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–+ servings
italian recipe vegan eggplant parmesan vinete parmigiana

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

Golden, crispy breaded eggplant slices layered with marinara and melty vegan cheese, then baked until bubbling. All the comfort of a classic eggplant parmigiana, completely dairy-free and never fried.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Choose Serving Size 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 eggplant sliced
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 1 flax egg 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 4 Tbsp water, rested 10 min
  • ¾ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning dried; basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup marinara sauce homemade or store-bought
  • 1 cup vegan cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • green onion for topping

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the tops and bottoms of each eggplant slice with salt, then cover them on both sides with paper towels.
  • Press down on the paper towels to draw out the excess moisture. Replace them with new, dry ones and leave the eggplant slices like this for at least 30 minutes, to remove all the moisture and bitterness.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C.
  • Prepare three bowls: in the first add the flour, in the second the breadcrumbs mixed with the Italian seasoning, and in the third the flax egg.
  • Coat the eggplant slices with flour on both sides.
  • Drop each floured eggplant slice into the flax egg and coat it evenly.
  • Move the eggplant slice into the breadcrumbs and seasoning bowl and cover it evenly.
  • Grease a large oven tray with some olive oil.
  • Place the eggplant slices on the tray in a single layer and bake them for 20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
  • In a separate baking pan, spread 1/3 of the marinara sauce over the bottom.
  • Add the crispy eggplant slices in a single layer.
  • Sprinkle 1/3 of the shredded vegan cheese on top, along with the oregano. Add 1/3 of the marinara sauce and spread it evenly.
  • Add another layer of eggplant slices, 1/3 of the vegan cheese and the remaining marinara sauce. Top with the remaining vegan cheese.
  • Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Top with the fresh green onion and serve.

Notes

Don't skip salting the eggplant: it draws out the excess moisture and bitterness, and it's what keeps the slices crisp instead of soggy. For a vegetarian (not vegan) version, use one whole beaten egg instead of the flax egg and grated parmesan instead of the vegan cheese. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven rather than the microwave to bring the crust back.