Baked Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant (approx. 2 lbs), or 2 small eggplants
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (more for sprinkling)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs (or gluten-free bread crumbs)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all purpose flour)
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 6 tbsp olive oil , divided
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella shredded
- 3 cups Homemade Marinara Sauce (or your favourite store bought)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C and place two sheet pans in the oven to warm while preparing the eggplant.
Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick rounds and sprinkle lightly with salt on both sides; set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, and oregano until they resemble breadcrumbs.
Add the panko to the food processor and pulse a few times to mix; pour the mixture onto a plate and set aside.
Set up the breading assembly line with the eggplant slices, a shallow bowl of flour mixed with cornstarch and almond milk, and the panko mixture.
Dip each eggplant slice in the milk mixture to coat, then dredge in the panko mixture, coating both sides completely; place on a cutting board.
Remove one sheet pan from the oven, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer with gaps.
Repeat the process with the second sheet pan and the remaining eggplant slices.
Bake the eggplant in the preheated oven until golden and crispy.
Remove from the oven, layer with marinara sauce and vegan mozzarella, and bake again until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil before serving.
