Description
A delicious and crispy Vegan Eggplant Parmesan featuring baked breaded eggplant slices layered with marinara sauce and vegan mozzarella cheese, finished with fresh basil and optional vegan Parmesan for a comforting plant-based Italian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Mixture
- 4 cups cornflakes
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Wet Mixture
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant (2 large or 3 medium)
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- 1/2 cup vegan Parmesan (optional, shredded)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease two large baking sheets with oil and set aside for the eggplant.
- Prepare Dry Mixture: In a food processor or high-powered blender, pulse together cornflakes, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and salt until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together unsweetened soy milk and all purpose flour until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Slice Eggplant: Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Peeling is optional based on preference.
- Bread Eggplant Slices: Dip each eggplant slice first into the soy milk and flour mixture, then coat with the cornflake crumb mixture. Place the breaded slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Eggplant: Bake the eggplant slices for 20 minutes, then carefully flip each piece and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Assemble the Dish: Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Layer half of the baked eggplant slices, slightly overlapping if necessary. Top with half of the remaining marinara sauce and half of the vegan mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat Layers and Bake: Add the remaining eggplant slices, remaining marinara sauce, and vegan mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and warmed through.
- Add Final Touches and Serve: Sprinkle with optional vegan Parmesan and chopped fresh basil. Serve warm and enjoy your vegan eggplant Parmesan.
Notes
- Use fresh, high-quality eggplant for the best flavor and texture.
- This recipe serves 8 servings, making it suitable as a main or side dish.
- If you prefer not to use cornflakes, panko breadcrumbs are a good substitute; however, cornflake crumbs provide the best crunch.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- To make the recipe nut-free, substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews in the dry mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
