Description
This Vegan Eggplant Parmesan offers a delicious plant-based twist on the classic Italian comfort dish. Featuring crispy breaded eggplant slices baked to perfection and layered with a creamy homemade vegan mozzarella sauce and rich marinara, this recipe is perfect for a hearty, dairy-free meal that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant and Coating
- 1 eggplant (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp oregano
Vegan Mozzarella
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup plain dairy free yogurt
- 2 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Other
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- fresh basil as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking both the eggplant and the assembled dish.
- Prepare Eggplant: Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Sprinkle salt over the slices and place them in a strainer for 10 minutes. This process helps draw out excess moisture. Afterwards, transfer the eggplant slices to a baking sheet or plate and press down with a towel or paper towels to remove leftover liquid.
- Set Up Breading Stations: In one bowl, whisk together almond milk and flour until smooth. In another bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and oregano for the coating mixture.
- Bread the Eggplant: Dip each eggplant slice first into the milk and flour mixture, then coat it thoroughly with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the breaded slices on a baking sheet. Repeat until all eggplant slices are coated, then bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until crispy.
- Make Vegan Mozzarella: While the eggplant bakes, add the raw cashews, almond milk, dairy free yogurt, nutritional yeast, corn starch, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and salt into a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. Transfer this mixture to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture thickens into a creamy vegan cheese.
- Assemble the Dish: In an 8×8 or 9×13 baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom. Layer half of the baked eggplant slices over the sauce, spoon on more marinara, then dollop half of the vegan mozzarella sauce on top. Repeat the layering process with the remaining eggplant, marinara, and vegan mozzarella.
- Bake the Parmesan: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the oven at 375°F for 20 minutes to meld the flavors and heat through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve warm. Enjoy your delicious vegan eggplant parmesan!
Notes
- Salting the eggplant helps reduce bitterness and moisture for a firmer texture.
- Using raw cashews soaked for a few hours beforehand can help achieve a smoother vegan mozzarella sauce.
- Feel free to use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you require a gluten-free dish.
- Adjust seasoning in the vegan cheese to taste, especially salt and garlic powder.
- This dish reheats well and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Vegan Eggplant Parmesan, Dairy-Free Parmesan, Vegan Italian Recipes, Eggplant Recipes, Plant-Based Main Course
