One scoop of this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan is never enough! Crispy breaded eggplant slices are smothered in marinara sauce and topped with gooey vegan mozzarella cheese for a comforting dinner the whole family will love.
For more family-friendly dinner recipes, try my Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Spinach, this Vegan Broccoli Casserole, and these Oven Baked Vegan Meatball Subs.
I used to think I didn’t like eggplant, with it’s spongy texture and purple skin. But I’ll happily eat my Vegan Eggplant Parmesan almost every day! Turns out that breading and baking the eggplant slices, then layering them with tomato sauce and vegan cheese, is all it takes to get me to love it. 😉
Making dairy-free eggplant parm is a labor of love, so I’ll usually assemble it a day ahead of time, then bake it fresh for a crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner. My kids love when I serve it with pasta, my Vegan Caesar Salad, and plenty of freshly baked Vegan Garlic Bread on the side.
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“This came out so great! Best eggplant parm recipe I’ve ever tried.” – Gerri
Why you’ll love this easy vegan eggplant parmesan
- So cheesy and delicious! With ooey gooey bites of my Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese and a healthy sprinkle of vegan parmesan on top, I can never get enough of the cheesy goodness in eggplant parmesan.
- Better-than-average weeknight dinner – Just like my epic Vegan Lasagna, eggplant parm takes a little more work than your everyday family dinner. But trust me, those Italian-seasoned, marinara-drenched, cheese-packed layers are so worth the effort!
- Make-ahead meal – Layer the eggplant, sauce, and cheese in a casserole dish, then refrigerate or freeze it for later. That way, all that’s left to do is bake it before dinner.
How to make vegan eggplant parmesan
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
First, bread and bake the eggplant. Pulse the dry ingredients together in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. Next, whisk the soy milk and flour together in a bowl.
Dip the eggplant slices first in the milk/flour mixture, then in the parmesan breadcrumbs. Place the slices on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake the breaded eggplant until golden brown.
To assemble, spread some of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish. Add half of the baked eggplant slices, then top with marinara sauce and dollops of the stretchy vegan mozzarella.
Repeat with the remaining sauce, eggplant, and cheese, finishing with dollops of the vegan mozzarella on top.
Bake the eggplant parm until the cheese is melty and warm. Top with vegan parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Serve each scoop with a side of my Vegan Garlic Bread or cooked pasta, then enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
For a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with cornflakes or gluten-free breadcrumbs, and use gluten-free flour or cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour.
An equal amount of pepitas or sunflower seeds will work just as well. For a nut-free recipe, make sure your vegan mozzarella and parmesan aren’t made with any nuts.
I usually make my Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese and my homemade Vegan Parmesan Cheese for this recipe. When I’m going the store-bought route, I’ll replace the homemade mozzarella with dairy-free mozzarella shreds from Follow Your Heart, Daiya, the 365 brand, or Violife.
It takes a little longer, and you need to air fry the eggplant in batches, but a few of my readers have had good results making this in the air fryer. If you’d like to try it, arrange the breaded eggplant slices in an even layer in the air fryer basket, then air fry at 400ºF for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Assemble and bake the slices in the casserole dish as normal.
Yes! You can assemble the eggplant parm in the casserole dish, cover it, and either refrigerate it overnight or freeze it unbaked. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking and serving.
If you are looking for another good way to use up eggplant from the garden, try my Roasted Eggplant Curry with Chickpeas.
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
Parmesan Breadcrumb Mixture
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs or vegan-friendly cornflakes if gluten free
- 1 cup raw cashews or sunflower seeds, pepitas
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Mixture
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour use gluten-free flour or cornstarch if gluten free
The Rest
- 2 large or 3 medium eggplants about 2 lbs
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 recipe Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella or 2-3 cups vegan mozzarella shreds
- 1/4-1/2 cup Vegan Parmesan either homemade or store-bought
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Bake the Eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease 2 large baking sheets with oil and set aside.
- In a food processor or high powered blender, pulse all the parmesan breadcrumb ingredients together until they resemble fine crumbs. Place in a shallow bowl.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the soy milk and flour until smooth. Set aside.
- Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. No need to peel the eggplant unless you want to.
- Dip each piece of eggplant in the milk/flour mixture, then the crumb mixture and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Spray the tops of the eggplant pieces with oil (optional).
- Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each piece and bake for 15 more minutes.
Assemble Eggplant Parmesan
- Get out a 9×13 inch casserole dish and spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom.
- Add 1/2 the baked eggplant, overlapping a little bit if needed to fit. Top with 1/2 marinara sauce and place dollops of about 1/2 the Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella (or sprinkle vegan mozzarella shreds). Repeat with the rest of the eggplant, marinara and cheese. Bake, uncovered (still at 400 degrees), for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melty and warm. You may even broil for 3-5 minutes at the end so the cheese gets a little browned.
- Sprinkle with vegan parmesan, and fresh basil, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free? Use gluten-free all purpose flour or cornstarch. Replace the breadcrumbs with vegan frienldy cornflakes or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Nut free? Skip the cashews, or use pepitas or sunflower seeds, and make sure to purchase nut-free vegan mozzarella and parmesan.
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Make sure to use quality eggplant that is fresh for best results.
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Serves about 6-8 depending on if it’s a side or main dish, but it can go further if serving with pasta.
Best eggplant parm I have ever eaten! Followed the recipe exactly, except I threw in some roasted mushrooms I needed to use up. Excellent!!!!
I’m so glad that you loved the eggplant Parmesan, Tamsen! Thank you so much for sharing your stellar review and comments! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Very Good – and eggplant cooked OIL FREE!
I baked the eggplant slices until they were browned and crispy.
And, long story, I made way too much eggplant, So, this week, I made this recipe Twice!
We don’t like too much cheese so the 1st time I made it with 2 cups of cheese (which was still too much) and tonight with only 1 cup = perfect
Hi Jim. I’m glad you enjoyed the eggplant parmesan! Thank you for your glowing review, and for sharing your recipe experience! Wishing you a happy cooking!
My wife and I both like this a lot.
I used a homemade arrabiata sauce, 3 cups, and will use a bit more next time. And, we agreed, this was too much cheese to our liking (and I only used 2 cups). I’ll use 1+ next time.
The eggplant came out great. I cooked it until it was clearly browned.
Thanks!
Hi Jim. I’m glad that you and your wife enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing your recipe adjustments and terrific review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Question why is the sodium so high in this. Trying to figure our where all the sodium is coming from. Thanka
The added salt, marinara and vegan cheese primarily. You can cut it back by not adding as much salt, using low sodium marinara and omitting the cheese or making your own without as much salt.
This is going to be my birthday treat this year. I made some last year but am always interested in trying different versions. Love all of your recipes.
Have you fried instead of baked the eggplant? Does the breadcrumb stick?
I have not tried this so I’m not sure. I don’t think the breadcrumbs would stick really.
Hey Nora!
Do you think you could make the breaded eggplant in the air fryer before baking the whole thing? If so, what temp/duration would you recommend?
You could, but you’d need to do this in batches and it might take a long time to air fry them all. I’d guess 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Can this recipe be made and then frozen? If so then reheat in oven from frozen or thaw first?
Hi Evelyn. Yes, you can freeze it assembled but unbaked. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake. Enjoy!