Parmigiana vs. Schnitzel — What's the Difference?

Parmigiana (, Italian: [parmiˈdʒaːna], also called parmigiana di melanzane [parmiˈdʒaːna di melanˈdzaːne; -ˈtsaːne] or melanzane alla parmigiana, is an Italian dish made with fried, sliced eggplant layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. The origin of the dish is claimed by both the Southern regions of Campania and Sicily.

A schnitzel is a thin slice of meat. The meat is usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer.

Made or covered with Parmesan cheese

A thin cutlet of veal or other meat, usually seasoned, that is dipped in batter and fried.

(cooking) Cooked or served with Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce.

A dish consisting of fried veal cutlet.

Any dish in which a main ingredient is combined with cheese and coated with tomato sauce before being baked.

(by extension) A Germanic dish of breaded and deep-fried meat cutlet.

Deep-fried breaded veal cutlets