Chris Shoebridge
Vegan Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmigiana)
If you’re a fan of rich Mediterranean flavors, you’ll love this beautiful Melanzane.
June 7, 2024
Peter Egan of the acclaimed show Downton Abbey is an incredible actor, a true gentleman, and a passionate animal lover. He took part in Veganuary 2016 and has never looked back. “I will always support Veganuary,” Egan says, “but I won’t have to do it again because I am now vegan.” In honor of Egan’s vegan transformation, we’re bringing you a cruelty-free version of one of his favorite dishes, which just so happens to be an Italian classic.
What you need:
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sprigs thyme
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
10 cups chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggplants, sliced lengthways as thinly as possible
1 cup vegan cheese, grated
½ cup white breadcrumbs
⅓ cup pine nuts
10 whole basil leaves
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Into a large pan, heat oil and add garlic, thyme, and sage, and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar, and simmer approximately 25 minutes, or until mixture has thickened.
- While the mixture is simmering, heat a frying pan. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides and fry in batches until each slice is softened and slightly charred.
- Mix ⅓ cup cheese with the breadcrumbs and pine nuts, and set side.
- Into a large baking dish, add half of the tomato sauce and spread over the base. Top with a layer of eggplant.
- Spoon remaining tomato sauce over eggplant, layer with remaining cheese and basil leaves, and another layer of eggplant. Repeat until you have a layer of tomato sauce and top with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden and the tomato sauce is bubbling. Let cool 10 minutes and top with basil.
For more plant-based recipes like this, read:
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