For some reason, eggplant used to intimidate me. Its floppy texture, neutral taste, and seemingly over-involved cooking methods made me think it would be something I’d never master.
I was wrong.
Since getting my hands on my first eggplant last year, it’s become one of my absolute favorite fruits (yes, fruit, even though it’s a vegetable in my book).
Two of my absolute favorite recipes utilizing eggplant have been my Cashew-less Vegan Queso and my Eggplant and Caramelized Onion Dip. It’s neutral flavor helps it absorb flavors extremely well, and depending on how you cook it, its texture is extremely versatile – from super creamy to super crisp.
And in this little gem of a recipe, it’s crispy to the max! Before we dive into the recipe, let’s learn about eggplant parmesan and where it comes from.
Origins of Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant parmesan (or parmigiana di malanzane) is an Italian casserole dish made with fried eggplant slices, tomato sauce, and cheese.
It’s exact origin, however, is hotly debated! Some claim it was invented in Sicily, while others claim it comes from Naples, Puglia, or Calabria. You can read more about its history here.
The following version is not traditional, but a simplified, dairy and egg-free twist that skips the extra step of turning it into a casserole and instead serves the crispy fried eggplant slices with a side of marinara.
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
This recipe was inspired by one of my favorite food bloggers, Izy from Top with Cinnamon. It’s straight out of her beautiful new cookbook, Top With Cinnamon.
Although it’s not a vegan cookbook, it has a lot of recipes that can be easily adapted to a vegan diet. And when I laid my eyes on her crispy aubergine pesto pasta, I knew it was the one for me.
This recipe took a few tries to get just right sans egg, but I think I’ve done it (simply)!
It requires just 10 ingredients, employs easy methods, and takes a little more than 1 hour from start to finish. It is a little bit more involved than some savory meals I’ve cooked, but it’s one that John and I both love and crave, so it’s worth the extra time and effort!
I think you guys are going to LOVE this recipe! It’s:
Comforting
Crispy
Warm
Rich
Flavorful
Saucy
Delicious
Satisfying
& Simple!
I knew this recipe was a winner when I served it to John and he literally went back for seconds before I could! I love it when happy meal discoveries like that happen.
More Delicious Eggplant Recipes
- Perfect Roasted Eggplant (Tender, Caramelized!)
- Easy Ratatouille (Versatile, 1 Pot!)
- Easy Vegan Moussaka
- Jamaican Jerk Grilled Eggplant (30 Minutes!)
If you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it as much as we did! As always, tag us on Instagram with #minimalistbaker or Twitter @minimalistbaker if you do. Cheers!
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
EGGPLANT PARMESAN
- 1 medium eggplant (as narrow as possible)*
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or other flour of choice – GF for gluten-free eaters)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (GF for gluten-free eaters)
- 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan (plus more for serving // or sub 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast per 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (or double the amount if using fresh oregano)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or other neutral milk)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
PASTA + SAUCE
- 8 ounces pasta (such as linguini, but any kind will do, including veggie noodles or gluten-free)
- 2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Slice eggplant into thin rounds slightly less than 1/2 inch thick, and sprinkle each side liberally with sea salt. Arrange in a circular pattern in a colander and place in the sink to draw out the bitter taste of the eggplant.
- Let rest for 15 minutes, then rinse and arrange on a clean absorbent kitchen towel. Top with another clean dish towel and lay a baking sheet on top. Place something heavy on top, such as a cast iron skillet, to thoroughly dry for at least 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with foil and spritz with nonstick spray. Also, if making pasta, bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Prepare your dipping stations by placing almond milk + cornstarch in one bowl; flour in another bowl; and bread crumbs + sea salt + oregano + vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast) in another bowl.
- Once thoroughly dry, dip eggplant slices in flour, then almond milk mixture, then breadcrumbs. Arrange on the baking sheet and pop in oven to bake for a total of 20-30 minutes.
- IMPORTANT STEP: While the eggplant is in the oven, bring a large skillet to medium heat. Once hot, add 2 Tbsp olive oil (or sub avocado oil // adjust amount if altering default number of servings) and pull 3-4 eggplant rounds out of the oven at a time and sauté to give them extra crisp and texture. Cook for ~2 minutes on each side (or browned) and then return to oven to continue crisping. Do this in batches until all rounds are browned.
- While eggplant is browning in the oven, prepare marinara. I prefer adding my tomato sauce and spices to a serving bowl and microwaving to warm, but you could also heat it on the stove. Set aside.
- Once done cooking, drain pasta and cover with a towel to keep warm. Set aside.
- To serve: Plate pasta and eggplant slices and marinara in a dish as a dipping sauce. Additional vegan parmesan cheese makes an excellent topper.
- Leftovers don’t really reheat well, so it’s best when fresh. See notes for additional tips on crispy eggplant!
Video
Notes
*EGGPLANT TIPS!
– Buy a narrow eggplant – the really big wide ones don’t get as crisp!
– Don’t skip the salt / drain step – it really helps draw out the bitterness.
– Once coated, make sure you get the eggplant in the oven as quickly as possible so it doesn’t sit there absorbing any excess moisture.
*Loosely adapted from the Crispy Aubergine Pesto Pasta from Top with Cinnamon’s new Cookbook!
– Really press down on the eggplant after rinsing to ensure you get all of the water out you can.
– Although it’s an extra step, browning the eggplant in the skillet in addition to baking yields the crispiest result!
Rebekah says
This recipe was delicious…thank you for putting it out there!!! You have a follower!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Rebekah. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Sofia. S says
I don’t leave comments but this recipe was absolutely delicious. We enjoyed a lot. Thank you so much for sharing. I won’t change a thing, definitely a keeper
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sofia. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
amy M crane says
All I can say is omg!!! I changed to a plant based diet a little over a month ago. I have not liked eggplant for my whole life but decided to give it a shot because I need try and learn to like more veggies and fruit. This was the best recipe I have made since the switch!! I could eat it everyday!! I cant believe I have waited until now to try eggplant parmesan!! It was so flavorful and crispy!! So much better then chicken parmesan ever was!!! I used nutritional yeast in the bread crumbs and topped the whole dish with vegan parmesan. Thank you do much for sharing the recipe!!!
Thanks so much for the sweet note and lovely review, Amy! We are so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Kelly R. says
Five stars is not enough for this tasty dish! I would like to give it 100 stars. I followed the recipe pretty much exactly and these babies turned out perfectly–crispy and delicious! Maybe a little labor intensive, but it was well worth it for the end result. I did have to use more olive oil during the frying pan portion because I felt like the eggplant sucked it up. I served them with a spicy red pepper jarred marinara which actually gave the dish some nice spice and some angel hair pasta. I even brought some for lunch today and I don’t care if it’s a little soggy. I could honestly eat this once a week.
So glad you enjoyed it, Kelly! Thanks for the lovely review!
Eryn says
Oh, man. I took a risk on this one. I’ve only had eggplant once before, and it was only okay. But my husband thought it sounded good for dinner, so I went for it. And this was MINDBLOWINGLY good. I made pasta and served it with a jar of Rao’s marinara, but I didn’t even want the pasta. I just wanted to keep eating the eggplant. Amazing recipe! Also the vegan Parmesan is so satisfying.
So glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Eryn! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Katie Raney says
This recipe was very tasty however I did find the directions a little jumpy and hard follow. But like I said very tasty
Emily says
I used to love eggplant parm and I’m eager to try this. Do you think it would be ok to skip the frying in oil step and put them into the air fryer or would that impact the texture too much?
Thanks for all the great recipes!
I haven’t tried an air fryer but have heard good things about how they crisp things up! Let us know how it goes!
Lucy Tovar says
My family loooves this recipe! I have 5 kids and they fight over who gets the most and who gets leftovers as a snack the next day. And none of them claimed to like eggplant before this dish. My boyfriend thinks it’s delicious, too. I make the recipe as written, except that I use Follow Your Heart brand vegan parmesan instead of making my own. It turns out beautifully every time. 10 out of 10, would recommend! Thanks for all your recipes, Dana! I’m so glad I found your website when I became vegan, you made all the difference for me :)
Thanks so much for the sweet note and lovely review, Lucy. We are so glad you and your family enjoy this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Hayley says
I was skeptical about making this without eggs but was pleasantly surprised! The eggplant turned out tender-soft yet crispy. Saving this one!
Jen says
I was pretty sure I disliked eggplant from past encounters, but I received one in a produce box and thought I’d give it one more shot with this recipe. So good!! My husband went crazy for it too. Definitely a game changer with eggplant :)
I thought browning it in the pan soaked up a lot of oil so I preferred just leaving it in the oven a couple extra minutes though to cut out the fat.
Becky says
I’m super late to actually make and comment on this, but the eggplant was great! Even the non-vegans in the family really liked it. The only change I made was to peel the eggplant (dietary restriction). Rather than serving it traditional Parmesan-style, I made it as a side dish and served it with pesto (the Bestest Oil-Free Pesto from the Isa Does It cookbook) and it was a really nice combination.
Cat says
This was delicious. I altered the recipe a little bit, adding fennel to the panko mix and not frying the pieces. Instead, I turned up the heat to 435 degrees and baked for the full 30 minutes.
Kelly says
I asked my husband (non-vegan) what his favorite thing that I make is, and he named this recipe! I follow the recipe exactly. I use vegan Parmesan when I have it, but nutritional yeast works well too when I am out of parm. Maybe I’m just lazy, but I feel like this recipe is a little bit of a labor of love compared to the other recipes I make from MB! Totally worth it though! Thank you Dana!
Will and Mim says
Hi Guys Will and Mim here
Made this recipe for dinner tonight (in bed now) really hit the spot we were:
Satisfied
Inspired
Connected
And the eggplant was:
Super crispy and Soft
Delicious
WOW
Thanks for ya amazing recipe “Minimalist Baker”
:) ‘,;-*
Madison says
So. I tried this a few different ways because I was curious & had waaay too much time on my hands.
1) I made some by following the exact recipe & it turned out AMAZING! it reheated just fine in my air fryer, and i imagine it would reheat just as well in a toaster oven!
2) I made a few by just spraying them with oil and putting them back in the oven. These reheated well also.
3) I made the last few solely in my air fryer, which is a great option for people trying not to use oil! Good reheated.
I’m a firm believer that most things taste better fried in oil, and this goes for this recipe. Every other version I tried worked just as well though & turned out even more crispy than in the oil (but i may have just used too much oil in the pan). Hopefully this helps someone!
Deynis says
I made this to the t and it is seriously delicious. Will be a new one in my rotation.
Whoop!
Tina says
Your so awesome, I absolutely love love your recipes!! Thank you!! ?
xoxo!
Paulette Adler says
This was absolutely amazing! An 11 on a scale of 1 – 10! Crunchy just as you said. Perfect consistency. I scrimped a little and used Rao’s arribiatta sauce. My husband said it was the best eggplant he has ever had! Thank you so much. I love all your recipes and belive it or not I have made Three from your site this week alone.
Thanks Paulette- so kind! We are so glad you both enjoyed it.
Poppy says
I usually avoid making eggplant Parmesan because it never taste like the restraunts. This recipe right here is superb. The only thing I did was add more oil to my frying pan other than that I followed the instructions. Again excellent recipe.
Lynn says
I made this tonight. This dish was delicious.
Holly says
I just found you after becoming vegan full-time, and I couldn’t be happier. I immediately bought your book, which is pure joy. I was a chef in my past life, so I know how much work goes into what you do—thank you so much!
Eggplant is one pf my favorites, and I can’t wait to make this for dinner tonight. I’ve tackled non-vegan eggplant parm and eggplant and feta pizza, and if I can master the vegan versions, I will be in in heaven.
One quick note about breaded and fried foods not reheating well. I have amazing success with my air fryer in this regard. I just pop whatever leftover in there (I no longer fear wasting my to-go box) and put it on a very low setting. On mine, it’s the ‘shrimp’ setting which is 7 or 8 minutes long. I just keep an eye on it until it’s crispy and golden!
Thanks again and I wish you continued success and a great 2019!
Kyra Coyle says
I was scared to make eggplant parm. From what I’ve heard, the process is long and dreadful. After making this recipe, I can honestly say this was easier than easy. Even taking the eggplant out of the oven to crisp up on the skillet was fun and satisfying. I will be making this at least once a week and definitely Christmas. You say that is does not reheat well, but here I am eating it the next day and its still just as delicious. Thank you for creating delicious, simple recipes. You have made me love cooking!
Jill Z says
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times now. So delicious! Love the crispiness to the eggplant and overall doesn’t take too long for a great dinner!
Yay!
Meribeth says
I made this recipe tonight and it was AMAZING!! We served it over POW! lentil pasta and an organic marinara sauce. For the “crisping” portion of the eggplant I did use more than 2tbsp of EVOO; I used enough to generously cover the bottom of my cast iron skillet but drained on paper towels to get the excess oil off before putting back in the oven. It was so good!!
Thanks, Meribeth!
Amanda says
Made this tonight and I must say this is AMAZING!! A little work but definitely worth it!! Eggplant is intimidating and with your step by step method, it made it foolproof!!
Bethany says
This was amazing! When originally reading the recipe, the step of saute-ing the eggplant in the middle of baking seemed like it would be a lot of fooling, but the extra crispiness really was worth it! Made it for a mixed group of meat-eaters and vegans and everybody liked it!
Mary J. Mosley, MD says
I made this this evening with Rao Roasted Garlic sauce. Browned eggplant slices in skillet, then baked in oven, then layered slices in a baking dish with vegan mozzarella and above mentioned sauce.
Oh my goodness! So delish!!! Thank you so much for you amazing recipes. You make Vegan living manageable!!
anne davis says
Almond milk? That’s not listed in the ingredients. How much almond milk?
Yes it is! 1/2 cup should do :)
Jessica says
I am planning on making this tonight, but I would like to freeze some single layered on a cookie sheet as as soon as I am done breading the eggplant. So I hope it works… Also, has anyone used carton coconut milk with the cornstarch?? I’m more worried about the flavor being compromised.
Ericka says
My family of meateaters LOVED this recipe! Thank you! I never liked eggplant this much. Crispiness was perfect!
Woot woot!
Mitch J says
Great recipe. Got the texture and crispiness I was looking for (note: I used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer in the almond milk mixture). So gooooood. Thanks.
Gaston says
Incredible! Tried the Nutritional Yeast option and it was so tasty. Thank you for a great vegan recipe!
Angie says
Thank you for an awesome recipe. I had no cornstarch, so I subbed almond flour. Did not measure, just gradually added to thicken but not thicken too much. Like suggested in another comment, I used a cooling metal rack to lift when baking. And I had forgotten the salt part before first rest, but did it, and rested again and rinsed. I had read the warning to do to avoid bitterness. Might have browned more by airing more. I have never eaten egg plant. It turned out golden brown, but I was still a bit afraid to try. Once I took a bite, I quickly ate it all. Wonderful texture, it was very much like the flavor I remember. All about the spices. I used a garlic, basil pasta sauce which I think helped. The egg plant had no aftertaste, and really surprised me.
The only thing was it made over 10 pieces. I ate only 2 and was full. You had mentioned it does not reheat well. So after letting it completely cool off I packaged and put in the fridge. Will take out and bake each serving, maybe use four to make a mini layered pasta casserole. Hubby would not even try it, and i am stuck eating the rest. So maybe suggestion would be to look for recipies that call for eggplant that saves and do this along with another the first night. Saving the reheatable one for tomorrow’s lunch. Not sure if even possible. Definitely worth trying. No longer intimidated by cooking or eating eggplant. Thank you for sharing.?
Toube says
Eggplant parm has always been my favorite dish, pre and post-vegan days. I made this last night (followed it to the letter) for a friend who never had eggplant in any form and it was PERFECTION! The best eggplant parm I have tried, and my friend said it was the best thing she EVER had. Thank you so much! Mangiare!
Yay!
Stephanie Baker says
I made this dish with some cook liberties, overall, I think the recipe was amazing…but I would suggest updating the tip to sprinkle “generously” with sea salt, to just sprinkle. I usually do not cook with salt at all (possibly why I am a little more sensitive) I sprinkled with Sea salt and just thought even after washing it off and letting it dry it was a little salty. Other than that, thanks for sharing the tip as Eggplant is often bitter and I never knew the trick. I am thinking that I will use, slightly less than a sprinkle and I am sure it would be fine. My egglplant was devine!
Crystal says
Delicious !! This is my first time making a dish with eggplant. The vegan bake is awesome I’m lactose intolerant so I skipped on the cheese, however; the dish came out wonderfully cooked .
Maria says
I’ve made this, but I didn’t bother salting the eggplant. I’ve read several articles online that say as long as the eggplant is young and firm salting is not necessary. So I skipped that part and the eggplant turned out great!
For the eggless dip, I’m wondering if you could replace the water/cornstarch mix with an aquafaba/cornstarch mix instead? Thanks for yet another great recipe :)
Hi Maria! We haven’t tried, but give it a try! Let us know how it goes!
Eric says
I have an egg allergy and have tried many different ways to bread fried food…this recipe makes the best vegan chicken cutlets that I’ve ever had!! Thanks for the recipe! Five stars for sure! Oh yeah, the eggplant comes out good too.
Ashley says
Made this and it took longer than expected but it was worth it! Mine didn’t brown as well as I would have liked them to in the skillet. I used my cast iron skillet and the extra crumbs were burning faster than it was browning the eggplant. Before I took the eggplant out of the oven I put vegan cheese on top to melt a bit and it was great!
Yes, it is just vegetables!
Dejanee says
Extra crispy. When I was done, I ate some eggplant pieces by themselves fresh out of the oven. Yum. I’m
Andrea says
After being served more awful eggplant dishes at weddings/events than I could count, I was avoiding it completely, but decided to give it a go with this recipe. I’m so glad I did! This was amazing. So crispy and delicious!
Glad you loved it, Andrea!
D’Rae says
Absolutely delicious! It’s a bit of a process but so worth it in the end! Definitely a new favorite! Thank you for sharing !
Regina says
subs: plain cashew milk, hemp seed flour, tapioca flour for cornstarch, spaghetti squash- only because it’s what I had on hand. Normally try to cook without oil but did use olive oil. Followed your suggestion of oven frying & pan frying. Grew up only pan frying eggplant for parm. This was a game changer. Added oven crumbs to the squash. So delicious! Omni husband went back for seconds :D ! Definitely a new favorite. Thank you for sharing. 10 stars **********
Susan says
Took us probably 2.5 hours to make but was so totally worth it. Turned out amazing! We made cashew mozzarella and basil pesto to blob into the parm rounds before they went into the oven for the last few minutes. Served it with spaghetti marinara. A++
Rachel says
This recipe is AMAZING. We went vegan about a month ago, so I’m new to all of this. My husband said this is the best thing I’ve made EVER. Thank you SO much for sharing your recipes! :)
Lori Hayles says
I broiled it at the end instead of switching back and forth to the frying pan and reduced some more steps! Also I put a cooling rack over a cookie sheet and it made it crispier and I didn’t lose as much breading. Love this meal!! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your changes, Lori! Glad you loved the eggplant parm!
MDG says
I am now a fan of eggplant!! Follow the tips to make it just right!! Love! Thank you!
Tarica K. says
I must admit that I was intimidated and skeptical about this recipe, however it turned out to be very delicious. I made a mistake by mixing the flour with the panko and seasoning, yet it was still very good. The eggplant was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I will definitely make this again. Since I was making this for the first time, it took more time to make than I had planned. I am sure it will be quicker now that I know what to do.
Mary whitten says
I love this recipe! Definitely one of my favs
Natmari's Corner says
I’m just playing around with eggplant. Your recipe was a hit! I made a sweet potato tomato sauce to pair with the eggplant. I’m trying different vegetables that I would never have tried before to make. I’m going to try Brussel sprouts next.
Mary whitten says
Turned out Great! Loved it?
Kimberlee says
Absolutely loved this recipe. The combo of pan searing and baking is perfect–our eggplant was super crispy, and the coating was wonderful.
We served it with some quinoa tossed in marinara sauce, and it was a very satisfying dinner.
Marissa says
This was so amazing. I never thought I liked eggplant. We can’t get enough of it. I’m newly vegetarian on my way to vegan and my husband is newly vegan so your recipes have been so helpful and on point. I want to bring the eggplant to my aunt’s for christmas so we have something compliant to eat. Any thought on how it would travel. Or how to reheat. I was thinking of making it the day of just sort of keeping it warm and bringing it over and heating up the sauce. Or do you have an idea?
Thanks again for all your recipes! I tell everyone about this site.
Hi! One day should be ok, but it may not be as fresh!
Corrine says
I found this recipe on a Google search and it did not disappoint. My kids loved it and went back for seconds. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes now ?
Emma says
This was SO delicious!! That extra step of frying each piece of eggplant was definitely the kicker – they turned out so crispy and flavourful. Thanks for sharing Dana!
Harini says
Hi! I plan on making this for my family ASAP, but could I maybe crisp up the panko covered eggplant before they go into the oven? I’ve had not so fun experiences taking things out of the oven and then putting them back in
Hi Harini! The final product may not turn out as crispy, but that should work!
Kalpana says
Delicious ! Tried it and loved it.
Went to the farmers market and there got some really good eggplants . Was wondering if the I could make a nice big batch and freeze them. Do you think reheating and serving would be just as delicious ?
Martha says
I love eggplant and make it often, with different approaches. This recipe is EXCELLENT. Yes, a little more involved than I tend to do, but the results are worth it and I will definitely make this again. The crispness and flavor of the eggplant were perfect.
Veronica says
I have never made eggplant and have to say this was great! Loved it!!
Marissa says
Made this tonight for dinner and WOW!!! So delicious!! Even my “I hate everything considered Vegan” boyfriend loved it and was proven wrong! Definitely a new favorite, thank you!
Bridget says
I absolutely loved this dish! Texture and taste was SO yummy. Thank you :)
Jessica Ogle says
Just finished scarfing down this meal. It was amazing! Best vegan meal I’ve had.
Nicole Norris says
This is one of my absolute favorite recipe’s! In fact.. I use a lot of your recipes and just recently got your cook book for my birthday! yay!
But this one makes my mouth water every time I think of making it. (not a lot of vegan meals make my mouth water… but this one does!!)
Anyway… I have made this quite a few times now. My only dilemma… when I am taking the eggplant out of the oven to fry in a pan and brown… I find that it doesn’t brown up very well unless I use a LOT of oil. Because the panko mix is so dry. It just doesn’t brown with out that oil. and then it soaks the oil right up. Am I the only one who experiences this? Is there something I could be doing differently so I don’t use so much oil in the fry pan? I like to get it really good and crispy on the outside, since the inside is so soft.
Any advise you have would be much appreciated! I’ll be making this for my parents in a few days and thought Id inquire about that part.
Thanks so much!
Tania Gilleat says
I too am having the same problem
Giustina says
I made this a few days ago, I am vegan. Absolutely amazing buttt one this that was a bit over powering, and I’m not sure what I did wrong but the eggplant was very very salty from the salting step. I thoroughly raised the slices. I’m not sure what went wrong but other then that tasty! :) thanks so much❤️
Jane Newton says
I made this with my son’s girlfriend, and it was amazing!!! I only had fat eggplant, as that was the type of eggplant it was, so I cut it in very thin slices, maybe 1/8″. Cassandra doesn’t particularly like eggplant, but she really liked this! I also put some pesto on my noodles. It gave them a little color and kept them from sticking, because I served everything separately and let everyone put the ingredients together on their plate. That way, the eggplant stayed crispy until ready to eat!
Cara says
When do you add the panko on?
Hi! On The eggplant! Check out step 4 and 5!
Abby says
I made this today with lentil pasta. I broiled the eggplant for 3 minutes at the end and it is nice and crispy. Thanks for the recipe!
Megan says
I just made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I made homemade whole wheat breadcrumbs and did lentil pasta with fancy mushrooms with the eggplant. The only thing was the eggplant tasted REALLY salty because of the first step. Any suggestions?
Hi! You could leave the salt out or add less!
Shannon says
Absolutely loved this recipe, I’ve never made this before and it turned out perfectly. I followed the directions and it turned out better than I hoped.
Janis says
Dana-
This is such a delicious dish! Thank you so much for sharing! We recently went vegan for a month to try to help my migraines, and although it didn’t help, we found some great recipes, many of them here on your blog, but this by far is our very favorite, and it’s in our regular dinner rotation now. The kids wolf it down, and so do we. Although we’re back to a more flexitarian diet with occasional meat and dairy now, this recipe is still going to be made often- so happy it won us over on eggplant, which is a vegetable we’d never liked before. Thanks again for sharing it. Yummy, yummy, yummy!
Janis
Tracy says
I noticed your comment and wanted to add- be sure to watch sulfites/sulfates, nitrates, and MSG. I went vegan to help with my migraines and it wasn’t until I but the first few things that I really noticed a difference!
Maureen says
I made this last night. Instead of frying the eggplant I used olive oil instead of the nonstick spray I and it created the crunch without having to fry them. I didn’t have any cornstarch so I just used flour. They came out DELISH! Thanks for the recipe!
Angela says
I made this tonight, and wow!!! Why make any other eggplant “Parmesan” recipe?! My husband and I (plus our four little ones) are doing vegan for a month and we all loved this dinner! Perfecto!
Jessia says
I have made this twice in one week and am in love. My new favourite vegan recipe!!!! Can you use the batter bowls with asparagus or zucchini?? Thanks for the amazing recipe!!
Brandi says
Ohmygahhhhhd, this is AMAZING. I didn’t even want the pasta. I just wanted like 14 eggplant rounds.
(Also cheated and used real Parmesan)
Lindsey says
This recipe is fantastic!
Do follow the tip on salting and toweling off the eggplant. The most important tip is to “par-cook” the eggplant slices after salting and patting dry. This step cooks out more of the water from the eggplant and helps to achieve fantastic results.
I did not have enough panko so I added some ground almond meal to make up the difference of the panko measurement and added 1 TBSP of nutritional yeast to the crumb mixture.
This is the BEST preparation I have seen for eggplant, I cook professionally and am a Sous Chef at a fine dining restaurant. I will adopt this as my go-to recipe for eggplant.
Thank you for experimenting with this Dana!
Kim says
Amazing!! All my kids devoured it! Thank you!!
Peggy says
Try white eggplant, the taste is so light. It’s also easy to grow.
Laura James says
I made this tonight but I skipped the olive oil part, because I’m an oil free vegan and it turned out great, anyway! Still crispy and still tender in the middle. I was quite pleased. So pleased in fact, that I made another dinner that same night for my daughter and her boyfriend who came to visit. Wow! Thank you for this recipe.
Emily says
I’ve made this twice this week! Oh my gosh – it’s so incredibly good!
Emily says
I made this tonight (with a few tweaks to the spices since I’m not a HUGE fan of nutritional yeast so used a lesser amount) and it was delicious! Thank you so much! My kids and eggplant-suspicious husband loved it too!
Brett says
Thank you for this recipe. I made the Vegan Eggplant Parmesan this evening. It came out looking just like the pictures and tasted great. I substituted Italian seasoning (containing basil, oregano, marjoram and thyme) for the oregano, and I used brown rice flour in the first dipping bowl. After dipping all of the eggplant, I had leftovers in the dipping bowls. Rather than discard them, I combined all of the leftover dipping ingredients and squeezed them into a miniature loaf which I baked with the eggplant. This loaf turned into a tasty little biscuit.
Hannah says
Made this tonight and it was amazing. I used to be addicted to the trader joe’s frozen eggplant parmesan but too many ingredients in it for me! This is a new favorite! The browning in the pan really made it extra crispy and delicious.
Kala Ganapathy says
If you are an eggplant fiend, run to make this. If you are not, RUN to make this! The method of pressing the eggplant to further remove residual moisture worked brilliantly well. The final product was beautifully crisp and crunchy. Leftovers made a wickedly good sandwich filling, sauce and all.
Carol says
This is fabulous!!! I ‘ve made it a few times and we really enjoy it. Thank you for sharing. xoxo
Gaby says
This was amazing. We made sandwiches out of it and I added some bocconcini balls. I immediately emailed my friends and attached a link to this recipe. Thanks!
Lauren Beach says
Absolutely splendid! I don’t typically like Italian food, but couldn’t stop eating this! My husband and I ate the whole pan in 2 days. Yum! THANK YOU!
Debbie says
This recipe was AMAZING and easy. My whole family loved it, even my husband who said he doesn’t like eggplant because it is too mushy. I did the step for added crispiness and it turned out great. I will be making this many more times. Thanks!
Kim says
This recipe was the BOMB!! My son and I loved it! I doubled the recipe and used both parmesan cheese and nutritional yeast. Also used flax milk for the milk mixture. It was crispy and delicious!! Will definitely be making again!!
Kristie says
Just made this for dinner tonight (my first recipe with eggplant ever!) and WOW this was delicious. I used egg instead of almond milk and cornstarch, and had to add more olive oil for every fry (I couldn’t get the browning without a full layer of oil in the pan) but overall major success! Thank you for making this so easy to follow :)
rebecca says
Made this last night and it was awesome!! Even my eggplant-dubious partner loved it, and it’s now on the regular list. ;) I will admit that I skipped sweating the eggplant – I have had bad experiences with bitter eggplant in the past, so I always taste a raw slice to check before I start cooking, but I don’t often come across bitter eggplants in Brisbane. Not quite sure what the deal is with that, as I remember getting them as a kid. I also subbed in fresh rosemary for oregano (cuz I didn’t have any), but it turned out brilliantly! Thanks so much for sharing. =)
Cheryl says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Made it tonight and it was awesome. Hubby is not an eggplant fan so I fixed him a chicken breast using the same method and baked them together (we are not vegetarians). Both were great. I will be making this again!
Dawn says
Thank you for the recipe! It would have been delicious if it wasn’t so salty. I’m not sure if I didn’t rinse it well enough or what happened but I had to toss it, boo! Any suggestions are welcomed :).
Melynda says
WOW!! I used the nutritional yeast instead of the vegan parmesan and melted cheese on top towards the end… came out better than I’ve had in any restaurant before. I’m obsessed with eggplant now! I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat it all at once so I battered all of the eggplant, cooked what I was going to eat then ad then refrigerated the rest; they still came out fresh when cooked! Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
Christina Nuncio says
Awesome recipe! The eggplant is perfectly crispy on the outside with just the right amount of tenderness inside. Mmmm.:)
My non-vegan grandparents had nothing but compliments.:)
JELISA says
I made this tonight and my husband,who is not an eggplant lover, was completely blown away! It’s delicious! I didn’t have corn starch on hand so I substituted it with 3tsp of flour and it worked really well. Thanks for sharing!
Samantha says
Am making this for the third time tonight because we LOVE it! Also served it at a family gathering and it was devoured. Thank you for giving us so many amazing recipes Dana! You are a blessing to a new vegan. I am having your World’s Easiest Cinnamon rolls for dessert tonight as well, leftover from a couple days ago. Thank you thank you thank you!
Mackenzie Chapman says
I loved this! It was the first meal I ever cooked completely by myself, and my family loved it. Very easy, very delicious!
Kimberly Conover says
Hello! Been a Vegan for over 2 years and LOVE it! Wanted to prepare eggplant for Christmas along with the traditional meal and saw this recipe! I followed the directions and my meal was a BIG HIT! Everyone enjoyed it, even the meat eaters! I used Vegan Parmesan and whole wheat pasta! I made a simple Marinara sauce from scratch and added Baby Portobelloes to it! VERY PLEASED with the dish! In fact I’m preparing it for New Year’s Eve! I really appreciated the eggplant prep tips.
Cheryl says
Ok, i have had eggplant parm fails before but since every one of the recipes I try from this site is a hit with all 3 kids and has made cooking fun again i thought, “heck, why not give it a try!” and now i have another new recipe in the rotation, children that don’t hate eggplant and a full husband. Life is good, thank you yet again!! This is my favourite site :)
Jamie says
Thanks for helping me veganify my traditionally just vegetarian eggplant parm in a last minute Christmas crunch! I finally made the leap to vegan this year and while I’ve been making dairy-free parm for years, just realized last night, oh shoot, the eggs! What ever will I dip my eggplants in? The almond milk/corn starch (and the baking before a quick fry tip) worked perfectly. Hope you had/are having a wonderful holiday. Looking forward to looking around your site for more yummy dishes!