• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

At the Immigrant's Table

  • Home
  • About me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Inspiration
  • Shop
    • Middle Eastern Small Plates E-book
  • Travel
  • Tutorials
  • Jewish Recipes
  • Russian Recipes
  • Main Course Recipes
  • Side dishes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Travel
  • Gluten-free Recipes
  • Paleo recipes
  • Vegan recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Travel
  • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • Travel
    • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side dishes

    Published: Sep 12, 2014 · Modified: Nov 25, 2020 by kseniaprints · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · #sponsoredpost · 6 Comments

    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks, or how to make your Saturdays a bit more decadent

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Print
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks

    As I have mentioned in the past, family dinners in my house were not always fun. Oftentimes, as the members of different generations coalesced around a table, ready to break bread with each other, the fights would be so loud that you couldn't escape them even if you went to your room, closed door, and put a pillow over your head (believe me, I tried). Other times, all you could hear about the thundering silence was the noise of cutlery scraping the plate, trying uselessly to cut away the various scar tissue left behind by another careless, hurtful remark. Truly, some of these family dinners were the stuff of nightmares.

    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks

    One day, my mother grew so fed up with the incessant bickering that she cancelled Friday night dinners altogether. Anyone familiar with Jewish culture would know what a big deal this was; Friday dinners are the sacred time when all living members of a family must come together, thank the Almighty for all of their creations, and welcome in the Shabbat, the holy time of rest. Cancelling the one reliable chance when we could all sit and enjoy each other's company goes to show just how little enjoyment there really was in it for my mother.

    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks

    But the ban on family dinners did not last long. First, there were holidays, birthdays, and important Russian celebrations like V-Day, or March 8th. Then there came Saturday lunches, when my parents would return home from the Country Club with my maternal grandparents, so tired and content from the physical activity that they were too exhausted to put up much of a fight. And so, a quick lunch was put on the table, and my sister and I would get called in to the dining room for a shared meal.

    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks

    Besides the cheese I have mentioned before, there was one more dish that every member of my family awaited during these last-minute meals. These cheesy eggplant and tomato stacks were my favourite appetizer from the ages of 10 to 14, and that's saying a lot for a kid. The eggplant's texture is tamed by the juices of the tomato, and the oil from the cheese and the sauce slicks everything into one creamy, decadent package. They are quick to assemble and to bake, ready for the table in under 40 minutes. Sometimes, my mother would prepare the baking sheet full of these stacks before leaving in the morning, and then would just ask me to pop them in the oven half an hour before their return. And just like that, everyone was happy.

    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks

    Since then, I have toned down the oil that graced these beauties, and replaced the mozzarella (or whatever cheese my mother had on hand) with vegan cheese. Vegan mayonnaise became a perfect replacement for oil, due to its consistency and characteristic tang. And now, these stacks come out to the table for just G and I, but I have yet to hear anyone complaining. But then again, we probably won't be cancelling our family dinners anytime soon.

    Looking for more Vegan recipes?

    • Vegan empanadas
    • Vegan pasta primavera {V, GF}
    • How to bring Marrakesh into your home with vegan orange tagine with peaches
    • How to Make Authentic Middle Eastern Mujadara, a Vegan Medley of Rice, Lentils and Crispy Caramelized Onions {GF, V}
    • Vegetarian Ukrainian borscht {V, GF, Paleo}
    • Tofu and sundried tomato vegan stuffed mushrooms, or the problem with an overstuffed fridge {V, GF}
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks
    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks

    Creamy eggplant tomato stacks (vegan)

    These creamy eggplant tomato stacks are decadent without being greasy. They're also gluten-free, vegan, and ready in under 40 minutes. What's not to love?
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Israeli
    Author: Ksenia Prints

    Ingredients

    • one large eggplant
    • 3-4 to matoes depends on the size of your tomatoes and eggplant
    • 200 g vegan cheese grated (or regular cheese, if that's your thing)
    • 5 Tbs vegan mayonnaise or regular mayo
    • 3.5 Tbs water or less, depends on how thick your mayo is. The brand I used, Veganaise, was quite thick
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • cilantro basil, parsley, chopped finely, or dry za'atar spice mixture (za'atar is preferable)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 450F.
    • Slice eggplant and tomatoes into 1cm-thick circles (about ½ an inch). Grate cheese. Whisk mayonnaise with water, until you reach a pourable consistency. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, and oil the aluminum slightly.
    • To assemble stacks, place a layer of eggplants on the sheet. Cover each eggplant slice with a slice of tomato (even cut some tomato pieces in half to ensure that as much of the eggplant is covered as possible), and follow with some grated cheese. Drizzle each stack with your diluted vegan mayonnaise sauce, and sprinkle salt and pepper and your herbs. Cover the sheet with tinfoil (At this point, this can be assembled ahead of time and left to rest in the fridge for up to a day).
    • Bake sheet at 450F for 25 mins. Raise heat to 500F, remove aluminum foil cover and bake for another 10 mins. Turn off oven and let tray eggplant stacks rest in it, undisturbed, for another 5 mins. Serve immediately (though stacks are fine if refrigerated and reheated later, they must be bubbling hot when consumed).
    « Hearty tomato mushroom stew, or what we (eventually) found in the woods {V, GF, Paleo}
    Roasted beet and plum salad, or making the most out of what you've got {V} »

    Join me At the Immigrant's Table

    Receive updates, exclusive recipes and helpful tips by email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nancy says

      September 20, 2014 at 8:45 am

      Mmmmmm... These eggplant stacks look yummy! I love eggplant (or aubergine as we call it on this side of the pond!). Will definitely give these a go.

      Reply
      • kseniaprints says

        September 20, 2014 at 9:24 am

        Excellent! Let me know how you like them

        Reply
    2. Alexandra says

      September 20, 2014 at 10:02 pm

      Yep, I can totally relate to the bickering during dinner. Sadly the number of dinners I have with my own family has waned and waned over the years.

      I'm always looking for fun ways to use eggplant. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • kseniaprints says

        September 20, 2014 at 11:14 pm

        Is your family far as well? I see you guys have also emigrated from Ukraine, are some still back there? I know how hard that can be... But that's where food comes in, to fill in some of those memories with tangible reminders. Thanks for visiting!

        Reply
    3. Caroline says

      October 08, 2014 at 9:46 am

      What brand of vegan cheese do you use for this recipe? I am allergic to dairy and I'm always looking for the best cheese substitutions! Thanks.

      Reply
      • kseniaprints says

        October 08, 2014 at 11:01 am

        I've tried Follow Your Heart's Vegan Gourmet cheeses, which melt nicely but taste so-so. Daiya tastes better than it melts, imo, but that's a really popular one. I used to err on the side of buying soy cheeses that are lactose-free, but which are not fully vegan as they contain some milk casein, I believe. So even though those melt best, I wouldn't recommend them!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    peeling squash on cutting board

    Privet, I am Ksenia Prints! A food and travel blogger, photographer and storyteller. I help adventurous home cooks explore the world through healthy, beautiful immigrant recipes.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • The best eggplant shakshuka, or how to make friends with breakfast
    • Authentic Argentinian vegetarian empanadas, three ways {Veg}
    • How to make easy gluten free samosas with a sweet & spicy chickpea filling
    • How to Make the Ultimate Middle Eastern appetizer platter with our best mezze recipes {V, GF, Paleo}

    On the social side

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Search

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 At the Immigrant's Table