Eggplant Parm with Cashew Ricotta

Cashew Ricotta Eggplant Parm with breaded chicken, penne, and roasted broccoli.

There are a few steps to this eggplant parm but it is well worth it! It is melt in your mouth delicious and I don’t even love eggplant! You can make this a special occasion dinner by adding a few other elements like breaded chicken and roasted veggies - or keep it an easy weeknight meal with a side salad or some pasta.

Makes 8 servings (yay for leftovers!)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggplant, cut into ¼-inch thick rounds (you should have about 16-20 slices)

• 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan or sea salt

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ¼ cup almond milk or milk of choice

• 1½ cups GF panko breadcrumbs (GF optional)

• 1¼ cup grated Parmesan or manchego cheese, divided (you can sub nutritional yeast if DF or just skip)

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• ½ teaspoon sea salt, more for sprinkling

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

• 28 ounces Marinara Sauce (more if adding pasta)

• optional:

  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • 1/4 cup chopped basil

Cashew Ricotta

• 2 cups raw cashews*

• 1 cup water

• Pink Himalayan salt

• Juice of one lemon

• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

• 1 TBL dried oregano

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and then a layer of paper towels on top of that.

2. Lay the sliced eggplant out in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 20-30 minutes to allow the moisture to evaporate. (You can skip this part if you’re in a hurry but it makes for a firmer, less mushy dish).

3. In a medium-sized shallow dish, whisk the eggs and almond milk.

4. In another medium-sized shallow dish, combine the panko, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper.

5. If you “rested the eggplant”, using a few more paper towels, gently press on the eggplant slices to soak up any extra moisture. Flip and repeat. If you didn’t rest the eggplant, you can jump right to the net step.

6. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then into the panko mixture. Place onto the baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 18 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

7. While the eggplant bakes, prepare the cashew ricotta by adding the cashews, water, lemon, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, adding small amounts of water as necessary to get to a hummus-like consistency.

8. Pour the blended cashews in to a medium bowl with the garlic, spinach, egg, basil, and oregano and. Mix gently to combine and set aside.

9. In an 8x12 or 9x13-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup marinara, layer half the eggplant, and top with 1 cup of marinara and half the cashew ricotta. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, the remaining marinara, and the remaining cashew ricotta. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a few more pinches of sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 4 or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

10. While the eggplant is baking, you can use this time to prepare any other elements to your meal. I served mine with breaded chicken (using the same breading as the eggplant), roasted garlic and penne with sauce. I cooked the chicken and the broccoli right alongside the eggplant. The chicken may need a little longer if it's thick.

11. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil.