Eggplant Yeast Bake

A vegan eggplant bake that gets its creamy, cheese-like sauce from nutritional yeast and tahini instead of dairy. The sauce starts as whole wheat flour and nutritional yeast cooked slowly with water, tahini, tamari, garlic powder, and basil until it thickens into something rich and savory.

Sliced eggplant and sauteed onions get layered with the sauce in a baking dish, lasagna-style, with sauce on top and bottom. Thirty minutes in the oven softens the eggplant completely and lets the layers meld together.

The nutritional yeast gives the sauce an umami depth and a slightly cheesy flavor that’s surprisingly convincing. The tahini adds body and a nutty richness that keeps this from tasting thin or watery.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the sauce frequently while it thickens. The whole wheat flour can scorch on the bottom if you walk away.
• Slice the eggplant ¼ inch thick and uniform. Thicker slices won’t cook through fully in 30 minutes.
• If the sauce gets too thick while cooking, add water a tablespoon at a time. You want it pourable, not paste-like.
• Salt the eggplant slices and let them sit 15 minutes before layering to draw out excess moisture and bitterness.

Variations

• Add sliced zucchini between the eggplant layers for a ratatouille-inspired version.
• Stir a tablespoon of miso paste into the sauce for even deeper umami.
• Top with bread crumbs before baking for a crispy gratin-style finish.