Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian vegetarian dish, made with eggplant, marinara sauce, and plenty of cheeses. To transition this vegetarian dish into a completely vegan dish, that is void of all animal products, we looked to none other than vegan health coach and recipe developer, Miriam Hahn.

Hahn fills us in on which vegan products to use in this recipe. As many vegan cheeses are known to be a bit difficult to melt, Hahn notes that she likes using the "Vevan brand of mozzarella cheese. It melts better than most others." She also notes that she has "tried this with all types of non-dairy milks, but [her] favorite one to use is Ripple milk. It is made from pea protein and is fortified with vitamin B12 and calcium." Hahn also mentions that, as for non-dairy Parmesan, she likes Follow Your Heart brand the best, as it tastes closest to the real deal.

Gather your ingredients for vegan eggplant parmesan

For this recipe you will need eggplant, non-dairy milk, salt, flour, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, vegan mozzarella cheese, vegan Parmesan cheese, marinara sauce, and basil.

Start by slicing the eggplant

Now we can get started! First, preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare the eggplant by slicing them, width-wise,  into ½-inch slices. Place these slices on a large baking sheet that has been prepared with a dish towel or paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt on top of the eggplant slices and allow them to sit for 10 minutes. The salt will pull out the excess moisture from the eggplant.

Make the batter

In the meantime, prepare the batter. In a small bowl, add the milk and flour and whisk to combine. In another bowl, add the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and remaining salt. Whisk this mixture to combine. Use a paper towel to pat dry the eggplant. Then, dip each eggplant slice into the milk batter mixture before dipping it into the dry batter mixture. Once each slice has been completely covered with the batter, set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake the eggplant

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven to bake the eggplant for 20 minutes. While the eggplant is baking and getting crisped up, we can prepare our layers. In a small bowl, add the mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Grab a large 9x13 inch baking dish and get ready to build our layers.

Layer and bake

In a small bowl, add the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Now, grab a 9x13 inch baking dish, and in the bottom of it, spread ¼ cup of the marinara sauce. Once the 20 minutes are up, remove the eggplant from the oven. Add a layer of sliced cooked eggplant on top of the marinara sauce in the baking dish. Top with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese mixture. Then add a layer of sauce, topped with the remaining eggplant slices, and a layer of cheese. Top this with a final layer of sauce and cover the baking dish with foil, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil. Add the final layer of cheese and bake for five more minutes. Remove from oven and top with optional sliced basil, then you're ready to serve and enjoy this vegan eggplant Parmesan!

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
5 from 33 ratings
This eggplant Parmesan recipe is 100% vegan, but since it's so tasty, we think you might not even be able to tell!
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
45
minutes
Servings
6
servings
eggplant parmesan bake
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
  • 1 large or 2 small eggplants
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 ¼ cup plant-based milk
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 ¼ cups vegan mozzarella, divided
  • ½ cup vegan Parmesan
  • 1 jar (25 ounces) marinara sauce
Optional Ingredients
  • fresh basil for topping
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  2. Slice the eggplant into ½-inch slices. Lay some paper towels or a clean dishtowel on a large baking tray. Lay the slices out on the tray and sprinkle them with about ½ teaspoon of salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes.
  3. During that time, mix the milk with the flour in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Mix the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt and set aside.
  5. When the eggplant is ready, take some paper towels and pat over the tops of the eggplant to pick up an excess water. Then dip each slice into the flour mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Place each slice on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake the eggplant for 20 minutes.
  7. While that is baking, mix 2 cups of the mozzarella and the Parmesan.
  8. Spread ¼ cup of sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of cooked eggplant, then half of the cheese mixture. Now repeat sauce, eggplant, and cheese and top with the remaining sauce.
  9. Bake for 20 minutes with foil on. Then remove the foil and add the remaining mozzarella. Cook for 5 more minutes.
  10. Top with fresh basil, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 491
Total Fat 14.3 g
Saturated Fat 5.2 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 15.9 mg
Total Carbohydrates 67.5 g
Dietary Fiber 9.1 g
Total Sugars 24.5 g
Sodium 1,246.6 mg
Protein 25.1 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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