Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Plant-based Eggplant Parmesan is a hearty and satisfying dish that features layers of tender, oven-baked eggplant slices, coated in a crispy, golden gluten-free breadcrumb crust. Each layer is generously smothered in a rich, tangy marinara sauce and topped with creamy, dairy-free mozzarella sauce, creating a luscious, gooey texture. The dish is finished with a sprinkle of fresh basil, adding a fragrant, herbal note that complements the savory, tomato-rich flavors. It's a warm, comforting meal that offers all the indulgence of the classic Italian favorite, but with a wholesome, plant-based twist.
Equipment
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 2 medium eggplants sliced into 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick rounds
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ cup soy milk unsweetened, or plant milk of choice
Tomato Sauce
Cheese
- 1 cup cashews
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ¾ cup water
Garnish
- 3 tbsp fresh basil chopped
Instructions
Eggplant
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Mix the almond flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Dip each of the eggplant slices into the soy milk and then into the almond meal mixture and place onto a parchment lined baking tray.
- Bake for 20 minutes on one side, flip, and then bake for another 20 minutes.
Tomato Sauce
- Sauté the garlic in a little water and then add the remaining sauce ingredients and cook on medium for 20 minutes.
Cheese
- Add all cheese ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy.
Assembly
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Ladle a couple spoons of tomato sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Layer one layer of baked eggplant slices into the bottom of the casserole dish making sure you have enough eggplant slices remaining to top each slice with one more eggplant slice.
- Spoon some of the tomato sauce onto each of the first layer of eggplant slices and then pour an equal amount of the cheese on top of that.
- Sprinkle a little of the fresh basil onto each slice.
- Repeat this process by adding the remaining eggplant slices to the top of each of the bottom eggplant slices and finish with the tomato sauce, cheese and a sprinkling of basil.
- You can save any of the remaining sauce or pour it between the eggplant stacks.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 12gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 354mgPotassium: 865mgFiber: 9gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 469IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 4mg
I have been waiting for this one! Yum!
If I wanted to keep this lower fat, do you think cornmeal or oat flour would work in place of almond flour? This sounds amazing; thank you!
A fine grind cornmeal would probably work
So delicious and creamy! Love when eggplant is soft! I would give it 10 stars if I could. Thanks so much, Jill for creating this recipe!
Hi Jill. Wow sooo delicious!!!!! Do you think I could roast the eggplant ahead and freeze it ? Then put it together and bake it with the sauce at a later date? Thank you
hmmm, not sure but my guess is that if you freeze the eggplant and then defrost them, they will turn to mush.
Hey. I froze a part of the dish after baking and this was almost as delicious as just after preparation. Nothing fall apart or was mashed.
Delicious!!!
I made this today. I loved it. It totally satisfied my cravings for greasy cheesy fattening stuff.
Should I bake it covered or uncovered?
Never mind. I watched the video.
This was very good. What do you think about using the cheese part of the recipe in eggplant rollatini?
Absolutely