Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan

My vegetarian eggplant parmesan layers tender eggplant, a hearty vegetable-packed marinara, and plenty of bubbling cheese into a cozy, satisfying casserole. A few twists, like breading the eggplant with milk instead of egg and adding salty feta, make it a little different from the classic.

This vegetarian eggplant parmesan is one of those recipes I’ve been making for years and never get tired of. Layers of tender eggplant, hearty vegetable-packed marinara, and bubbling cheese come together in a cozy, satisfying casserole that’s always a hit at the dinner table.

The recipe was inspired by one from the Moosewood Cookbook, though over the years it’s become very much its own thing. One of my favorite twists is a swap you might not expect: I dip the eggplant in milk instead of egg before breading. The milk clings just enough to hold the breadcrumbs in place and helps them turn golden, without the slightly heavy, eggy coating you sometimes get, so the eggplant stays tender and light under all that cheese.

I also love using feta, which adds a salty, tangy bite that works beautifully against the rich tomato sauce, and the marinara is loaded with vegetables so every layer tastes extra flavorful. It all comes out feeling like classic comfort food while still being a little different from traditional eggplant parmesan, bubbling, cheesy, and every bit as good as it looks.

Wait … is there no Parmesan cheese in this recipe? Technically, Parmesan cheese, like cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and many others, isn’t vegetarian because it’s made with rennet, an animal product. But many people who are vegetarians still eat cheeses that are made with rennet. Since this is a vegetarian eggplant parmesan recipe, I chose feta because it’s easier to find. If you’re avoiding rennet, look for vegetarian feta, or substitute ricotta cheese.

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Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Prep: 40 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

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A cozy vegetarian eggplant parmesan with tender breaded eggplant, a hearty vegetable-packed marinara, and bubbling cheese with a salty, tangy hit of feta. It's classic comfort food with a few twists that make it feel a little special.

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Ingredients

The Tomato Sauce

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• ▢ 2 medium bell peppers (diced – any color)
• ▢ 1 large carrot (diced)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic (very finely minced)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 2 teaspoons honey

The Eggplants

• ▢ 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ½ cup milk
• ▢ 2 large globe eggplants (cut into ¾-inch rounds – see notes)
• ▢ 3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions 

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, carrot, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 6-8 minutes.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 medium bell peppers, 1 large carrot, 2 cloves garlic
  
• Add the tomato paste, sea salt, and oregano to the pot and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the honey to the pot, reduce the heat, and let it simmer gently until the eggplants (from the next step) have finished roasting.
  2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons honey
  
• While the sauce is cooking, prepare the eggplants. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the panko, oregano, black pepper, and sea salt. Pour the milk into another bowl.
  2 cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ cup milk
  
• Dip each eggplant round first into the milk and then into the panko. Place the panko-coated eggplant rounds onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake the eggplant in the oven for 20 minutes.
  2 large globe eggplants
  
• Spread a couple of small scoops of the tomato sauce in the bottom of an 11×9-inch baking dish. Lay half the eggplant rounds over the sauce and then cover with half of the remaining sauce and half of the feta and mozzarella cheese. Finish assembling the vegetarian eggplant parmesan with the remaining eggplant, sauce, and cheese. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbling.
  3 cups grated mozzarella cheese, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  
• Remove the vegetarian eggplant parmesan from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
  

Notes

If globe eggplants are unavailable to you, you can use 3 long Asian eggplants instead. These are nice cut into long strips that resemble lasagna noodles. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ⅙ of the recipe, Calories: 418kcal (21%), Carbohydrates: 45g (15%), Protein: 22g (44%), Fat: 19g (29%), Saturated Fat: 10g (63%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 55mg (18%), Sodium: 1477mg (64%), Potassium: 1056mg (30%), Fiber: 10g (42%), Sugar: 19g (21%), Vitamin A: 4090IU (82%), Vitamin C: 70mg (85%), Calcium: 491mg (49%), Iron: 4mg (22%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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