Eggplant Lasagna

This recipe for eggplant lasagna replaces the lasagna noodles for eggplant for the ultimate healthy dinner! Made with simple ingredients, it’s perfect for a filling yet low carb meal. 

Cooking with eggplant can be a little bit cumbersome but we have perfected it.

If you’ve tried our air fryer eggplant, eggplant pizza, or eggplant parmesan before, you’ll no doubt love this eggplant lasagna. It’s got all the best parts of a classic lasagna but with a nutritional boost!

Why this recipe works

• Healthy AND low carb. Packed with slices of eggplant, a delicious meat sauce, and even some hidden spinach, it’s pack with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Swapping out lasagna noodles for eggplant keeps the texture and bulk WITHOUT sacrificing on taste.
• Simple ingredients. Many keto recipes include some hard-to-find ingredients. This lasagna uses simple, fresh, and easy-to-find ingredients. 
• No watery lasagna. Salting and roasting the eggplant prior to baking the lasagna will guarantee no watery lasagna ever. 
• Delicious way to jazz up eggplant. Just like sauteed eggplant or rollatini, this takes eggplant to another level.

The secret to the perfect eggplant lasagna is to roast the eggplant slices before assembling them all together. This ensures perfectly soft eggplant and the overall lasagna to NEVER be watery.

Love lasagna? Try our cottage cheese and seafood versions.

Ingredients needed

This recipe calls for simple and affordable ingredients that can be found at any mainstream grocery store. Here is what you’ll need:

For the eggplant lasagna

• Eggplant– Choose an eggplant that is firm on the outside with minimal bruising. The softer the eggplant is, the harder it will be for the lasagna to hold together. 
• Salt– Sprinkle over the eggplant to draw out excess moisture. 
• Olive oil– A flavorful oil to cook the meat sauce in. 
• Ground beef– I used lean ground beef, but you can use slightly fattier cuts, like 80/20 ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat). 
• Marinara sauce– Skip the expensive store-bought variety and make your own spaghetti sauce (which works perfectly for this!). 
• Italian seasonings– Necessary flavors for any good lasagna or meat sauce. 

For the cheese filling

• Ricotta cheese– Aim to use good quality and full-fat ricotta cheese. Alternatively, you can use full-fat cottage cheese. 
• Cheddar cheese– Or any fully flavored shredded cheese of choice. 
• Frozen spinach– Thawed and with its excess liquid squeezed out. 
• Egg– To thicken the filling. 
• Mozzarella cheese– To layer the lasagna and cover the top of the lasagna with. 
• Fresh basil– To serve. 

How to make eggplant lasagna?

It’s best to make this recipe in parts and then put it all together. This makes clean up a breeze and a seamless process. Ready to make some lasagna?

Step 1- Prep the eggplant

Slice the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Let the eggplant sit for 15 minutes, to draw out some moisture.

Bake the eggplant slices for 15-20 minutes, until soft and tender.

Step 2- make the meat sauce

Heat oil in the pan and when hot, add the ground beef and cook until no longer brown. Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasonings and let it simmer for five minutes.

Step 3- make the cheese filling

Whisk together the ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, thawed frozen spinach, and egg until combined.

Step 4- assemble the lasagna

Add a thin layer of the meat sauce to the bottom of a baking dish. Add a single layer of eggplant, followed by a layer of the cheese filling, then half a cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat the process until all the ingredients are used up. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top.

Step 4- bake the lasagna

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes, removing the tin foil at the 30-minute mark. Once the cheese has melted and the sides are bubbling, remove it from the oven. Let the eggplant lasagna rest for 10 minutes, before sprinkling it with fresh basil and serving. 

Can I make this lasagna in advance? 

This lasagna is one you can definitely make ahead of if you like. You can do so a few days in advance (and refrigerate it) or a few months in advance (and freeze it). 

• Refrigerate then bake– Cover the uncooked lasagna in tin foil and place the dish in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove the lasagna from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking it. Using a paper towel, mop up any excess liquid around the sides. 
• Freeze then bake– Wrap the uncooked lasagna in saran wrap, followed by tin foil, then place it in the freezer for up to 2 months. The night before baking, place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator to thaw out. Let the uncooked lasagna sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking it. 

Tips to make the best recipe

• You must salt and roast the eggplant before assembling the lasagna. It drains out extra liquid and helps ensure this lasagna is NOT watery. You also risk the eggplant being gummy and dense. 
• Don’t worry if you don’t have enough eggplant to form multiple layers. You can simply increase the meat sauce, cheese filling, and mozzarella cheese on top.
• If you’d like a vegetarian eggplant lasagna, simply omit the ground beef and layer up with the marinara sauce. 

Storage instructions

• To store: Eggplant lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. 
• To freeze: Place portions of the lasagna in a shallow container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 
• Reheating: Reheat the lasagna in a preheated oven at 180C/350F for 10 minutes. 

What to serve with eggplant lasagna

As this is an incredibly hearty dish, we like to keep the sides simple. Veggies and fresh salads are best, so here are some ideas:

• Green goddess salad
• German potato salad
• Rice salad
• Air fryer green beans
• Air fryer Brussels sprouts

Frequently Asked Questions