightly grease it with a drizzle of oil, let it heat well, and place the eggplant slices on it (6).
Cook them for 2-3 minutes, then turn them to the other side (7). Lightly salt them and cook for another couple of minutes. If preferred, you can deep fry the eggplant after draining with salt (follow the procedure explained in this recipe). Transfer them to a plate and proceed to assemble your skillet parmesan: lightly coat the bottom of the skillet with a bit of sauce (8), then form the first layer of grilled eggplants, side by side slightly overlapping (9).
Cover them with a bit of tomato sauce (10) and garnish with plenty of parmesan and a few basil leaves (11). Form another layer of eggplant, always placing them closely and slightly overlapping (12).
Continue this way, forming a total of 3 layers of eggplant, always topped with tomato sauce, parmesan, and basil. Finish with all the remaining sauce and a generous amount of parmesan (13). Cover the skillet with a lid and set it on the stovetop over low heat (14). Cook the skillet parmesan for about 20 minutes without opening the lid. At the end of cooking, remove the lid and, if necessary, let the sauce reduce for a minute or two (15).
Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Serve the eggplant parmesan warm or cold, as an appetizer or vegetarian main course.
Storage
You can store the parmesan in the refrigerator for 3 days, in a glass container.
Tips and Variations
If you like, you can add 3.5 oz of diced mozzarella between each layer. The listed quantities are for an appetizer for 4 people or a main course for 2 people. You can double all the quantities and use a 9.5-inch skillet.
