Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a grill pan over medium heat.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each slice of eggplant; season with salt and pepper, and transfer to the grill pan. You will need to cook them in batches.
Cook eggplant slices for about 4 minutes per side.
In the meantime, layer 1/4 cup of the Tomato Basil Sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Arrange the cooked eggplant slices over the sauce and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, and oregano.
Sprinkle about 1/3 of the parmesan mixture over the eggplants.
Top with thinly sliced fresh mozzarella, and layer 1/3 of the tomato sauce over the cheese.
Continue repeating the layers with the rest of the ingredients, finishing up with sauce on top.
Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan over the entire dish.
Sweat the Eggplant: To eliminate bitterness, sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for about 20 minutes. You'll see them start to "sweat" out their moisture. Pat dry before cooking to remove any excess salt and bitterness.
Flavorful Bread Crumbs: Consider using Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for added flavor. Alternatively, add your favorite dry herbs or spices to plain panko crumbs.
Quality Cheese: Using high-quality fresh mozzarella can make a world of difference in flavor and texture.
Sauce: You can use your favorite tomato or pasta sauce or the tomato basil sauce I used. The brand is Classico.
Let it Rest: Once your Eggplant Parmesan is out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the cheese to set a bit and makes it easier to cut and serve.
Freezing: If you plan to freeze it, assemble it, but don't bake it. Thaw the eggplant parmesan before baking as directed.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: eggplant parmesan recipe, how to cook eggplant