Pan Fried Vegan Eggplant Parmesan encrusted in Italian Herbs with Breading, Layered inside Focaccia Bread with Almond Ricotta Cheese, Fresh Basil, with Thick Tomato Sauce.
This sandwich is perfect for the Italian food lover!
Best Breads for an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
The best bread you can use for this sandwich is either a slice of thick focaccia or a roll of ciabatta. It is also a great experience if you use a loaf of herbed sourdough too!
I would not use regular sandwich bread for this sandwich, as it may become mushy from the red sauce.
Alternatives to Almond Ricotta
Almond ricotta is fantastic in this vegan sandwich, however any soft cheese will work here. Trader Joes has a great vegan Boursin cheese that would work great here. A homemade tofu ricotta is a lower fat version that also tastes great.
A soft mozzarella like miyokos also works great for this sandwich!
Breading the Eggplant
This Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich recipe has you make a flax egg to use as a binder for breading the eggplant. Flax egg is a great binder that is very healthy for you. Flax seeds and chia seeds are both very high in omega fatty acids which is great for skin and brain health. That being said, you can also use 1/4 cup of Just Egg in place of the flax egg! Another option is to add 1 tbs of chickpea flour to the water. It creates a slight batter that will help the breading stick to the eggplant.
Looking for More Vegan Sandwich Recipes?
- Try this Chicken of the Woods Ranch Sandwich! It uses the wild chicken of the woods mushroom in a hearty breading that is then smothered in vegan ranch! This southern inspired vegan chicken sandwich is perfect for the foodie!
- The Miso Mushroom Burger is packed with umnami flavor! This burger recipe has minced mushrooms blended with vegan burger meat and miso! Top it off with caramelized onions and plant-based cheddar.
- Another fun burger recipe is the Shiitake Bao Burger- it’s a blended burger with shiitake mushrooms! It’s all inside of a soft homemade bao bun!
- For the seafood lover you’ll need to try the Vegan Lobster Roll! It uses wild lobster mushrooms in a mayo-based sauce to create a plant-based version of the New England Lobster Roll!
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1/2 whole Eggplant
- 4 Slices Focaccia
- 4 tbs Almond Ricotta
- 4 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 4 slices Bell Pepper
- 4 tbs Tomato Sauce
Flax Eggs
- 2 tbs Flax Seed Powder/Chia Seed Powder
- 6 tbs Water (1/3 cup plus 1tbs)
Eggplant Parmesan Breading
- 1 cup Flour
- 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 3 tbs Nutritional yeast flakes*
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
- Create your flax egg by whisking the flax seed powder to water, then set aside
- Mix together everything you need for the Eggplant Parmesan Breading, set aside
- Thinly slice your eggplant, then dip in your flax egg, then dip in the breading, repeat once more and set aside, then repeat this process with each slice
- Alternatively you can fry them in a pan with a generous amount of oil on medium high heat, cooking for 5 minutes then flipping it. Place your fried eggplant on a clean tea towel to absorb excess oil – Or for an oil free option…. Place in the air fryer at 400F for 10 minutes, flipping once*
- Spread your ricotta over your bread then place your eggplant over it. Top with your fresh basil, bell pepper, then your red sauce- top it with another slice of bread
Notes
- In place of a fresh bell pepper try using a fire roasted pepper
- If you do not have an air fryer and want to keep this recipe oil free bake in the oven at 400 for 15-20 minutes or golden brown, flipping it halfway through
- Try this on a ciabatta bun instead of sliced focaccia
- Don’t have any nutritional yeast flakes? Try using a plant-based parmesan instead! There are lots of great brands out there and recipes you can find.
Another option is to add 1 tsp of smoked paprika and some black truffle salt- the key here is to get that umami flavor
Nutrition
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