Eggplant Lasagna

close-up of eggplant lasagna in a white baking dish

Eggplant Lasagna is a delicious low-carb way to enjoy the classic comfort food dish! You won’t even miss the noodles.

You may also like these Lasagna Roll UpsThe BEST Lasagna Ever!, or Lasagna Soup.

close-up of eggplant lasagna in a white baking dish

Eggplant Lasagna

Hi everyone! Natasha here from Salt & Lavender bringing you this eggplant lasagna recipe. It feeds at least 6 people, and it’s tasty! The leftovers are fantastic. It has plenty of sauce, and it’s a little messy to eat, but that’s the best part really. My husband didn’t even realize it had zero noodles until I told him, and he loves his carbs. He claimed the leftovers for himself.

So, this low carb eggplant lasagna is a fun change whether you’re on a low-carb/keto diet or just want to try something a little different.

Eggplant Lasagna Ingredients:

  • Eggplants: I used two medium ones for this recipe
  • Olive oil: to brush the eggplant slices with
  • Lean ground beef: leaner cuts mean less fat to drain. Feel free to sub with sausage meat or ground turkey/chicken!
  • Marinara sauce: use your favorite jarred kind or homemade
  • Egg: to bind the cheese layer
  • Ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella: this cheesy blend makes up the cheese layer!
  • Italian seasoning and garlic powder: more flavor for the cheese layer

How to Make Homemade Eggplant Lasagna:

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375F. Slice the eggplant into 1/2″ slices lengthwise. Place the slices on a large baking sheet and generously season both sides with salt. Let them sit for 20 minutes (the bitter juices will release for better taste and a less watery lasagna).
  2. Get the marinara going: Meanwhile, start prepping the other ingredients. Add the beef to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until browned (about 8 minutes). Stir in the marinara sauce and heat through.
  3. Make the cheese mixture: Add the egg (beat it before adding other ingredients), ricotta, 1 cup of the parmesan, 1.5 cups of the mozzarella (we are saving some mozzarella and parmesan to top the lasagna with), the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and some salt & pepper to a bowl and combine until smooth.
  4. Roast the eggplant: Once the eggplant is done sweating, pat it dry with paper towels. Brush each piece with olive oil on both sides. Roast for 20 minutes. This helps ensure the eggplant will be nice and tender.
  5. Assembly time! Add a layer of the marinara sauce/beef to the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish, followed by a layer of eggplant (it’s ok if it overlaps a little). Then, add the ricotta cheese layer, more eggplant, another ricotta layer, a marinara layer, and then the rest of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses sprinkled over top. Lower the oven heat to 350F and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Finish it off by broiling for 5 minutes or until the cheese is nicely browned.
  6. Almost there… Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. This will help it set.

collage of eggplant lasagna process (eggplant on baking sheet, marinara sauce in skillet, cheese mixture in glass bowl, unbaked assembled lasagna)

Tips on Layering Eggplant Lasagna:

The size of eggplants vary, and some may have more slices than others (especially if you slice them a bit thinner), so feel free to build another layer if two layers of eggplant don’t seem like they will be enough. You really can’t go wrong here.

eggplant lasagna on white plate

Pro Tips:

  • If you want this to be spicy, add some red pepper flakes into the marinara/beef mixture.
  • Feel free to swap the ground beef with sausage meat or even ground turkey. If you want to make this vegetarian, just use marinara sauce as-is, or sauté some mushrooms and spinach and add it in instead of the meat.
  • You can definitely experiment a bit with the filling! For example, I kept it really simple, but you could sauté some onions and extra garlic with the meat if you wish.

eggplant lasagna in baking dish (piece being lifted out with spatula)

Other Delicious Low-Carb Recipes:

close-up of eggplant lasagna in a white baking dish
Print

Eggplant Lasagna

Eggplant Lasagna is a delicious low-carb way to enjoy the classic comfort food dish! You won't even miss the noodles.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian American
Keyword eggplant lasagna recipe, low carb lasagna
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Inactive time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 6 People
Calories 571kcal
Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 2 medium eggplants (cut into 1/2" slices)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or more, as needed)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 (22 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1.5 cups grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Slice the eggplant into 1/2" slices lengthwise. Place the slices on a large baking sheet and generously season both sides with salt. Let them sit for 20 minutes (the bitter juices will release for better taste and a less watery lasagna).
  • Meanwhile, start prepping the other ingredients. Add the beef to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until browned (about 8 minutes). Stir in the marinara sauce and heat through.
  • Add the egg (beat it before adding other ingredients), ricotta, 1 cup of the parmesan, 1.5 cups of the mozzarella (we are saving some mozzarella and parmesan to top the lasagna with), the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and some salt & pepper to a bowl and combine until smooth.
  • Once the eggplant is done sweating, pat it dry with paper towels. Brush each piece with olive oil on both sides. Roast for 20 minutes.
  • Add a layer of the marinara sauce/beef to the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish, followed by a layer of eggplant (it's ok if it overlaps a little). Then, add the ricotta cheese layer, more eggplant, another ricotta layer, a marinara layer, and then the rest of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses sprinkled over top. Lower the oven heat to 350F and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Finish it off by broiling for 5 minutes or until the cheese is nicely browned.
  • Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

  • Serves at least 6 or more depending on how much people eat.
  • Inactive time represents the time the eggplant is being "sweated" and the time the lasagna is resting after it's cooked.
  • The jar of marinara I used for this recipe was 22 ounces, but anything in that range is fine (a bit smaller is ok). 
  • If you have larger eggplants/more slices, feel free to build another layer vs. following exactly how I layered it.

Nutrition

Calories: 571kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 1288mg | Potassium: 1104mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1330IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 663mg | Iron: 4mg

 

 

 



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