Description
Are your taste buds ready to be wowed? My newest Erewhon-inspired creation, The Best Vegan Eggplant Lasagna, layers hearty roasted eggplant, garlicky kale, your favorite marinara, and creamy cashew cheese into a dish that’s pure comfort … and no noodles are required! It’s easy to make, 100% plant-based, and perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or a table-worthy centerpiece when entertaining friends.
Ingredients
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- 1 large (20- to 22-ounce) eggplant, stem remove, cut into 6 lengthwise slices
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 5 ounces Tuscan kale leaves with thick stems removed, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon organic balsamic vinegar
- Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups (13 ounces) marinara sauce (pick your favorite!)
- 6 ounces soft treenut cheese (try Treeline French-Style Garlic Herb Cashew Cheese or my simple cashew cheese)
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, torn or chopped
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange eggplant slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and roast until lightly browned, about 22 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook while stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes.
- Brush the bottom of a 9- by 12-inch rectangular or 10-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil. Layer in order:
- 1/4 cup marinara
- 2 of the eggplant slices (side by side)
- Half of the kale
- One-third of the cashew cheese (in small dollops)
- 1/2 cup marinara
- 2 of the eggplant slices (side by side)
- Remaining kale
- One-third of the cashew cheese (in small dollops)
- Remaining 2 eggplant slices (side by side)
- Remaining 3/4 cup marinara
- Cover baking pan loosely with foil (tent it so it doesn’t touch the marinara). Bake until fully heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove foil, add remaining cashew cheese in small dollops, and bake 2 minutes more to warm the cashew cheese.
- Let stand 5 to 10 minutes to let juices settle. Then garnish with basil, slice, and serve.
- Enjoy along with a protein-rich app, such as white bean bruschetta, edamame with sea salt and lemon, or my lemony red lentil hummus, or with a side dish, like citrus-herb lentil salad, tofu skewers, or my plant-based eggplant-baby bella “meatballs.”
Notes
If prefer to serve as a one-dish meal, this makes 2 servings, 1 extra-large piece (half of recipe) each.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 47 minutes
- Category: Main dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (1/4 recipe)
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 9g includes 0g added sugars
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg