Easy Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan

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Easy Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan is a simple to make, delicious dish with layers of breaded fried eggplant, a smooth tomato sauce, and gooey cheese.

Easy Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan is an easy-to-make vegetarian dish. When you read the ingredients and instructions, it may seem complicated and look a bit daunting, but while it is a little time-consuming, it really is a very simple recipe that everyone will love!

So, roll up your sleeves, turn on some tunes, and Easy Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan will be ready before you know it!

The eggplant cutlets are great, even on their own! Easy Eggplant Cutlets

Like zucchini? Try: Zucchini Parmesean

A little of my cooking background

I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can”, because – honestly – if I can make it, anyone can.

I never really liked cooking and when I was single, a meal for me meant grilled cheese, eggs, tuna, or something else that didn’t require effort or time.

When my kids were young, I was still able to get away with preparing only a small variety of easy meals, but the older they got, the more dishes I learned to make at their request.

Still, I insisted on keeping it simple.

Honestly, I never understood why some cooks unnecessarily complicate meals. I have seen recipes that have several ingredients that don’t really seem to add much, if anything, to the dish. So, why bother?

It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served or you won’t eat” ideology) and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.

I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it and they will love your cooking!

As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! you are an amazing cook!

The bottom line is that while there are certainly delicate recipes out there for specialty dishes, making delicious meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. It’s not difficult to impress – just make sure it tastes good.

While some of the recipes on my blog are more time-consuming than others, they are all tried and true easy-shmeezy!

Of course, one always has to consider the conditions under which they cook. Weather (humidity, heat, cold), different types of ovens, different quality of pots, etc. – all of which can affect your cooking and baking.

Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!

Everyday pantry essentials (suggested)

As I learned to prepare more and more recipes, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.

While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids will ask for eggplant parmesan or lasagna at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.

So, I maintain selection of what I consider “pantry essentials” in my refrigerator and on my shelves at all times.

Initially, many of the herbs and spices were useful to me only on occasion (having been purchased for a particular recipe) and I usually just had them around as leftovers. However, as I began to cook more of a variety, I was really glad to have them (hey, look, I already have that !) and that is how my list began.

While, of course, most of the essentials will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes be made just with this list. So, if you keep whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.

Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasoning, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style.

Just to give you an idea, the list below is a comprehensive list of what I normally keep on hand (this does not necessarily include what I keep for baking and there may be some overlap between the two lists as some items are used for both, such a brown sugar) and, of course, it reflects the meals and desserts that I like to make for my own family and guests.

Seasoning and flavoring:

• salt (my receipes use regular table salt)
• ground black or white pepper
• granulated garlic or garlic powder (I prefer granulated)
• onion powder
• sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
• hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
• ground turmeric
• ground cumin
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground nutmeg
• ground Cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
• sugar (granulated)
• brown sugar
• chicken consomme powder / beef bullion powder (regular or vegetarian)
• onion soup mix
• onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion – 3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
• various herbs
• additional spices to adapt taste to preference

Misc:

• oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
• coconut cream as a dairy free cream substitute
• corn starch as a thickening agent
• flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• bread crumbs or Corn Flake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
• condiments – such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce
• tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes – diced or crushed/pasta sauce
• soy sauce
• ready made pie crusts and dough (to just add filling)

We always have eggs in the fridge and onions, rice, and potatoes on our shelves as well as pasta.

In addition, having some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers (red, green, etc), etc. can be very useful when putting together a quick, but delicious meal.

It is also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts), in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.

Weather can have an affect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, so I keep as many of the seasonings in the refrigerator or freezer as I can and I keep everything tightly closed in containers (you will be surprised to know just how determined moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs – YUCK!).

Therefore, store your items well.

Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?

Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly enough to warrant storing them. However, I do not store items for dishes that I make seasonally or only on rare occasions or those that spoil easily.

Whether or not it is workable for you depends on your cooking style, the space you have to store, and whether or not you mind running out to the store as needed. Of course, the more you cook and the more varied your recipes, the more you will use, and the more you will need.

A little about eggplants

The eggplant is native to India and Asia, where it can be found growing wild and it is believed that eggplants were brought to Europe sometime during the 7th or 8th century.

Australians and Americans call the vegetable eggplant, while in England it is called a aubergine from the French word for this vegetable.

Because of it’s meaty texture, eggplant is used instead of meat in some vegetarian versions of meat recipes.

While there are a variety of types of eggplants, the one for this recipe is the large egg-shaped (or teardrop-shaped) blackish purple one with the meaty inside.

Eggplants have health benefits as they contain antioxidants like vitamins A and C, which help protect your cells against damage and are low in calories.

About cooking eggplant

Eggplants can be roasted, baked, steamed, deep fried, or sautéd.

Before cooking an eggplant, cut off the top part where the green is (called a calyx). The bottom tip should also be removed, but this is not imperative. The skin is perfectly fine to eat, but it must be cooked well, otherwise it may come out chewy.

This recipe can use either peeled eggplants or with the skin (having the skin on will not ruin the recipe).

Eggplant is naturally a little bitter. If you find that to be the case, you can draw out the bitterness by sprinkling it with salt and let it sit a while. If you are using slices or pieces, slightly salt after cutting. I have personally never found this to be a problem when cooking with eggplants

Using salt before cooking can help prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil and becoming greasy if using oil with the eggplant recipe (I normally just pat the pieces with a paper towel if need be).

If you do use salt, MAKE SURE to rinse it off before cooking the eggplant or the salt will become a part of your dish!

Personally, I have never salted my eggplants before using them (and I have used eggplants in two countries) and have never had any problem with bitterness, but if you have any concern, please do.

If a recipe calls for frying, but you prefer not to do so because of the calories the oil will add to the recipe, you can spray with cooking oil and bake instead.

So, there you have it! Now, go and enjoy your Easy Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan!

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Yield: 6 servings

Easy Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan

Print

Layers of delicious fried eggplant, sauce, and cheese without meat.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 6 - 8 eggs (start with 6, add more if needed)
• 2 -3 cups breadcrumbs (start with 2, add more if needed)
• 1 pound (or more as desired) of a mixture of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan, as desired (I only use mozzarella)
• 24 ounce jar of marinara or pasta sauce
• oil for frying

Instructions

Frying the eggplant

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium heat (approximately 1/4" - 1/3" high).
2. Cut off the ends of the eggplant and peel (or leave the skin on, if desired - I leave the skin).
3. Slice eggplant into slices of approximately 1/2" wide, either lengthwise or into disks.
4. Pour eggs and breadcrumbs into separate bowls large enough to accommodate dipping the eggplant slices.
5. Dip each slice into egg, then breadcrumbs, then egg again, making sure the slices are well coated.
6. Place in pan with oil that has been heated on medium.
7. Fry one side until golden brown, then flip and fry on other side until golden brown (you should be able to easily stick a fork through when they are ready).
8. Remove fried eggplant and place on plate covered with paper towels to drain.

Preparing the Eggplant Parmesan

1. Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of a 9"x13", casserole dish, or other suitable size baking pan.
2. Pour marinara or pasta sauce evenly over the layer of eggplant (determine how many layers of eggplant you will have and pour that fraction of sauce on to each - ex if you have 4 layers, then 1/4 of the sauce will be poured on each).
3. Add the cheese over the sauce (again, divide according to the number of layers you have).
4. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients.
5. Place in oven and bake on 350° or until the cheese on top has melted well.

Notes

1) Feel free to use seasoned breadcrumbs, as desired.
2) Most people only use one coat of egg and do not redip after the breadcrumbs. If you choose to do this, you will need less eggs.
3) The amount of eggs and breadcrumbs you will need for the frying stage depends on how well you coat. That is why I write a range of amount for both. Chances are you will be left with some extra, but having a nice amount allows for easier coating and tarting with a smaller amount and have more at the read to add if needed helps prevent waste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 746Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 261mgSodium: 1673mgCarbohydrates: 111gFiber: 13gSugar: 22gProtein: 30g

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