Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

This casserole is delicious! Now that eggplants are in season, it's a perfect time to whip up this easy version that doesn't have any extra breading on the eggplant, just many layers of deliciousness. This recipe can easily be modified in many ways so have fun with it! This recipe was modified from Robin Robertson's great book "Vegan Planet".



Ingredients:

1 large eggplant or a few small ones, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
One 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, OR several fresh tomatoes, OR 1/2 a jar of marinara sauce
2 cups of: crumbled veggie burgers, faux meat, tempeh, or tofu
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste
vegan parmesan
vegan cheese shreds (so many types available, I used follow your heart cheese shreds) OR try homemade cheese, such as cheddar or ricotta

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook eggplant slices on a baking sheet for 12-15 minutes turning once half way through. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add tomatoes/sauce, burger crumbles (or alternative), herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes to let flavors blend.

Spoon a layer of the tomato mixture on the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with a layer of eggplant slices, and sprinkle with some cheese. Continue to layer until you use up your ingredients. Top with parmesan.

Bake until hot and bubbly, around 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve as is, or you can get creative and use the casserole as a stuffing inside steamed bell peppers! I did this and it was delicious! To do so, cut the top off of a couple bell peppers, steam them until soft, empty from any water inside and stuff with the casserole. Enjoy!