I’ve always loved Eggplant Parmesan. I used to make it so often during my oldest son younger years. It was one of my favorite go to recipes. Every social event or family gathering I would take a huge pan of it and everyone would rave over it. It’s always an ego boost when more than a handful of people in the same room love your dish.
There’s just something so desirable about the crispy texture of baking the eggplant cutlets & then baking it with the fresh tomato sauce & melted, ooey gooey cheese! What’s not the love about that? My mouth is watering now just reminiscing about it.
Fast forward to 2016, many, many years later I have been living a vegan lifestyle. It’s better for my health, my family’s health and our planet. It also means I am no longer able to have the ooey gooey cheese that I used to love so much. So I thought {evil laugh inserted here}. That was until I learned about making my own Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese. I have to admit it turned out delicious, much better than I could have ever imagined. If you’re wondering, they do in fact sell a vegan mozzarella and it comes in shreds {Trader Joe’s}. It works great on this dish.
Start this recipe by preparing the eggplant cutlets. Slice eggplant into thin rounds {about 1/2 inch thick}, and sprinkle each side of the eggplant slices with sea salt.
Arrange the eggplant slices in a colander, and place the colander in your sink to let the moisture drain. It helps to remove the bitter taste from the eggplant. Be sure to let the salted eggplant sit 15 minutes, to dry out. Then rinse and dry the eggplant thoroughly. While it sits, preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then set it aside.
Next you need to prepare your dipping bowls by mixing almond milk & cornstarch in the first bowl; flour in another and panko, salt, oregano, Vegan Cashew Parmesan in the last bowl.
Now dip the eggplant slices first in the flour, next in the milk mixture and finally in the panko crumbs. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet & bake for 20 minutes.
While baking the eggplant cutlets, add 1 tablespoon grape seed oil to a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Cook that for 2 minutes. Then add in 2 handfuls of fresh kale. Toss the kale with the garlic and cook 4 minutes until the kale is slightly wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Next, line a different 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. Add a light layer of tomato sauce to the pan and spread it around the bottom evenly. Add a layer of eggplant cutlets to the pan. Top the cutlets with more sauce. Sprinkle over top of the sauce some Vegan Cashew Parmesan. Then, smooth the Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese on top of the parmesan sauce. Top the Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese with sautéed kale. Next, top the kale with the Vegan Cashew Parmesan Breadcrumbs.
Once finished layering your eggplant cutlets, add the pan to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool about 10 minutes. Slice individual portions & serve with additional Vegan Cashew Parmesan Breadcrumbs.
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 50 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 Medium Eggplant
- ½ cup Plant-Based Milk unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon Arrowroot Powder
- ¼ cup Chickpea Flour
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 tablespoons Vegan Cashew Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Grape Seed Oil
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- 2 Handfuls Kale
- 1 Jar Tomato Sauce
- ¼ cup Vegan Cashew Parmesan
- 1 ½ cups Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese
- ½ cup Vegan Cashew Parmesan Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
Eggplant Cutlets
Fresh Greens
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- Start this recipe by preparing the eggplant cutlets. Slice eggplant into thin rounds {about 1/2 inch thick}, and sprinkle each side of the eggplant slices with sea salt.
- Arrange the eggplant slices in a colander, and place the colander in your sink to let the moisture drain. It helps to remove the bitter taste from the eggplant. Be sure to let the salted eggplant sit 15 minutes, to dry out. Then rinse and dry the eggplant thoroughly. While it sits, preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then set it aside.
- Next you need to prepare your dipping bowls by mixing almond milk & cornstarch in the first bowl; flour in another and panko, salt, oregano, cashew parmesan in the last bowl.
- Now dip the eggplant slices first in the flour, next in the milk mixture and finally in the panko crumbs. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet & bake for 20 minutes.
- While baking the eggplant cutlets, add 1 tablespoon grape seed oil to a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Cook that for 2 minutes. Then add in 2 handfuls of fresh kale. Toss the kale with the garlic and cook 4 minutes until the kale is slightly wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Next, line a different 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper. Add a light layer of tomato sauce to the pan and spread it around the bottom evenly. Add a layer of eggplant cutlets to the pan. Top the cutlets with more sauce. Sprinkle over top of the sauce some cashew parmesan. Then, smooth the tofu ricotta on top of the parmesan sauce. Top the tofu ricotta with sautéed kale. Next, top the kale with the cashew cheez breadcrumbs.
- Once finished layering your eggplant cutlets, add the pan to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool about 10 minutes. Slice individual portions & serve with additional cashew cheese breadcrumbs.
Did you attempt this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it {or not} by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #mamawentveganrecipes or @mamawentvegan. I love to hear your feedback and see your creations!
