Vegan Baked Eggplant with Mushrooms and Pesto
This is just so delicious and super easy to make. Though time wise, you’ll need just over an hour – but, though, listen …it’s an easy hour! Why so long? … bake time ?
Using lots of pantry staples, and zero sautéing or simmering – it’s an easy clean up too!
Once the eggplant is baked, layering is all that’s requires and it’s easy peasy with canned mushrooms, a jar of tomato sauce, pesto and panko!
On buns, this yumminess will feed 6-8 in case you’re wondering.
Set oven to 400’ (followed by 350’ once assembled)
EVOO
2 eggplants
Salt/pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Pesto :
2 to 3 cloves garlic
3 cups packed kale
1/3 cup hemp seeds
2/3 cups roasted/salted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
EVOO (1/4 cup or less)
(Tip! … pesto can be made a day or even two in advance if you prefer!)
2 cans mushrooms – drained and rinsed
Jar of your favourite pasta sauce
1/2 cup Panko
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and slice eggplant lengthwise (roughly 3 mm slices), brush with top halves with EVOO season generously with salt and pepper.
Bake at 400’ for 30 minutes, flipping half way .
Combine 2 tbsp EVOO with lemon juice and Italian seasoning and brush baked eggplant.
Kale pesto
(Adapted from CookieAndKate.com)
Combine pesto ingredients in food processor and pulse a few times, scrapping the sides. Add EVOO a little at a time through the top until desired consistency is reached.
Set oven to 350’
Pour 1/2 the jar of pasta sauce into a 9×13 glass pan, add 1/2 of the baked eggplant, gently top/spread evenly with all the pesto followed by mushrooms. Top with remaining eggplant, followed by pasta sauce. Sprinkle with panko.
Bake 30 minutes
(Optional – you could add vegan cheese the last 10 minutes of baking)
Enjoy!!
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