Skillet Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 2 Eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ tsp Kosher salt
• 1 jar Low-sodium marinara sauce
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp Red pepper flakes
• 6 oz Part-skim mozzarella, torn or shredded
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup Fresh basil, torn
• 8 oz Whole wheat pasta (dry) (optional)

Method

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Salt the eggplant rounds and let them sit 15 minutes, then blot dry — this seasons them through and pulls the water that otherwise makes the dish soggy.
2. Brush both sides with 2 tbsp oil, spread on a sheet pan, and roast 25 minutes, flipping once, until browned and collapsed.
3. Toast the panko with the last tablespoon of oil in a dry skillet over medium, stirring, 3-4 minutes until golden. Tip it onto a plate — this is your crunch, and it goes on last.
4. In the same skillet, warm the marinara with the garlic and pepper flakes, 5 minutes.
5. Layer in the skillet: sauce, eggplant, mozzarella, repeat, finishing with sauce and parmesan. Bake 15 minutes until bubbling.
6. Scatter the toasted panko and torn basil over the top just before serving so it stays crisp.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Panko added after baking instead of before. Nobody does this at home and everybody notices.

🧒 For the kids

Serve over pasta with extra sauce. The panko on top does most of the persuading.

🌿 From the garden

One eggplant plant produces more than a family can eat from August through frost.

🥡 Leftovers

Reheats well at 350°F. Re-toast fresh panko for the top — 3 minutes and it tastes new.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.