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Here’s my take on a tasty vegan eggplant parmesan dish that celebrates the rich, indulgent flavours possible with plant-based cooking. The beauty of this recipe shines through in its simplicity. A few humble components like eggplant, tomato sauce, plant-based milk, vegan cheese and flour shape an extraordinary meal – one that stands tall next to more traditional parmesans in both satisfaction and taste and this dish proves you don’t need unusual ingredients or hours of preparation to plate up something special.
I’m gonna take you all on a trip to explore the artsy side of vegan cooking. We’ll figure out how to make some awesome plant-based stuff, like this eggplant parm recipe here and it doesn’t matter if you’re a pro or just messing around with dairy-free things, this one will knock your socks off.
So tie on an apron, get your knives ready and let’s dive into a universe of tasty vegan nom-noms!
A Bit About Eggplants
You wouldn’t guess it from the name, but eggplants are actually a type of berry! They’re part of the nightshade family along with tomatoes and peppers. Even though we call them vegetables, they’re botanically classified as fruits.
There are loads of different varieties too – from big and glossy purple globes to skinny lavender ones to teeny tiny white eggplants. They come in all kinds of funky shapes and colours. Bigger isn’t necessarily better though. Those cute little guys pack just as much flavour and nutrients and speaking of nutrients, eggplants are nutritional powerhouses. Low in calories but loaded with good stuff like fiber vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium. . . the list goes on. All those antioxidants are great for your health too. Studies show they could help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
You can cook eggplants in so many ways – roast, grill bake, sauté. Their texture soaks up flavours amazingly well. They’re like little flavour sponges, making them perfect for rich sauces and glazes. Try them in curries, pastas sandwiches. . . even desserts! So don’t let their name fool you. Eggplants are way more than just vegetables. These super-nutritious, versatile fruits can seriously upgrade your cooking!
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Description
This easy vegan eggplant parmesan is simple but so gratifying. Slabs of soft eggplant meat, rich savoury tomato sauce and a sprinkling of flour and non dairy milk to make a dish that’s cozy and pleasant.
Ingredients
Instructions
- We’re going to start by preheating the oven at 220°C.
- Cut the eggplants lengthwise into about 1.2 cm slices. Now we’re going to heavily salt the eggplant slices (I recommend sea salt) and let them sit on a baking tray for about 45 minutes. This will draw out excess moisture.
- Once eggplants have done their thing start coating them in a mixture of flour, milk and maybe breadcrumbs on all sides. Dip them first into the oat milk and then into the flour and breadcrumbs, making sure they are fully covered.
- In a frying pan add a generous amount of olive oil over hight heat.
- Fry the eggplant slices on all sides until they have a golden-brown crispy crust and set aside.
- Start finely chopping the onion and garlic and add them to a frying pan with oil over medium heat. Cook them for a few minutes until they’re soft and fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Let it cook until it tastes good stirring frequently.
- Spread some tomato sauce at the bottom of a deep baking dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices, more tomato sauce, vegan cheese and a few basil leaves. Repeat the layers, making sure you leave the top layer without any cheese (we’re going to add that later).
- Place the baking dish with the eggplant parm in the oven at 210°C and bake for 25 minutes.
- Once it’s done add a layer of vegan cheese on top and bake for another 20 minutes at 210°C.
- Let it sit for around 10 minutes, garnish with a few more basil leaves and serve.
Video
Notes
- Leftover Vegan Eggplant Parm keeps pretty well in the fridge for 3 or 4 days if you stash it in an airtight container. Just warm it up in the microwave or oven before eating. I like to make a big batch so I have leftovers for lunch the next couple days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- If you want to make a lower-calorie version you can do this by baking the eggplant instead of frying it. Just coat it in breadcrumbs like usual, lay it out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake until it gets all crispy and golden brown. It might not be quite as crispy as fried but it’s still delish and better for you.
- Mess around with the sauce: Go ahead and try out some different tomato sauces if you want. Grab a jar of marinara from the store, or make your own fresh one with garden tomatoes and whichever herbs and spices suit your fancy.
- Red pepper flakes: Just a pinch of the red stuff on top gives a nice subtle kick to balance everything out real nice-like. It’s a good little addition if you’re into some heat.
- You can also try adding different herbs like parsley, thyme or rosemary.
