Vegan Eggplant Parmesan with Roasted Spaghetti Squash
This Vegan Eggplant Parmesan is already in the weekly dinner rotation. However, I hadn’t tried it yet with spaghetti squash and was curious how this veggie packed meal would taste. I’m happy to report that the layers of cheesy, crispy eggplant stood up well with soft, tomatoey squash. I’m drooling now thinking of the leftovers. Of course, feel free to pair with the pasta of your choosing. This dish could be made gluten-free by swapping the flour and breadcrumbs for alternatives. Enjoy with a side of greens and try not to add this into your weeknight faves!
Ingredients
For the eggplant:
1 medium eggplant, sliced into thin rounds
½ cup non-dairy, non-flavored, unsweetened milk
1 t cornstarch
1 cup breadcrumbs
⅓ cup shredded vegan parmesan
2 T homemade vegan parm (optional, I had some left over from the Vegan Mac & Cheese)
½ cup flour
1 t dried oregano
1 t garlic powder
1 t crushed red pepper
Dash of salt
For the spaghetti squash:
1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and deseeded
2-3 t olive oil
1 t salt
1 t garlic powder
½ t pepper
For the sauce:
2 T olive oil
½ medium onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, mined
1 t dried oregano
1-2 t crushed red pepper (depending on if your spice preference)
1 t salt
½ t dried basil
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I use and love Bianco Dinapoli)
1 12 oz can tomato paste
2-3 bay leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Slice the eggplant and salt both sides. Lay on a paper towel-lined plate and let sit for 10 minutes. Pat dry and flip. Continue to let sit for another 10 minutes, or until ready to use. This gets the excess moisture and makes for a crispier eggplant.
Halve and deseed the spaghetti squash. Brush with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Set cut side down on oiled and lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until soft enough to shred with a fork. You can go for longer, but I prefer the squash to maintain some of the noodle texture.
While squash is cooking, make the tomato sauce. You can also use jarred, but if not, this comes together fairly quick. To a medium saucepan over medium to high heat, add olive oil and onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic and seasonings. Stir to combine and let toast for 1-2 minutes. Then, add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine and add bay leaves. Lower heat and cover, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce is simmering, prepare the coating for the eggplant in three stations. In one bowl, mix non-dairy milk with cornstarch. On one plate, mix flour with seasonings. On another, mix breadcrumbs with cheese and seasonings.
One by one, coat eggplant slices lightly in flour mixture, then dip in milk, and finish with breadcrumbs. Repeat until all eggplant slices are coated.
Once squash is done, let cool and scrape edges with a fork. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Mix some (I used about ¾-1 cup, to my sauce preference.) with the spaghetti squash. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside.
Once the eggplant slices are coated, heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Once hot, lightly fry each eggplant on each side for about 2-3 minutes, then place on a lined baking sheet. This gives it a good crisp before finishing off in the oven.
Bake eggplant for 10-15 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and dollop sauce on each round. Cover with cheese and return to the oven. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Serve over spaghetti squash and top with more sauce and cheese, if desired.
