February 13, 2017
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Sub Sandwiches
I love eggplant parmesan and I love sandwiches like, a lot, so I decided to marry the two so they could make a baby.
The outcome? The most delicious vegan eggplant parmesan sub sandwiches ever!
Ashlee and I made vegan lasagna for my family last night and we had some leftover marinara and baguettes. We also had some eggplant in the fridge that was about to go bad so I figured vegan eggplant parmesan subs were a must for lunch today.
I could’ve sworn this recipe was on the blog already, but Ashlee informed me that we only have our vegan eggplant parmesan recipe up. Among all the recipes in our archives, our vegan eggplant parmesan is one of my all-time favorites. We switched up the sauce a bit, but you can use whatever sauce you love! Homemade is what I prefer, but you can use your favorite store-bought brand to make this recipe especially quick and easy!
We hope you all love the recipe for our vegan eggplant parmesan sub sandwiches as much as we do! If you try this recipe, make sure to take a photo and show some love by tagging us on Instagram at @Eat_Figs_Not_Pigs.
Til next time, guys!!!
XOXO
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup yellow onion, minced
- 2 - 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
- 2 teaspoons white sugar (vegan)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste, optional
- 4 sourdough rolls, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 eggplant, sliced into ½” rounds
- About 1-2 cups vegetable oil, enough for frying the eggplant
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese (we used Follow Your Heart Parmesan shreds)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
- Vegan butter
- Garlic powder
- Vegan grated Parmesan (we used Follow Your Heart brand)
- Sliced vegan cheese of your choice (we used Follow Your Heart Provolone slices)
- Fresh basil, minced
- Turn oven broiler on low
- In a small saucepan, heat olive oil on medium high heat.
- Saute onions until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings.
- Cover and simmer on low while you prepare your sandwiches.
- Place sliced eggplant rounds on a flat surface and sprinkle both sides with 2 teaspoons Kosher salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Rinse eggplant slices of salt and place on a paper towel lined plate to dry, about 10 minutes.
- While your eggplant is drying, set up your dredging station.
- In one bowl, add the almond milk
- In a second bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs, vegan Parmesan shreds, and remaining teaspoon salt, mixing to combine.
- In a third bowl, add flour and cornstarch, mixing to combine.
- Place eggplant rounds first in the flour mixture, then the almond milk. Next, coat the eggplant rounds in the bread crumb/cheese mixture.
- Be sure that each eggplant round is fully coated.
- In a large fry pan, add enough oil to cover about 1½” from the bottom of the pan.
- Once oil reaches 375” degree F on medium/medium-high heat, fry eggplant in 2-3 batches.
- Fry until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, Place ½ teaspoon butter on each slice of the sourdough loaf and sprinkle with garlic powder.
- Broil on low until golden brown and the edges are crispy
- Remove bread from oven
- Assemble sandwiches by placing 2 eggplant rounds, 2 slices of cheese, about 1-2 tablespoons marinara sauce, a few sprinkles of grated Parmesan cheese and fresh minced basil.
- Enjoy!
2. When coating your eggplant rounds, it’s easiest to work with one dry hand (for coating) and one wet hand (for dipping in liquids).
3. We buy all our vegan cheeses from Sprouts or Whole Foods Market. If you cannot find the brand we use, you can use any brand you'd like.
