Keto Vegetarian meals are a bit tricky to come across, most are just salads… but not this Keto vegetrian Parma!
That old debate – is it a parma? Or a parmy? Or if you’re American, parmesan? Where I’m from this a parma – but not your usual one. This Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan is the perfect vegetarian dish if you’re wanting to eat a bit less meat and bit more veg.
Before you scroll to the recipe, below I’ve tried to answer any questions you may have, including storage tips, sourcing ingredients and substitutions
If you make this recipe please leave a review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan / Parma / Parmy Summary
- Ingredient tips
- Recipe tips
- Substitutions and sweetener tips
- Storage tips
- How many carbs in Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parma
We all know we should probably eat a bit less meat, but that can be really tough on keto!
I did a vegetarian experiment for 8 weeks once, and decided I would give full vegetarian Keto a go. It was tough to be honest!
When I was doing my Vegetarian Keto experiment, I struggled to get enough fat and protein in and my stomach went on a bit of a roller coaster for a while from eating SO many additional vegetables (and the fiber that comes with it)
It’s also tricky to eat enough vegetarian foods while also keeping your carbs low, as the lowest carb foods tend to be animal products like meat, eggs and dairy.
Vegetarian Keto is possible though! Recipes like this Keto Vegetarian Parma are life savers – actual MEALS not just side salads like so many vegetarian Keto recipes are.
I summarised some of my learnings into this article Tips for Vegetarian Keto and have also created a post about the 7 Best Sources of Low Carb Protein for vegetarians wanting to give Keto a go.
I hope that helps if you are vegetarian keto, or just wanting to reduce down your meat intake a bit!
Ingredients for Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parma
You will need:
- eggplant
- egg
Crumb
- almond flour
- parmesan
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- basil
Topping
- passata or marinara sauce
- cheese or mozzarella
Substitutions and Ingredient tips
I used tasty cheese for this version (for non-aussies, tasty cheese is like a light cheddar that melts well), but it would be just as delicious with mozzarella.
There seems to be a shortage of quality keto vegetarian recipes, and when I found some cheap eggplants recently I spent many days googling Keto Vegetarian Eggplant without finding anything that grabbed my attention!
Tips for making Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan / Parma / Parmy
- REHEAT Preheat the oven to 200C / 392F and line a large baking dish with baking paper.
- PEEL Peel the eggplant and cut into 4 x 2cm thick slices.
- WHISK Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the crumb ingredients, breaking up any lumps.
- DIP Dip each piece of eggplant in the egg mixture then coat in the crumbs. Place in the baking dish.
- BAKE Bake for 20 minutes, flip and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden.
- TOP Top with passata and cheese and bake for a further 3 – 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
The key to get this dish really melt in the mouth is to ensure the eggplants are cooked all the way through and almost falling apart. They absorb the flavour of the cheese and tomato paste and become a rich and satisfying meal, even for meat eaters.
My carnivore husband rated them “not bad for an eggplant dish”.. when it comes to creating a parma without chicken, this Keto Vegetarian Eggplan Parmesan tastes just as good to me!
It’s not as much work as you might think – the majority of the time is baking the eggplant. I like to serve this with baby spinach leaves drizzled with olive oil.
Storage tips
- If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You can also freeze the eggplant parmesan before baking for up to 3 months.
How many carbs in Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan / Parma / Parmy?
As you will see in the nutrition panel below, this Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan / Parma / Parmy has 18 grams of carbs and 9 grams of fiber per serve, so only 9 gram of net carbs. Using eggplant makes it a bit heavier in carbs, a common battle for vegetarian meals! So to keep within a daily limit of around 20 grams of carbs, I’d suggest serving with with a basic salad or some steamed vegetables.
SAVE KETO VEGETARIAN PARMA TO PINTEREST FOR LATER
Other Similar Recipes You Might Like
Keto Vegetable Bake with Creamy Pesto
Keto Vegetarian Curry with Paneer
Keto Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan
This delicious vegetarian dish will have you forgetting about meat in no time. On a base of crispy but soft eggplant discs, the classic combination of cheese and tomato shines.
Serve with fresh basil or parsley sprinkled on top.
The carb count excludes half of the almond flour, as you don't eat it all.
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1 egg
Crumb
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
Topping
- 4 tablespoons passata, or marinara sauce
- 1 cup grated tasty cheese, or mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 392F and line a large baking dish with baking paper.
- Peel the eggplant and cut into 4 x 2cm thick slices.
- Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the crumb ingredients, breaking up any lumps.
- Dip each piece of eggplant in the egg mixture then coat in the crumbs. Place in the baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flip and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden.
- Top with passata and cheese and bake for a further 3 - 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 470Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 1751mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 9gSugar: 10gProtein: 27g
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Not sure how to start Keto?
Here’s some resources to help you!
