Name: Blissful Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 small - medium Eggplants; Salt (to taste); 1/4 Cup Olive Oil (For frying); 1 Cup Flour (divided); 3/4 Cup Soy Milk (Or milk of choice, or water); 1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs; 2 Tbsp Vegan Parmesan (*see below); 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning; 1/4 - 1/2 Cup Vegan Mozzarella; 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion (diced); 2 Cloves Garlic (minced); 1 12oz Can Crushed Tomatoes; 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning; 1 Tsp Crushed Red Peppers; 1 Tsp Basil (dried, or fresh if you have it); 1 Tsp Brown Sugar; Salt (to taste); Pepper (to taste); 1/2 Cup Cashews (raw); 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast; 1/2 Tsp Salt; 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

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How about a dinner that's crunchy, cheesy and saucy? This Blissful Vegan Eggplant Parmesan oughta do the trick! I was wildly surprised with how good a vegan version of eggplant parmesan could taste.

I'm about 2 months into being a vegan and I'm loving it! I had no idea there were so many vegan products that tasted so good. AND after doing a month of whole 30 in August this year, I find it so much easier to be creative and make amazing food eating a plant-based diet, rather than limiting my legumes and carbs. Tell me, if you are vegan, do you find it easy to be creative in the kitchen? I would love to know!

But seriously, if you are thinking about changing your diet to a more plant-based lifestyle, I'm here to tell you--it's easier than you think. You can do change your eating habits if you really want to, and this eggplant parmesan makes the transition even easier. In fact, I'm currently developing all of these recipes with you in mind. I want to help you make the transition to plant-based diet easy, and I want this food to taste delicious to you. My boyfriend (not vegan & picky) is loving these recipes even more than me, and his favorite food is candy!

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What you need to make this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan:

2 medium Eggplants

Salt to taste

¼ Cup Olive Oil For frying

1 Cup Flour divided

¾ Cup Soy Milk Or milk of choice, or water

1 Cup Panko or Breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp Vegan Parmesan *see below

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

¼ - ½ Cup Vegan Mozzarella - I used Miyoko's Vegan Mozzarella and it was divine!

For the Sauce

½ Medium Yellow Onion diced

2 Cloves Garlic minced

1 12oz Can Crushed Tomatoes

1 Tsp Italian Seasoning

1 Tsp Crushed Red Peppers

1 Tsp Basil dried, or fresh if you have it

1 Tsp Brown Sugar

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

For the Vegan Parmesan

½ Cup Cashews raw

2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

½ Tsp Salt

¼ Tsp Garlic Powder

Combine all the ingredients above in a food processor and pulse until a grated parmesan-like texture forms. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Makes just over ½ cup.

How to make this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan:

Preheat the oven to 400F.

1. Wash, dry and slice eggplant into ¼' thick rounds.

2. Place eggplant rounds on a baking sheet fitted with a cookie rack. Season the eggplant with salt and let sit for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. While the eggplant is resting, start making the sauce. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add diced onions and a pinch of salt, saute until translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add garlic, crushed red peppers, Italian seasoning, basil, black pepper and salt. Stir and saute until fragrant (1 min). Stir in crushed tomatoes and brown sugar. Let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

4. Grab two separate bowls. In the first bowl, combine: ½ cup flour and ¾ milk. Mix until all clumps are gone and the batter has a smooth, thin consistency. In the second bowl combine: ½ cup flour, Italian seasoning, vegan parmesan and panko/breadcrumbs.

5. Heat ¼ cup oil in a skillet over medium - high heat. You may need to lower the temperature depending on your stove. Dry eggplant slices with a paper towel. Then dip each slice in the batter, then panko mixture. Be sure to tap the panko mixture onto the eggplant to ensure it sticks.

6. Fry the battered eggplant slice in the skillet for about 3 minutes each side or until golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on the eggplant as they fry. Adjust the temperature as needed. Transfer the fried eggplant to a a cooling rack fitted on top of a baking sheet. Repeat the process with all the eggplant slices.

7. Bake the eggplant for 7 minutes (maybe longer (10 min) if your eggplant slices are thicker than ¼ inch).

8. Remove from oven and top each slice of eggplant with a slice of vegan mozzarella (enough to cover the slice). Bake in the oven another 6 minutes.

9. To serve: Place the eggplant slices on a plate, top with sauce, sprinkle with vegan parmesan and fresh herbs.

Thinking about going vegan? Full or part-time? It's easier than you think! Check out my Free Vegan Grocery + Pantry List. It's loaded with everything you need to start a plant-based lifestyle. Check it out here!

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