Classic Eggplant Lasagna that’s full of cheesy goodness, without the pasta! Great for a gluten-free lasagna option or just for sneaking in a healthy vegetable.
People absolutely love the lasagna we make around here and there’s only room for more. I’ve taken my recipe for The Most Amazing Lasagna and turned it into The Most Amazing Eggplant Lasagna! Whether you need a gluten free lasagna option, or simply want to sneak in your garden eggplant, this recipe is amazing. You’d never even know there wasn’t pasta in there.
Do you have to peel eggplant before you cook it?
Yes you can! The peel of the eggplant is edible. If you are using a large eggplant, the skin may get a little tough. You can peel it before baking if you’d like.
What does eggplant taste like?
Eggplant has a very mild flavor, like spaghetti squash. Because it has such a mild flavor, it’s easily used in recipes that have bold flavors. In something like eggplant lasagna, the eggplant flavor itself isn’t even really tasted.
Can I make this into vegetarian eggplant lasagna?
Yes. The Italian sausage in this recipe can be completely omitted to make the recipe vegetarian. Instead of browning the sausage, simply saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for a few minutes instead.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other lasagna recipes:
- Mini Lasagna Cups
- Lasagna Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Cajun Shrimp Lasagna
- Spicy Bacon Lasagna
- Buffalo Chicken Lasagna
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Eggplant Lasagna
Eggplant
- 2 eggplants sliced lengthwise (1/4 inch thick)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage or ground beef
- 1/2 large white onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley divided
Cheese
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pound deli sliced mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
- Lay eggplant slices out onto prepared baking sheets into a single layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until tender, about 25 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, add in ground sausage or ground beef. Use a spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Add in onion and garlic and cook until meat is well browned, stirring constantly. Stir in fresh basil, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and wine. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg. Refrigerate until ready to assemble lasagna.
- Lightly grease a deep 9×13 pan. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place 6 eggplant slices on top to cover the bottom of the pan. Spread with â…“ of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with ¼ of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, then sprinkle with ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Repeat layering two more times to create three complete layers. To finish, place a final layer of eggplant, topped with another 1 cup of meat sauce to cover the eggplant. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve hot.