Eggplant Lasagne
Submitted by michelebrennan
Vegan eggplant lasagna with cornmeal-crusted oven-fried eggplant, tofu ricotta filling, and tomato sauce. No pasta, no dairy, all the layered comfort of classic lasagna.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
55 minREADY
75 minThin slices of eggplant dredged in seasoned cornmeal and oven-fried until golden replace the pasta sheets in this vegan lasagna. The cornmeal crust gives each layer a crispy, slightly gritty texture that holds up under the sauce and filling without going soggy.
The ricotta-style filling is made from firm tofu processed with lemon juice, basil, garlic, honey, and salt until it reaches that familiar grainy, spreadable texture. It’s not trying to fool anyone into thinking it’s dairy ricotta. It’s doing its own thing, and the lemon-basil combination makes it bright and savory on its own terms.
Salting the eggplant slices and letting them sit before dredging draws out moisture and bitterness. Wipe them dry before coating, or the cornmeal mixture turns pasty instead of crisp.
Chef Tips
- Slice the eggplant evenly at ¼ inch. Thicker slices don’t cook through during oven-frying and leave a raw, spongy center.
- Flip the eggplant slices halfway through oven-frying for even golden browning on both sides.
- Let the finished lasagna rest 10 minutes before cutting. The layers set and hold together better when slightly cooled.
Variations
- Add a layer of sautéed spinach or sliced zucchini between the eggplant layers for extra vegetables.
- Use marinara with mushrooms instead of plain tomato sauce for a meatier-tasting vegan version.
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast over the top before baking for a cheesy, golden crust.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash, peel and slice eggplant into ¼ inch pieces.
Spread slices out on racks or paper towels, then sprinkle with lemon juice and salt.
Let stand 5 to 10 minutes then wipe off with paper towels.
While eggplant is standing, mix flour, cornmeal, oregano, garlic powder and black pepper together in a bowl.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Dredge eggplant slices in flour-cornmeal mix.
Lay on cookie sheet spread with the oil.
Oven-fry slices for 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Ricotta-Style Filling: While the eggplant slices are baking, prepare the tofu filling.
Process the tofu, lemon juice, basil, honey, salt and garlic in food processor to a fine grainy texture like ricotta cheese.
Cover bottom of 8 x 8 inch pan with ⅓ of the tomato sauce.
Use half the oven fried eggplant slices to cover the bottom of the pan.
Then spread the tofu filling over, reserving ½ cup for the top.
Next, cover the tofu filling with the rest of the eggplant slices, and pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top.
Arrange reserved tofu mix in small dollops over the top.
Bake about 45 minutes or until dollops are slightly browned.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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