Featuring classic Italian flavors, enhanced by a homemade vegan bean and cashew “cheese,” this slightly spicy dish is sure to please! Serve this impressive eggplant dish for a festive weekend meal or a casual dinner party. YUM!
These yummy Eggplant Stack Ups will really impress family and friends alike. For more vegan Italian-style dishes, check out my classic Spaghetti Sauce recipe, and my super quick-to-prepare Vegan-Ease Pizza! It’s A Taste of Italy in your own home kitchen!

1

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

These yummy little Eggplant Stack-Ups are filled with a tasty homemade vegan “cheese” and topped with spicy tomato sauce, making an excellent choice for a casual supper or dinner party.

Makes 6 servings

2

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
1 large eggplant
1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
⅓ cup raw cashews
⅓ cup water
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
3 slices whole-grain bread, torn into chunks (use gluten-free if needed)

3

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the tomato sauce, put the tomatoes (with juice), 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine. Trim off the stem end of the eggplant and discard. Cut a 1½- to 2-inch slice off each end of the eggplant and dice. Add the diced eggplant to the tomato sauce and stir to combine.

4

Carefully cut the remaining eggplant into ⅛- to ¼-inch wide slices, to make 24 slices. Next, put the white beans, cashews, water, chopped garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper in a blender and process until very smooth.

Spread half of the tomato sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9 x 12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cashew mixture evenly on each of 6 eggplant slices. Arrange the 6 slices in a single layer over the top of the tomato sauce in the casserole dish. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cashew mixture evenly over 6 more eggplant slices. Arrange these 6 slices over the first layer of slices, to start assembling the “stacks.” Continue in this manner with 6 more eggplant slices. Top each stack with a plain eggplant slice. (There will be 4 slices of eggplant in each of 6 stacks). Top each stack with one-sixth of the remaining tomato sauce mixture.

5

Cover and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the eggplant is almost soft.

While the eggplant bakes, put the whole-grain bread chunks, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon salt in a blender and pulse on medium-low to process into coarse crumbs. Put the crumbs in a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Gently toss to evenly coat the bread crumbs with the oil. If the bread crumbs still seem dry, add 1 more teaspoon of olive oil and stir to coat.

6

Remove the cover from the casserole and sprinkle one-sixth of the bread crumb mixture over the top of each stack. Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the eggplant is soft, the crumbs are golden and the sauce is bubbling. Cool 10 minutes. Serve one stack per person with rice, quinoa or whole-grain pasta served on the side.

Ingredients

Directions

1

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

These yummy little Eggplant Stack-Ups are filled with a tasty homemade vegan “cheese” and topped with spicy tomato sauce, making an excellent choice for a casual supper or dinner party.

Makes 6 servings

2

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
1 large eggplant
1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
⅓ cup raw cashews
⅓ cup water
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
3 slices whole-grain bread, torn into chunks (use gluten-free if needed)

3

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the tomato sauce, put the tomatoes (with juice), 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine. Trim off the stem end of the eggplant and discard. Cut a 1½- to 2-inch slice off each end of the eggplant and dice. Add the diced eggplant to the tomato sauce and stir to combine.

4

Carefully cut the remaining eggplant into ⅛- to ¼-inch wide slices, to make 24 slices. Next, put the white beans, cashews, water, chopped garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper in a blender and process until very smooth.

Spread half of the tomato sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9 x 12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cashew mixture evenly on each of 6 eggplant slices. Arrange the 6 slices in a single layer over the top of the tomato sauce in the casserole dish. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cashew mixture evenly over 6 more eggplant slices. Arrange these 6 slices over the first layer of slices, to start assembling the “stacks.” Continue in this manner with 6 more eggplant slices. Top each stack with a plain eggplant slice. (There will be 4 slices of eggplant in each of 6 stacks). Top each stack with one-sixth of the remaining tomato sauce mixture.

5

Cover and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the eggplant is almost soft.

While the eggplant bakes, put the whole-grain bread chunks, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon salt in a blender and pulse on medium-low to process into coarse crumbs. Put the crumbs in a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Gently toss to evenly coat the bread crumbs with the oil. If the bread crumbs still seem dry, add 1 more teaspoon of olive oil and stir to coat.

6

Remove the cover from the casserole and sprinkle one-sixth of the bread crumb mixture over the top of each stack. Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the eggplant is soft, the crumbs are golden and the sauce is bubbling. Cool 10 minutes. Serve one stack per person with rice, quinoa or whole-grain pasta served on the side.

Eggplant Stack-Ups
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