Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

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Big bowl of linguine noodle topped with marinara and vegan eggplant parmesan

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.

Thinly sliced eggplant on a cutting board

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.

Breaded eggplant slices on a baking sheet for making our vegan eggplant parmesan recipe

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.

Dishes of marinara, pasta, vegan parmesan, and vegan eggplant parmesan for a comforting meal

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!

Plate loaded with noodles, marinara, and vegan eggplant parmesan

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

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!

Plate of Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Pasta for a delicious vegan dinner

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

Simple 10-ingredient vegan parmesan that yields perfectly crispy, savory eggplant that pairs perfectly with red sauce and the pasta of your choice! A healthy filling dinner even picky eaters will love.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Plate of pasta topped with marinara and Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
4.89 from 217 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 2
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

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

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with whole wheat pasta.
*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!

Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 654 Carbohydrates: 125.7 g Protein: 21.5 g Fat: 11.2 g Saturated Fat: 1.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1455 mg Potassium: 1801 mg Fiber: 20.2 g Sugar: 32.8 g Vitamin A: 332 IU Vitamin C: 36 mg Calcium: 225 mg Iron: 6.2 mg

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  1. Larry P says

    Great recipe. Had a terrific dinner! I had Italian panko on hand, which is just panko that’s pre seasoned, so used that and skipped the oregano and sea salt. Perfect.

  2. Tofulish says

    I made this and it turned out delicious! I used to love fried eggplant but all the local spots use egg. I left out the cornflour and used nooch instead of vegan Parmesan. I didn’t skip the frying step but mine was so crisp even without frying. The frying added more oil which I liked.

    It was easy and delicious and I didn’t miss the egg at all!

  3. teresa rodriguez says

    Is it necessary to sprinkle the eggplant with salt? I am on a VERY low sodium diet and add no salt at all to my food.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Teresa, we think you could get away with not salting the eggplant! It just removes excess moisture and any bitter flavor.

  4. Sarah Dee says

    So, so, so good! Trying to navigate my sons food allergies has been tricky, so I was so glad this turned out. Subbed half cassava, half chickpea flours for gf flour, flax and coconut milk for almond milk, used nutritional yeast, convection oven set at 375, and they were amazing! I’ve been looking for a good binder for breading that’s not egg and this worked perfectly. Thank you so much for this recipe!

  5. Andrea Bellini says

    I made this tonight and it was beyond delicious and I’m not even a good cook ( I’m a baker!). My boyfriend and I loved it! It will definitely be my go to recipe 😊

  6. Arial says

    I love all of your recipes, but this one truly compelled me to comment. This recipe is AMAZING! The added step of frying the eggplant slices in the skillet really added that needed crunch. The only step I modified was the almond milk. I didn’t have any on hand so I used just egg instead, and it worked out great! I had to stop myself from eating the eggplant and put it with the rest of the meal.

  7. Donna says

    Loved this but am curious…A lot of eggplant recipes have that first step of salting, letting the eggplant sit, rinsing and then patting it dry. I pretty much always skip that step due to being in a hurry or laziness. I never find eggplant to be bitter and I’m pretty picky about food. I just slice it and proceed to the next steps. I may salt the recipe a bit more if needed since it didn’t have the salting earlier. Is there another purpose to the salt step? I skipped it on this recipe and it turned out plenty crispy and great! Thanks for thoughts.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad it still turned out well, Donna! We’ve found the amount of bitterness can depend on the eggplant (older ones tend to be more bitter). It sounds like you’ve gotten good ones!

  8. Diane says

    I was in a rush so I made some shortcuts. I used baby Indian eggplant, not bitter at all so no salting, dredged them in seasoned flour and used flax eggs. I just poured the flax mixture over the floured slices in a bowl and tossed them around. It worked surprisingly well, the flour did not come off and the flax is even stickier than egg wash. I coated them with the crumbs, laid on a sprayed baking sheet and spritzed the tops with oil and skipped the frying step. They were so good we didn’t bother with the marinara. I don’t mind them a bit soft when reheated so I made extra. The slices are smaller but made for a great bite-sized treat.
    Thanks for sharing. I can see me using this for larger eggplant to use on burger buns for sandwiches. If you can find them, Rosa Bianca are a beautiful round shape and not bitter at all and a good size for your recipe.
    Thank you again, I’m looking forward to trying more of your creations.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear that was your experience! This recipe is a reader favorite, so we wonder if something may have gone wrong? How thinly did you slice your eggplant? Which rack did you place it on (was it too close to the heating element)? Does your oven run hot? Hope those suggestions resolve it if you decide to give it another try!

  9. Bakingbiking mom says

    Yummilicious! My family loved this!! I just skipped the pasta, and topped the eggplant with vegan mozzarella slices and garnished with fresh basil leaves. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  10. Cass says

    I made this for my husband last night and we both loved it! Easy recipe to follow, excellent taste! Saving this to make again!

  11. Josh says

    Fantastic recipe! I used nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan and they were great. Super crispy, really hit the spot. Topped with homemade marina and some vegan mozzarella, definitely a new go to for Italian night!

  12. Ashley says

    Seriously better than any restaurant version I have had. You almost don’t even need pasta … the eggplant dipped into marinara is delicious too! The recipe is slightly labor intensive if you are making a large portion, but worth it. 10/10 I will make this again. Even my meat loving boyfriend loved this meal.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Joyce! Unfortunately we haven’t tried this in an air fryer so we cannot guarantee results, but we think similar timing, or maybe slightly less, could work? Let us know how it goes if you try it!

  13. Anonymous says

    This is a delicious recipe that is easy to make and easy to follow. I made it as a new recipe over the holidays for a family gathering and it stole the show. I’ll be keeping this one on file for a long time. Healthy, tasty, and easy ingredients.

    • Joni says

      Wow! This is yummy! I’ve never liked eggplant. Read this recipe a few weeks ago and skipped over it. Then I saw some baby eggplants at Sprouts and knew exactly what I’d make. It was delicious! Next time, I’m going to try cooking it in the air fryer (400 at 15-20 min). I used my own marinara recipie and shredded Chao vegan cheese for a little topping. Overall, it’s a bit labor-intensive but worth every second! Thanks for sharing this and making an eggplant fan out of me!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Woohoo! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Joni. Thanks so much for the lovely review!

      • Victoria says

        I followed this recipe exactly as far as preparation. But for cooking, I have a convection oven with an air fryer setting which I set to 400, then I put the breaded eggplant pieces on the basket and lightly spritzed them with cooking spray. Air fried for 30 minutes, flipping over after halfway through and they came out perfectly browned and crispy, eliminating the need for browning in a pan :) I’m glad I found this recipe, it was super delicious however I definitely vouch for air frying!

  14. Cassidy Jones says

    This recipe was a total hit at our house! We made it as the recipe with one modification – the eggplant sat in salt for 15 minutes and then I patted everything dry for a few minutes, rather than the more passive drying suggested. It still turned out super crispy and delicious!

    Thank you so much! 10/10 will make this again when we have eggplant!

  15. Joanne says

    This was a home run! I have very recently gone vegan (2 weeks) but have gone vegetarian a few times over the years and have a vegan bonus son, so I am adept to vegan substitutions. My husband is a meat and potatoes man, however. So far it’s been pretty easy. Tonight I decided to make a meatless meal; eggplant parmesan and roasted brussel sprouts. I did use Parm on his, but just left it off mine (this was my only deviation as I haven’t gotten nutritional yeast yet). He said everything was delicious! Will definitely be making this again. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Joanne! So glad you enjoyed!

  16. Sarita says

    My first time making eggplant parmesan and it was vegan. I’ve been avoiding making this because it looked like a lot of work, and I’ve been vegan for about one and a half years. This was the most delicious, crispy, scrum-didly-yum-tious, cooked to perfection that kept us coming back for second, and then some! I’ve got to say the hard work in making this is totally worth it! Even the leftovers were mouth watering. My girlfriend is a carnivore and loved this dish! The homemade vegan parmesan is so good and just 4 ingredients. It’s totally worth crisping on the stove. So please do not skip this important step!

  17. Donna Moon says

    It came out great. I used gluten free flour and almond milk. It came out reasonably crispy. The final baked result came out well and bubbly. You don’t miss the meat. I paired with spiral short pasta.

  18. Mireille Delisle Oldham says

    Thanks so much! This turned out FABULOUS! The only change I made was instead of frying in the pan halfway, after the 30 min, I sprayed a bit with oil and broiled for 2 min on each side. Came out FANTASTIC!

  19. Neal says

    This was absolutely fantastic! It was my first time ever making egg plant Parmesan and it really came out to be amazing. I mean wow…so good.❤️❤️❤️

  20. Cashew says

    Let me just say that this recipe is one I’ll be making again! I’ve never cooked with eggplant, and felt intimidated by it before trying this out, and it came out absolutely delicious. My partner, our roommate and I all had seconds! Very filling , crispy, and well seasoned. We swapped regular panko for Italian-seasoned. The frying in the skillet is an absolute must, in my opinion.

  21. Rachel says

    As someone who lives alone, I was concerned about the notes that said the recipe doesn’t hold up for leftovers. Figured maybe the eggplant would be gooey or something but I’d give it a shot. I am here to say that days 2 and 3 have been just as good as fresh!!! I stored them in an airtight glass container and reheated in a dry pan on the stove. Maybe a little mushier on the inside but barely. And the outside was just as crispy. In case it’s helpful, I used GF all purpose flour and a rice panko and followed the recipe exactly.

  22. Ashley says

    This made a great weeknight dinner that we both enjoyed. I was feeling lazy about pan frying so instead baked eggplant then switched to broil at end to crisp up both sides. I’m sure it changed the flavor a little but was really delicious this way too. Added onion garlic and spinach to our red sauce. Will definitely make again.

  23. Valerie says

    I love this recipe and have been making it for years. I recently bought an air fryer oven and “fried” the eggplant in that. The eggplant was fabulous and crispy on the outside! I am so thankful for this recipe, as I love eggplant parmigiana and it’s so nice to have a vegan version! My husband and I could literally consume all of it in one sitting. I typically double the recipe so we have leftovers. Thank you for this recipe!

    • Kenna says

      Nailed it once again! This is delicious and fun to make. Very nostalgic for me, the flavors are perfect. Also, I did not do the first two steps of this recipe because I don’t find eggplant to be bitter and it turned out great. Thanks for the recipe.

  24. Kate says

    Loved the Eggplant Parmesan recipe. I did it oil free and put them in the air fryer after baking. This is one of my favorite foods so it was a joy to make one that is better then restaurant quality.
    Thank you so much!

  25. Kate says

    This was excellent. I’m not the best cook so mine was not as pretty but it tasted amazing! I didn’t even miss the cheese. I am new to being Vegan. This was a nice comfort dish. I definitely will try perfecting this!

  26. Maggie says

    We love this recipe at my house and have made it about 10 times… but just realize I have been pan frying the eggplant before putting in the oven … oops haha
    It is still amazing even cooking it in the wrong order 😂

  27. Karyn Quackenbush says

    Absolutely fantastic!!! Quick question… is it necessary to line the baking sheet with tin foil? Trying to stay away from aluminum.
    Thank you!!
    Karyn

  28. Ashley says

    I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but I needed to tell the world that I just made this on top of spaghetti squash and it was to die for. Don’t skip the extra step frying the eggplant in a frying pan while they bake, that takes this from a 7 to a 10.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      So kind! Thanks for sharing, Ashley! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo

  29. Jamillah says

    Hey minimalist! I’ve been meaning to write a comment (since 2016??) to rave about this recipe! Absolutely PHENOMENAL. I’ve made this A BUNCH of times since then however, there was one batch I made where the eggplant turned out EXTREMELY salty. I wasn’t sure where I went wrong when I did each step the exact same way as the previous times. Strange. I know……..
    Since that time, I’ve made it with no issues so I’ll just note it as being an off batch. Either way, just wanted to stop by and share my thanks for a brilliant recipe- FINALLY! And I plan on making it again for my boyfriend’s birthday this weekend! Cheers! :-)

  30. Angie says

    OMG, I made this tonight for dinner; and it was slap ya mama good! I am not a cook at all; and my husband said I hit it out of the ballpark with this recipe! He is already asking that I make this once a week!

    To short cut the crisping it up part, I took it from the oven after 25 mins and put it in the air fryer for 5 mins. I did have a good size batch; so, I did an extra 3 mins in the air fryer for the eggplant on the bottom of the pile for an additional 2 mins.

    This recipe is da bomb!

  31. Sara says

    This looks amazing and I’m so excited to try it! Just to clarify, does the 748 calories per serving include the pasta and the pasta sauce? Or is it 748 just for the eggplant?

  32. Eileen says

    This is fab! As others, I also made subs as well as stacked eggplant with tomatoes/basil. So many possibilities. Thanks!

      • Kookie Costa says

        Wow! Just wow! This was the best meal I’ve made in a while!!! So much flavor and pretty easy to make. After I did the drying process of the eggplant, I put half the slices in the fridge to make them another time since it’s too much to make for one setting. I used Bertolini tomato and basil sauce and as i was heating it up on stove, I added a little sugar to it.

        Absolutely terrific recipe!!

  33. Carol says

    I made a double batch of this and eat from it all week I cut mine 1” thick and just very lightly under cook it because I just pop 2 in air fryer with a little cheese for 5 mins to reheat and top it with a warm marinara sauce it is the best ever and the easiest. Thank you for the recipe oh btw I am vegan so I substitute the eggs for Just Eggs,use plant milk and nutritional yeast and vegan mozzarella.

  34. Adam says

    Hi! We made this and it is awesome! The salt step at the beginning really makes a difference. You mentioned that it doesn’t reheat well, but we warmed them up in the air fryer and they turned out just fine. Actually made sandwiches out of them. Enjoy!

  35. Kristine Mulnix says

    That was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! Followed the recipe, no tweaks. Incredibly tasty and satisfying. 🤗 I want to go get another eggplant to have it again tomorrow 😄

  36. Melissa says

    Amazing, the vegans and omnis loved it….used Chinese eggplant (personal preference), and some garlic powder in the flour. Didn’t even need any marinara. Definitely making again!

  37. Night says

    This was phenomenal. We toasted bread, then broiled with marinara and extra vegan parmesan and then topped with the eggplant. Yum.
    Only issue for me was how quickly the slices went from lightly-browned to very-dark-brown in the pan. This was likely due to using an iron skillet and I would use a medium-low setting for it next time.

  38. Anne says

    I made this tonight, and it was delicious. This is the first time I’ve ever had luck breading anything. I’m going to try making fried zucchini and fried green tomatoes with this recipe.
    I made a few modifications:
    I cooked the breaded eggplant in my air fryer instead of the oven and skillet. I fried five minutes on each side at 400°, and the texture was perfect.
    I didn’t have a full cup breadcrumbs, so I used a combination of 1/3 breadcrumbs, 1/3 Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking steel cut oats, and 1/3 almond flour, which worked well.
    I left the salt out of the breadcrumb mix, and didn’t miss it.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anne! We think fried zucchini and green tomatoes sound great- let us know how it goes!

  39. Guy says

    I have made this several times and its been phenomenal each time…

    I do have a question…after liberally sea salting the eggplant and putting it in a colander in the sink, am I supposed to SOAK the eggplant in water? …or do I just let the salt soak in naturally, and then rinse and dry the eggplant?

    Please clarify because the directions confused me slightly on this step…

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy it, Guy! No need to soak the eggplant in water, just a quick rinse to remove excess salt.

  40. Jennifer Wilson says

    Hi! This was a really good recipe. I cut the eggplant length-wise and salted it and all the steps to pull the water out. I, also, did that and did an errand to shorten the recipe preparation time. I crisped up the eggplant in the pan after baking. I used rigatoni for the noodles and a HEB brand marinara. My daughter and I loved it.

  41. Natasha F. says

    Last night I made this dish with spaghetti. I followed the recipe 100% and added crushed red pepper for some added spice. I made my slices thinner than 1/2 inch which really helped speed up drying, and allowed them to be crispier. I also added Daiya mozarella cheez shreds after food was plated; drizzling my sauce over the eggplant and the pasta. This dish is so good that I’m locking it in to my rotation. I intend to prepare my eggplant this way to make eggplant lasagna, as another commenter mentioned. Thanks for sharing and thank you Minimalist Baker for providing this yumminess for all of us foodies!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Natasha! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xo

  42. Gabby T. says

    I made this last night! So ridiculously delicious. Followed the recipe to the letter for the eggplant except for using oat milk instead of almond. Eggplant turned out perfectly crisp and flavorful. Instead of pasta we paired the eggplant with spaghetti squash noodles and used Rao’s tomato basil sauce instead of making our own. It was honestly the best vegan meal I’ve had since we’ve all been locked in during quarantine! We’ve been cooking A LOT but this one was special. Great anniversary dinner for me and my boyfriend. Thanks for sharing!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Happy anniversary and thanks so much for the lovely review, Gabby. We are so glad you both 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

      • Jo says

        I’ve made this 3 times and it’s been delicious every time! We loved it so much (and we’re big eaters) that it wasn’t enough the first time; so now use 3 medium eggplants; which is plenty, but still no leftovers! 😳 Yes, it’s kinda labor intensive, but it’s so worth it; and I’ve learned that I can split up the steps throughout the day (I know that sounds weird, but it tricks me into thinking this is a “quick” meal.😉) I used 2 large cookie sheets with wire cooling racks, I rub the salt on both side of the slices with my finger and let them sit while I go do another chore. Come back later and rinse each with water & spin several at a time in my salad spinner, then layer & stack them between dish towels; place large cookie sheet on top with heavy stack of plates on top. I’ve let them sit like this for hours while I go do other things (sometimes moving the plates to different spot so all get pressed.) Later, I take a little time and go ahead and make my dipping bowls I’ve found that the black, round, Chinese take-out bowls with lids work great! And I double the ingredients. Then, I go do more chores,etc. When dinner time comes, I dip and put both sheets in the oven. During that 30 mins, I start the pasta water, put oil in my huge skillet & enjoy a glass of wine while I relax. I add pasta to water & jar sauce (I cheat & use store bought) in microwave when I start browning in skillet. I turn oven off and store crisped eggplant while I drain pasta, finish warming sauce & set table.
        (The only “real” change I made is I used plain breadcrumbs instead of Panko.)
        I’ve used veggie spaghetti noodles before as well as veggie rotini..we love both!!
        Thank you for this wonderful recipe..you rock!!😃👍
        (It won’t let me post pic.☹️)

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Thanks so much for sharing, Jo! We are so glad you enjoy it! You can share a photo by tagging us on Instagram.

  43. Sara says

    This is so labor intensive! Excited to eat it although be very careful transferring eggplant in and out of the oven. I burned the ^%#* out of my finger!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry to hear that, Sara. We would recommend using an oven mitt and removing the baking sheet from the oven each time you add/remove eggplant to reduce the chance of burning!

  44. steve says

    great recipe.
    only thing I disagree with is that the leftovers aren’t any good!

    i enjoy this lunch adaptation with leftovers almost as much as the real recipe:

    warm up your oven, heat up 2 or 3 eggplant rounds, as well as a roll with marinara and mozzarella.. wait for the eggplant to warm and mozz to melt, that sandwich is something else!!

  45. Lisa says

    Excellent method and outcome. Absolutely delicious. I follow it to the letter and I’m thrilled every time.

  46. KAte says

    So good this should be illegal!

    The first time I made this I used large egg plants and because i had crumbing mixtures left over, huge sweet red capsicums. I omitted the flour step (because it was too high in the cupboard to reach) and dipped straight from the cornflour/milk to the crumb mix. I also did not sautee/fry the eggplant/capsicums as recommended, putting them into a very hot fan oven instead which got them nice and crisp. These Vegan parm-crumbed vegetables have become a staple in my house, often appearing in pasta or salads or, my favourite, with spiced chickpeas and vegetables in a Buddha bowl.

    Minimalist baker makes eating good healthy food so easy when it’s this delicious!

  47. Nicole says

    I had all of the ingredients on hand including MB’s vegan parm so no subs needed. I was able to setup the dredge bowls while prepping the eggplant . Rotating the eggplant from roasting to pan-frying is seriously genius and the batch was super consistent!
    The eggplant was killer— I paired with spaghetti/zoodle combo and Rao’s Fra Diavolo sauce for a kick. Topped with a little Violife Mozz shreds and fresh basil. 5* all th way!

  48. Cynthia Erbentraut says

    I made the eggplant parmesan tonight for dinner, however I made it into eggplant lasagne as my husband loves this dish. I layered sauce eggplant and tofu cheese mixture I make. It turned out fabulous, and had great flavor. My husband said it was a ten! Thanks for a great recipe. I will be making this again!

  49. Megan O says

    I made this for the first time tonight and loved it!
    It was so delicious and will definitely be in our rotation. Although I will admit it was a little bit of work, it wasn’t complicated at all which I appreciate. I would highly recommend this recipe.

  50. Rebecca Kandora says

    I’ve made these a few times, with different modifications. Everytime it turns out delicious! This time around I skipped the frying because of gallbladder issues and it turned out good still! I broiled it for the last few minutes! For those on lowfod map you can just use nutritional yeast instead of vegan parmesan (cashews and garlic are high fodmap). All in all YUM!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tam. We are so glad you 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

  51. Hannah says

    This was great!! I had a badddd craving for some vegan eggplant parm and made this for the roommates and I last night. 2 non vegans loved it! I doubled the recipe and would use less Panko breadcrumbs in the breading/cheese mixture but that’s just me.

    The extra step was totally worth it and barely took any extra time, the salt tip was great, and I just had a lot of fun making this dish. Thank you so much :)

  52. Carolyn says

    Instead of frying, I baked on a cooling rack on the baking sheet and they got perfectly crispy. I was worried about skipping that step, but was so pleasantly surprised by the crunch. Would definitely make again!

  53. Mack says

    This was amazing – I am so bad at frying things and this was so easy. My friends loved it. It got so crispy that even when I melted vegan cheese and sauce on it they remained crispy.

      • Laura says

        I made this because my fave Italian restaurant was not serving eggplant parmigiana during the Covid-19 (limited menu). So I was having a real craving.

        I was pleasantly surprised because this recipe was soooo delicious and much better than any I have ever had at any restaurant! I loved how crispy the eggplant was. I used a cast iron skillet for frying. I had already made the vegan parmesan so I had it on hand.
        Minimalist Baker tends to be my go to for just about any recipe. Thank you so much!!!!

  54. Allison says

    This is the best cooking method for eggplant “parm” I’ve ever come across. Life-changing; thank you!

  55. Mary Currier says

    I had cut my eggplant thinner and it decreased the cooking time and still made them crispy. My eggplant hack is that I cut them and salt them one day ahead during food prep (usually after a meal or on Sunday when I make lunches items for the week) and layer paper towels in between the eggplant and slide the entire contraption into a ziploc bag. I’m sure that food scientists can tell me 5 ways that this is bad, but it’s worked for me!
    I wasn’t looking for a vegan recipe, but my husband had used the last eggs for breakfast this week and we were out! The milk and cornstarch worked well as a binder. I cooked them in the air fryer – 380 degrees 4 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other.
    We ate them alone as a snack. Next time I think that I’ll add some spice to the Panko or use marinara or Ranch as a dip. Even plain, it was a delicious food!

  56. Cm says

    Made this last night, I like to spice things up, added chili flakes to the bread crumbs. It was delicious, my family loved it

    Thank you for the recipe

  57. Alexis K says

    Very delicious. I used half vegan parm (follow your heart brand), half nooch. Also just used jarred sauce with fresh basil added. Excited to see if I can resurrect my leftovers tomorrow!

  58. Jamie says

    Amazing!! Thanks for this wonderful recipe! Our whole family loved it – including our three year old ;) Thats a true win!

  59. Clay Tetrick says

    Delicious! Instead of baking/pan frying, I cooked them in an air frier. 375deg for 8 minutes then flip and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing, Clay. 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

  60. Daisy Joyner says

    I made this recipe for the first time. It was absolutely AMAZING!!! I have never eaten eggplant before nor have I made vegan foods. I did a little alteration for the sauce and added a little beyond meat to it and just a little garlic. I will be making this again. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.

  61. Megan says

    We made this for dinner last night. I used both nutritional yeast and extra regular parm. (I can’t find a vegan parm I like.) Do not skip the extra browning step. It did take longer than I expected, but totally worth it. I served it with edamame spaghetti and jar marinara to simplify the meal. Loved it!

  62. Ginger says

    Just made this. It was wonderful! I followed directions exactly. Used Carb Nada pasta, Violife vegan Parmesan and home made marinara. The crispy texture of the eggplant was perfect and so satisfying. Takes a bit of time to prepare but worth every minute. Thanks for a super good recipe that we will make often.

  63. Eric says

    Delicious recipe. I used a pretty wide eggplant and it worked out great. Also, I found a way to reheat and have it just as crispy the second night. Keep the eggplant you don’t eat the first night away from sauce and store it in a sealed container once cooled to room temp. Night 2, put a cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 350. Place leftover eggplant in a single layer for 15 minutes, flip and give it another 10. Voila! Crispy eggplant two nights in a row!

  64. Renee C. says

    I followed this recipe exactly, and it did not disappoint. There was no bitter taste to the eggplant. I doubled the recipe, and made my own marinara; start to finish was 90 minutes. And absolutely do not skip the browning the eggplant in the skillet. I will be making this again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Renee. 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

  65. Betty M Wheeler says

    I tried this and loved the flavors. But I do have one question. I put quite a bit of sea salt on the plant to drain the moisture and left it on for maybe an hour or two. I rinsed but it was still super super salty. What could i have done differently? I didn’t want to rinse so much that i put back all the moisture i was trying to remove.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Rinsing well will remove the salt flavor. And then pressing dry with towels will remove the moisture.

  66. Mark says

    First, let me begin by saying your recipes are always amazing. Out of the the countless recipes I l have tried, they are always amazing.

    My weekly veggie tote has been coming with eggplant recently. Until tonight none of us in the house liked eggplant. This recipe is absolutely amazing. I followed it almost exactly and used nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan. The only modification I made was adding garlic powder to the bread crumb mixture. This recipe was flavorful, light and crispy. The eggplant was actually perfect!!! Thanks for another great recipe.

  67. Gabrielle says

    This was gooood!!! Took a little bit of time, next time I would completely have the eggplant all fried and cooked in the oven on keep warm, so then last minute when you’re ready for tea all I have to do is cook pasta and heat the sauce. Topped with basil and was spot on. Winner

  68. Laurel Rudolph says

    I made this tonight. I’m not really a fan of eggplant but they were in our weekly vegetable box. But, having said that. It was delicious. I didn’t fry the eggplant, I just baked them and they were perfect.

    Thanks for the recipe, I don’t need to fear the weekly box and I’ll definitely look at all your other eggplant recipes.

  69. Kim says

    Although I served my husband his sauce and pasta, mine vegan, we both loved the eggplant!!!! Will do again and again.
    I used canned coconut milk, and I always air fry, but with some spritzing with olive oil ,
    they were crispy, light and delicious !!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Kim! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! xo

  70. Bern says

    I will make this! Recipe is simple!
    One question….I was born in the Caribbean and have been eating eggplant since I could eat solids. I’m always greatly puzzled when American food writers describe eggplant as “bitter”! My family and I and all the Caribbean and Indian folks have the greatest laugh at “bitter”! WHAT part is “bitter”???

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, perhaps it’s different palettes! Sometimes large eggplant or undercooked eggplant can have a bitterness in my experience.

  71. Megan says

    This recipe is amazing! I tried a few pieces in our air fryer and it was just as good. Even better… we reheated leftovers in our air fryer and they were just as good as fresh! Thank you so much

  72. Tanya says

    I made this recipes which my family and I liked very much. I wanted to make a vegan alternative to eggplant parmesan. We made with saffron spaghetti and Cesar salad. It was fun and easy to make. I will definitely make this again! Thank you for posting this recipe!

  73. Bill Meyers says

    Good recipe, I tried to follow almost exactly but with the oven at 400F the eggplant was done in 25 minutes (oven thermometer verified), maybe my slices were thinner. I found it too much work to both bake and pan fry, next time I will just use some olive oil spray and bake. Also, my eggplants are the Rosita variety, home grown in SW Florida. These have no bitterness and do not need salting. Now I need more recipes, I still have 18 more eggplants to harvest. Thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing your experience, Bill! Wow- that’s a lot of eggplant! You can find all of our recipes with eggplant (22 of them!) here if you filter by ingredient. Enjoy!

  74. Susan says

    I made this using “greenhouse globe” eggplants, which are smallish so I didn’t need to salt and dry. It was delicious. I also used homemade breadcrumbs with grain and seed bread. My omnivore husband added grilled chicken to his, but I found it very satisfying as is. I did add sauteed mushrooms to homemade tomato sauce which substantially “beefed” it up as well. I did not fry, but lightly sprayed with EVOO the eggplant after baking them halfway and flipping.

  75. Mary says

    This was a big hit tonight! My 1yo, 3yo, and husband all went back for a second helping. I made the recipe as you posted it and it turned out so good. Definitely one of our top recipes around here now!

  76. Kathrine Defina says

    I am blown away by the flavor of this recipe!!!!! My Italian non-vegan husband was very impressed with this dish ? I used italian breadcrumbs instead of panko

  77. Shantescia Hill says

    This was very good. I found white eggplant which ended up being a more creamy texture than the regular purple, however both were good. For the pasta I made a vegan tomato cream using oat milk, canned peeled tomatoes and a little tomato sauce with oregano salt and pepper. It made it a little sweet with a creamy tang. ? thanks for posting.

  78. Sarah says

    This recipe was amazing – non-vegan husband approved! The crispier eggplants were the best in my opinion so, next time, I’ll crisp them all more in the frying pan. Made it completely GF and it was perfect!