Description
A delicious and crispy Vegan Eggplant Parmesan made with a crunchy cornflake and cashew coating, baked to perfection and layered with rich marinara sauce and vegan mozzarella cheese, perfect for a comforting main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Mixture
- 4 cups cornflakes
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Wet Mixture
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant (2 large or 3 medium)
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- 1/2 cup vegan Parmesan (optional, shredded)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease 2 large baking sheets with oil; set aside.
- Prepare Dry Mixture: In a food processor or high powered blender, pulse the cornflakes, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and salt together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs; set aside.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the unsweetened soy milk and all purpose flour until smooth; set aside.
- Slice Eggplant: Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Peeling is optional based on preference.
- Coat Eggplant: Dip each eggplant slice first into the wet milk and flour mixture, then coat thoroughly with the dry crumb mixture. Place coated slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Eggplant: Bake on the baking sheets for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then flip each slice and bake for an additional 15 minutes until crispy.
- Assemble Casserole: Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Layer half of the baked eggplant slices, slightly overlapping if necessary. Top with 1/2 the remaining marinara sauce and 1/2 of the vegan mozzarella cheeses.
- Repeat Layers: Add the rest of the eggplant slices, marinara sauce, and vegan mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake Assembled Dish: Bake the casserole uncovered at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and warm.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle the dish with optional vegan Parmesan and chopped fresh basil. Serve warm and enjoy your vegan eggplant Parmesan!
Notes
- Use fresh, firm eggplants for the best texture and flavor.
- This recipe serves 8 servings, which can vary depending on whether it is served as a side or main dish.
- If you prefer, substitute panko breadcrumbs for cornflakes, though cornflake crumbs provide the best crunch.
- For a gluten free version, use gluten free all purpose flour instead of regular all purpose flour.
- To make the recipe nut free, substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews in the dry mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
