Eggplant Parmesan has always been one of my favorite things to eat. Well, maybe not always. Growing up I was straight up all about cheese and meat-laden lasagna but my mother would always cook some version of eggplant Parmesan which, of course I refused to try. But hey, I was a dumb kid. Right? Anyway, as I got older and started expanding my palate I discovered that I actually loved eggplant Parmesan. But, now that I don’t eat dairy and try to stay away from fried, refined foods as much as possible … how would I find an eggplant Parmesan recipe that actually tastes good sans mozzarella and bread crumbs?

Such little fate had I … because I stumbled on Miyoko’s vegan mozzarella and I have never been the same since. Truthfully, it’s one of the first all plant-based recipes I ever tried (and liked) which is why it deserves a shout out here for a second time. So if you love eggplant parm as much as I do and are looking for a way to incorporate it into your plant-based diet, give this a try. Insanely delicious!

Note, this does take some time especially if you make your sauce from scratch. And there are a lot of ingredients. My advice is to start this a solid two to three hours before you want to actually eat. And, if you’re lucky enough to have someone else join you in the kitchen, even better because food this good is always better when two people make it together. Am I right? Enjoy ; )

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

PREP TIME: 1 hour | COOK TIME: 45 minutes

• Olive oil
• 1 medium sized eggplant, sliced into thin rounds
• ½ cup Panko or other breadcrumbs
• 2 TBS fresh parsley
• 2 TBS fresh basil
• 1 TBS nutritional yeast
• ¼ cup flour
• 4-5 TBS garlic, chopped
• 1 16-ounce can of whole Italian plum tomatoes
• ¼ to ½ cup red wine
• Vegan mozzarella sliced into rounds
• Cashew Parmesan for finishing

Slice eggplant and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and let stand for 20 minutes. Combine breadcrumbs, herbs, flour and yeast and set aside. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and mix with garlic, a little olive oil, and red wine. Rinse eggplant thoroughly and dry with paper towels. Begin breading the eggplant on each side then make a single layer in a deep casserole pan. Be sure to put a little olive oil on the bottom of the pan before you begin layering. Note, some people fry them first, you can … but I prefer not to. Cover lightly with tomato, garlic and wine, then add a few slices of mozzarella. Continue until you have 3-4 layers. The final one should be sliced mozzarella. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cashew Parmesan if you so desire. And that’s it. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Our recipes are just that, ours. Some are modified versions of dishes we’ve had elsewhere or old-favorites that contained animal proteins that we replaced with plant-based options, while others are a concentrated effort of trial and error. But all are intended to be altered by you and made to suit your tastes. So if you want more garlic or none at all, go for it. You do you ; ) Now for the serious part … periodically this site does offer health, nutrition and exercise information. The information provided is not intended as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice given by a licensed physician or other health-care professional. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, consult your physician and never delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have read on this site. The use of any information provided on this site is solely at your own risk.