Crispy Eggplant & Vegan Pesto Sandwich

Here’s everything you will need to make this delicious crispy eggplant sandwich :

Vegan-friendly sourdough bread (or preferred bread)
Eggplant
All-purpose flour
Vegan-friendly panko or breadcrumbs
Arrowroot flour or cornstarch
Plant milk
Garlic salt
Dried Italian herbs
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and pepper
Olive oil spray
Optional for assembly: tomatoes, vegan pesto (e.g., Gotham Greens), lettuce, vegan mozzarella (e.g., Miyoko's)

If you give this sandwich a try and be sure to let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment or tagging me on Instagram (@sweetgreensvegan.com)

Air-Fryer Option:

For a quicker alternative, use an air fryer. Preheat to 390°F (200°C).
Air-fry the coated eggplant slices for 10-12 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.

Ingredients:

Vegan-friendly sourdough bread (or preferred bread)

one large eggplant

1 1/2 cup of preferred all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of vegan-friendly panko or breadcrumbs

1/4 cup of arrowroot flour or cornstarch

2 cups of plant milk

1/2 tsp garlic salt

3 tbsp dried Italian herbs

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

Salt and pepper

Olive oil spray

Optional for assembly: tomatoes, vegan pesto (e.g., Gotham Greens), fresh spinach, vegan mozzarella (e.g., Miyoko's)

Instructions:

Preparing the Eggplant:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Thinly slice the eggplant lengthwise and lightly salt both sides.

Place eggplant slices on a cooling rack, paper towels, or a baking sheet to allow them to sweat for 20-30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. This step will help the eggplant become crispy in the oven.

Set Up The Coating Bowls: This step requires three bowls.

Bowl 1: Whisk together 1 1/4 cup of flour with 1 tbsp of Italian herbs, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.

Bowl 2: Whisk together 2 cups of plant milk and 1/4 cup of flour.

Bowl 3: Mix 1 1/2 cups of vegan-friendly panko or breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of arrowroot flour or cornstarch, 2 tbsp of dried Italian herbs, 2 tbsp of garlic powder, 1 tbsp of onion powder, and salt and pepper.

Coating and Baking:

Dip each eggplant slice into the seasoned flour mixture (Bowl 1), ensuring both sides are coated.

Next, dip each slice into the plant milk mixture (Bowl 2).

Finally, coat the slices with the panko breadcrumb mix (Bowl 3), pressing gently to adhere the breadcrumbs.

Place the coated slices on a lined baking sheet and generously spray or gently brush with olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes on each side. Reapply oil if needed during baking.

Assembling the Sandwich:

Once the eggplant is crispy and golden, remove it from the oven.

To assemble the sandwich, spread vegan pesto on each slice of toasted bread.

Layer on fresh spinach, sliced tomatoes, vegan mozzarella, and crispy eggplant.

Put the sandwich together and enjoy!