Name: Weeknight Harissa Eggplant Parm
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5 Tbsp. plus ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 cup panko; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more; 1 lb. globe eggplant (about 1 medium), cut into 1" pieces; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; ¼ cup harissa; ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes; 12 oz. fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 1½ cups); 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup); Parsley leaves with tender stems and basil leaves (for serving)

Harissa eggplant Parm in a skillet topped with fresh herbs.

Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Christina Allen

Forget battering or frying individual eggplant slices! This recipe employs a layer of toasted breadcrumbs under a blanket of melty cheese to replicate the flavors and textures of eggplant parm in a fraction of the time. At the base of the skillet, pieces of tender seared eggplant are coated in a quick but flavorful tomato sauce, which gets its robust and smoky heat from harissa. One note: Be sure to taste your harissa plain out of the jar first. If it isn’t very spicy, feel free to add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to get your sauce property hot.

Any type of eggplant works in this dish, so if your market is stocked with Japanese, Chinese, or graffiti eggplant, feel free to sub those in. You could even opt for tiny fairy tale eggplant; if they’re small enough, simply halve or quarter lengthwise through the stem to preserve their adorable shape.