Eggplant parmesan is a beloved Italian dish, known for its delicious layers of breaded eggplant bathed in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. This recipe is a lighter and more nutritious version of this classic dish because breadcrumbs are replaced with protein-rich flaked amaranth and Parmesan cheese is swapped for nutritional yeast. Garnished with fresh basil, it will become your go-to comfort food.
- Slice the eggplants into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick rounds. Line them up on a few piece of paper towel, sprinkle with a little bit of salt, and set aside so that they can release moisture.(2 hours)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the amaranth flakes, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt and black pepper.(2 minutes)
- In another bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water.(2 minutes)
- Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set it aside.
- Pat dry the eggplant slices. First dip each slice in the beaten egg and then dredge them in the flake mixture. Place them on the baking sheet.(5 minutes)
- Bake the slices for about 20 minutes, flipping them over half-way through until they are lightly browned on both sides.(20 minutes)
- When the slices are done baking, take them out of the oven and lower the temperature to 350°F (176°C). Spread 1/3 of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 10x7-inch baking dish. Place half of the eggplant slices over the sauce, then sprinkle them with half of shredded mozzarella. Spread another third of marinara over that layer, followed by the rest of the eggplant slices. At last, top it with the remaining third of the marinara and then the remaining half of mozzarella cheese.(10 minutes)
- Remove from oven and set aside for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Nutritional yeast
