Ingredients:
- 1 medium sized eggplant ( sliced into 10- 12 1/4-inch slices lengthwise)
- 1/2 cup of gluten free or regular Italian panko breadcrumbs if not GF
- 1/4 C of Vegan Parmesan or Go Veggie Parmesan
- 1 TBS of Italian seasoning
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1/2 cup of go veggie mozzarella cheese or other dairy free cheese of choice
- 1 1/2c of homemade marinara or marinara of choice
- 8 ounces of pasta of choice* or zoodles to keep it low carb!
Tofu Ricotta Filling:
- 1 package, 10oz- Firm Tofu
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 C Nutritional Yeast
- 1 TBS Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/3c Basil
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 TBS Lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 TBS Lemon juice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Cut eggplant into thin slices and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Grab a colander and place a few pieces of the eggplant on the bottom. Add 1 paper towel over the top and then add eggplant and another paper towel. Repeat this process and set aside for 15-20 minutes. This step is important because you need to remove the excess water from the eggplant prior to preparing it for the best results.*
- After the eggplant has sat, gently rinse the eggplant. Remove the water by pressing the eggplant between two paper towels before moving to the next step.
- Lay the slice of eggplant on the a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray with olive oil.
- Bake the eggplant at 400 degrees for 16 minutes flipping them half way with a fork. Set a timer for 8 minutes, flip and then reset for another 8 minutes.
- While the eggplant is cooking prepare the marinara sauce and the tofu ricotta.
- While eggplant is baking, add all tofu filling ingredients to a food process or blender and pulse to combine, scraping down sides as needed. This should be a semi-pureed mixture with bits of basil still intact. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt and pepper for flavor, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, and lemon juice for brightness.
- Spread the marinara sauce on the bottom of 8x8 baking dish
- Scoop about 3 tbsp. of tofu ricotta filling onto each eggplant slice and roll up. Place seam side down in the sauce-lined baking dish. Continue until all filling and eggplant strips have been used.
- Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the rolled eggplant. Pour the remainder of the sauce down the center of the rolls for extra flavor.
- Top with 1/2 cup of vegan mozzarella shreds, breadcrumbs, and vegan parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 400 for 25 minutes or until bubbly. The sides will begin to bubble. Remove the foil and increase the oven to broil. Crack the oven slightly and broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese has fully melted.
- Serve with pasta, salad, or over zoodles for a lower carb option.
Notes*: We suggest cutting the eggplant up in the morning and letting it sit while you go about your day. Sprinkle with salt, cover it and let the water drain as long as you can. This will yield better results.
Behind the recipe: Diane used to cook eggplant parmigiana all the time when Stevie was a little girl. She would always help her mom bread the eggplant and they loved eating it cold the next day! Eggplant can be time consuming and labor intensive but if you involve the kids it just makes the process THAT much easier! Gabriella loves helping Stevie bread eggplant and adds her own special touch to the process. Watch this little Italian 6 year old girl in action, she will show you the way!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know below! At FIT2AT we truly care!
As always, stay well,
Diane & Stevie
