Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

You are going to LOVE this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Bake Recipe (that’s also Gluten Free + Plant-Based Whole30® friendly)! I absolutely love eggplant parmesan (called Parmigiana di Melanzane in Italian). It’s a really great way to recreate the flavors you love in lasagna, but it’s pasta-free and gluten-free! It’s almost like the layers of eggplant replace the layers of pasta.

Making Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

 

This post is sponsored by Muir Glen, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for allowing me to partner with brands I believe in so I can continue to bring you free content!

Is Eggplant Parmesan Vegan?

Is Eggplant Parmesan Vegan?

Typically, no. Traditional eggplant parmesan is NOT vegan. It uses an egg batter to batter the eggplant and lots and lots of cheese, neither of which are vegan… But trust us, we made some great swaps to make this recipe for vegan eggplant parmesan – you can find the recipe below!

How to Make Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

Our recipe makes eggplant parmesan SO much easier because we skip the battering. Trust me, you won’t be able to taste the difference AND our method saves you so much time! You’ll be thanking us. Here’s the process how to make vegan eggplant parmesan: first, you start by making a quick, homemade marinara sauce. While that simmers, you’ll slice and bake the eggplant. Then you simply layer the sauce, eggplant, panko mixture, and slices of mozzarella. Then you bake, slice, and serve! 

What You Need to Make Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

What You Need to Make Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

  1. Marinara Sauce: We use Muir Glen Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce! It’s Organic, and we love it because it’s sugar free and non-GMO, too!
  2. Eggplants Slices: Also called aubergines. You’ll need about 2-3 medium eggplants for this recipe. 
  3. Gluten Free Panko: Traditional panko is made with wheat, but you can get a gluten-free panko, instead. You won’t even taste the difference!
  4. Vegan cheeses: The two cheeses that we use in this vegan eggplant parmesan are vegan parmesan and vegan mozzarella. The brands we recommend (that you can easily find at Sprouts!) are Violife Parmesan and Miyoko Mozzarella. 
  5. Fresh basil: trust me, tomatoes and basil are a match made in heaven! You want to get your basil fresh. 
  6. Fresh oregano: Also quintessentially Italian, this oregano takes this dish to the next level! Again, it’s best if you can get it fresh. 

Muir Glen Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Best Marinara Sauce 

The best marinara sauce to use for this recipe is Muir Glen Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce! We love it because it’s organic, non-gmo, and sugar free! I love using this marinara sauce instead of making our own because it’s already super tasty and saves us the 30 minutes it takes to simmer homemade marinara sauce! I also absolutely love Muir Glen because they want to ensure the unsung heroes of agriculture—pollinators—keep buzzing for generations to come! They’re partnering with the Xerces Society to plant and protect our essential pollinator habitats on the California farms that grow their tomatoes! [How amazing is that?!]

Good for the Future Campaign 

Want a FREE ½ Gallon Stasher Bag?! Buy $15 worth of participating General Mills products, and get a FREE stasher bag (1/2-gallon, $21.99 value!)

Participating products: Nature Valley, Larabar, Annie’s, Cascadian Farm, Epic, Muir Glen, Big G Cereal, Cheerios, Oui Yogurt

Redemption Details (receipt scan): Scan, upload to www.goodforthefuture2022.com, and redeem your free bag!

*You can also find the recipe on FeedFeed! 

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Bake Recipe

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Bake Recipe (Gluten Free + Plant-Based Whole30)

  • Author: Caroline Fausel
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 9 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium italian eggplants, sliced into ¼ inch thick
  • 1 (25.5 oz) jar of Muir Glen Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
  • 1 ½ cups gluten free Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 ½ t fresh oregano, chopped
  • ½ t freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ c vegan Parmesan, grated + divided
  • ¼ c basil, finely chopped
  • 1 (8 oz) ball vegan mozzarella cheese, sliced into ¼ inch slices (or shredded)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Slice 2 medium eggplants width wise into circles. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, and place the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sheet tray. Brush both sides with olive oil and bake until golden brown, flipping halfway through. About 20-25 minutes total. 
  • Reduce oven temperature to 375. 
  • In a food processor, pulse panko, oregano, pepper, basil, and parmesan until finely ground. 
  • Spread ½ cup pasta sauce over a 8×8″ baking dish; top with a layer of eggplant slices (trim as needed). Drizzle ½ cup sauce over and sprinkle with ½ of the panko mixture plus half of the slices of mozzarella. Repeat these layers of eggplant slices, sauce, panko mixture, and sliced mozzarella. 
  • Bake until eggplant is custardy, 30-45 minutes and serve immediately.

Notes

You know I love a good freezer meal! If you’d like to make one fresh to enjoy tonight and another frozen (Prep, Cook, Freeze style!), simply double the recipe. Keep the extra in the fridge if you’ll be baking it within 48 hours. Or freeze before baking, then either cook completely frozen, about 60 minutes. OR thaw overnight in the fridge, then follow the recipe instructions.

  • Cook Time: 30-45 min

Want to save this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Bake Recipe (Gluten Free + Plant-Based Whole30) for later? Pin it here!

VEGAN EGGPLANT PARMESAN RECIPE PINTEREST