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Sunday dinners call for this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan. The layers of crispy Italian-seasoned eggplant slices, melted cheese, and marinara sauce are so comforting and perfect for serving over pasta. Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
Eggplant parm has always been a vegetarian favorite, but for us vegans, the egg dip and dairy-heavy layers have kept it off the table… until now! This VeganEggplant Parmesan Recipe is oh-so cheesy and comforting, making it an instant hit at family dinners. No one will even notice that it’s vegan!
Table of Contents
A Cheesy Italian Classic Made Vegan
Anything covered in melted cheese and tomato sauce is good in my books, including eggplant parmesan. Thing is, the traditional recipe usually uses eggs in the liquid batter, making it far from being vegan-friendly.
I couldn’t resist the temptation of the crispy eggplant slices, marinara, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese any longer, and so my Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Recipe was born!
After a lot of testing, I found that the eggs from the classic recipe could easily be replaced with a mix of cornstarch and oil. The fattiness in the oil works just as well as eggs, helping the sticky batter cling to the eggplant and bake up nice and crisp. Now, I can indulge in as much of the crunchy, saucy, melty goodness as I want—no eggs or dairy needed!
What You Need for Dairy-Free Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant parmesan may not be the fastest dinner recipe on my blog, but it is one of the best! Even better, you only need fresh eggplant, pantry staples, and simple seasonings to make it:
- Eggplant: when you’re shopping, look for firm, glossy eggplants with smooth skins and no soft spots. Don’t worry about peeling the eggplant—leaving the skin on will help keep your slices intact.
- Soy Milk: or use the unsweetened non-dairy milk of your choice.
- Cornstarch: a thickening agent that yields a thick and sticky batter that will cling to the eggplant slices. Feel free to use arrowroot powder as a substitute.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: technically any type of breadcrumbs will work here, but you’ll never go wrong with panko. These Japanese-style breadcrumbs are extra light and airy, giving the baked eggplant slices some serious crunch.
- Herbs and Seasonings: the breadcrumbs are seasoned with dried oregano, fresh thyme, red chili flakes, paprika, salt, and pepper. You can use dried thyme instead of fresh, but you’ll need to reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon because dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor.
- Marinara Sauce: opt for a quality jar of store-bought marinara sauce to give your dish the best flavor. If you don’t have jarred marinara on hand, use another seasoned tomato sauce you like. Even my Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce will taste great here!
- Vegan Cheese: use a quality brand of vegan parmesan cheese (I like Violife the best because you can shred it from the block) and a meltable vegan shredded mozzarella for the melty, cheesy top layer.
How to Make Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
- Whisk the salt and water together in a large pot until the salt dissolves. Add the sliced eggplant to the water and let it soak.
- Meanwhile, stir the oil, soy milk, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Add the breadcrumbs to a wide bowl, then mix in the dairy-free parmesan, herbs, and seasonings. Transfer half of the breadcrumb mixture to a separate bowl.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry before dipping one into the wet batter. Transfer the slice to the breadcrumb bowl and coat it on both sides, then place it on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
- Roast the breaded eggplant in the oven until the breadcrumbs are golden.
- Spread some of the marinara across the bottom of a baking dish, then top with a layer of baked eggplant slices. Dollop more marinara over top, then add a layer of cheese. Repeat these layers until you run out of eggplant.
- Bake the eggplant parm until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
- Garnish the casserole with fresh basil and serve while it’s hot.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Test run the layering: Before I do anything, I like to lay the sliced eggplant rounds in my casserole dish to get a feel for how the eggplant will stack. For this recipe, I used a 9×13” baking dish and ended up with six stacks of three eggplant slices each.
- Don’t skip salting the eggplant. Let’s face it… Eggplant is bitter, and we need to remove that flavor in order to make our eggplant parm the tastiest. Brining the slices in a salt water solution will draw out aaaaall of that bitterness and excess moisture, helping the slices taste their best and bake up nice and crispy.
- Weigh down the eggplant slices: If your eggplant slices are floating to the top of the salt water solution, weigh them down with a small pot lid or plate so they stay fully submerged.
Serving Suggestions
Just like tofu parmesan, eggplant parmesan is a classic Italian-American dinner. I like to make it for extravagant Sunday dinners paired with slices of this Italian Herbs & Cheese Bread and a side of this Everyday Kale Salad. When I want to stretch the meal even further, I’ll serve the baked eggplant stacks over a bed of al dente pasta or creamy vegan polenta.
If you’re looking for more vegan versions of your favorite Italian dishes, you’ll also love this Vegan Eggplant Lasagna, this Vegan “Chicken” Piccata, and this Vegan Tempeh Marsala!
How to Store Leftover Eggplant Parmesan
Once it has cooled, the leftover baked eggplant parm will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. Keep the leftovers in a covered baking dish or transfer them to an airtight container to keep them fresh.
For the best texture, reheat as much eggplant parm as you plan on eating in a 375ºF oven or toaster oven until warmed through and re-crisped. The microwave also works, but the leftovers just won’t be quite as crispy the second time around.
To make eggplant parmesan in advance, bread and bake the eggplant slices as normal and assemble them in the casserole dish from bottom to top. Cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month. Bake it fresh when you’re ready (adding an extra few minutes to the bake time for the frozen eggplant).
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Just use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to make gluten-free eggplant parmesan.
- Vegan Cheese Substitute: If you’d rather stick with whole food ingredients, swap the vegan parmesan in the breadcrumb mixture for 3 to 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. You can also try swapping the mozzarella for a homemade cashew-based cheese sauce, like this Rosemary Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce, for layering.
- Eggplant Substitute: If eggplant isn’t your thing, use sliced zucchini, portobello mushroom caps, or cauliflower steaks as a replacement. Just keep in mind that the baking times will vary.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe will serve between 6 and 8 people. I recommend laying the sliced eggplant in the baking dish before cooking to give you a good idea of how much you’ll end up with in the end.
To fry the breaded eggplant slices, place them in a skillet with a shallow layer of hot oil until they’re golden and crisp on both sides. Drain them well on paper towels before layering them into the casserole dish.
This likely happened because the eggplant wasn’t properly salted and drained before baking. Using too much sauce or layering the ingredients while the eggplant is still hot from the oven can also result in excess moisture.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
For the Eggplant:
- 2 large or 3 medium eggplants cut into 1/4” slices
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4-8 cups water divided; plus more as needed
- Spray oil or olive oil for drizzling
For the Liquid Batter:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons soy milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or sub arrowroot powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Breadcrumbs:
- 1 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup finely shredded dairy-free Parmesan cheese I used Violife
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
For the Casserole:
- 36 ounces marinara sauce
- 7 ounces cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil for garnish
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400F (200°C). Grease a large baking sheet and set aside, then set a 9×13” casserole dish aside. Slice the eggplant into thin slices; I like to lay them out in the baking dish before proceeding with the recipe, so I can have a good idea of how things will fit and make assembly easier later on. For this recipe I made 6 stacks of 3 eggplant slices in my baking dish.
- Salt the Eggplant: Add the kosher salt and 4 cups of water to large bowl or pot (I find using a pot with tall sides is easiest). Whisk the salt into the water until it has completely dissolved, then add your sliced eggplant to the water. Cover with an additional 4 cups of water, adding more as necessary. The eggplant will float to the top, so I like to weigh it down with a smaller pot lid or heavy plate so it is completely submerged. Let soak for 10 minutes (Note: I make my batter & breadcrumbs during this time).
- Make the Batter: In the meantime whisk the oil, soy milk, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Make the Breadcrumbs: Add the panko breadcrumbs to a medium bowl with a wide base. Add the dairy-free parmesan, oregano, thyme, chili flakes, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the bowl and mix well. Take half of the breadcrumb mixture out of the bowl and set aside; this will help prevent the breadcrumbs from getting soggy later on.
- Pat Dry: Drain the eggplant and transfer it to a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry.
- Batter: Use your left hand to dip both sides of one eggplant slice into the wet batter. Shake any excess batter off, then transfer to the breadcrumb bowl. Use your right hand or a spoon to spread breadcrumbs over the top of the eggplant and lightly press down. Shake off any excess crumbs, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices, adding the second half of the breadcrumb mixture to the bowl once you are almost out of the first half.
- Roast the Eggplant: Generously spray the eggplant sliced with cooking oil, or drizzle with olive oil. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 415F.
- Layer the Casserole: Use a spatula to spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of your baking dish, then add 1 layer of the baked eggplant sliced. Dollop 3/4 cup of marinara over the eggplant slices and spread evenly, then sprinkle with roughly 1/3 of the cheese (or half, if you are only doing 2 layers). Repeat this process with the second layer of eggplant. Repeat for the top layer of eggplant, then dollop 1 cup of sauce over the eggplant and top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
- Serve & Store: Sprinkle the casserole with fresh basil and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftovers are best reheated in the oven or toaster oven for a crispier eggplant parmesan, but you can also use the microwave if you don’t mind it being a bit softer.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free.
