Eggplant Lasagna

Creamy, cheesy and perfect as a cozy, comfort dinner, this eggplant lasagna is truly delicious. Layers of roasted eggplant (instead of pasta), meaty bolognese and creamy béchamel sauce means every bite is drool-worthy.

Eggplant lasagna

Ingredients

Like any traditional Italian lasagna, this eggplant lasagna recipe is made with a slow-cooked meat sauce. The bolognese has both beef and pork mince (ground pork/beef) which always results in the most delicious, meaty sauce. However you can use either if you don’t want to use both. Other protein options include veal, lamb and you can even make this with ground turkey if preferred. The béchamel sauce is another classic element of Italian lasagna. Even though many recipes call for a ricotta cheese layer, béchamel is so creamy and by far the better choice, in my opinion.

For the bolognese sauce:

  • Ground pork/pork mince. 
  • Ground beef/beef mince. 
  • Onion.
  • Carrot.
  • Celery.
  • Bay leaves.
  • Thyme. Fresh rosemary is a great substitute.
  • Fresh garlic cloves.
  • Stock/broth. 
  • Crushed tomatoes.
  • Salt and pepper. 

For the lasagna: 

  • Béchamel sauce. Use gluten-free all purpose flour if you’d prefer to keep this recipe gluten free.
  • Eggplant. If your eggplant has very tough skin, feel free to peel the skin with a potato peeler.
  • Olive oil.
  • Salt and pepper. 
  • Mozzarella cheese. 
  • Parmesan cheese. 
  • Fresh basil.

Eggplant lasagna

How to make eggplant lasagna

  1. Make the bolognese: In a large pot or Dutch Oven set over medium-high heat, brown the meat well in a large pot set over high heat. I do this in batches to allow the meat to brown well. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Add chopped carrots, celery and onion along with the fresh herbs. Allow the vegetables to sauté until golden brown. The longer you let the vegetables cook, the deeper the flavor will be of the finished bolognese sauce. Add the meat back into the pot then add the tomatoes, beef stock, sugar, salt and pepper. If you want even more flavor, you can use marinara sauce instead of tomatoes. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 30-45 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly and the meat is tender. Once cooked, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  2. Roast the eggplant: While the bolognese cooks, slice the eggplant into slices, approximately half centimetre wide. Place onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. Brush over olive oil and season with salt. Place in a hot oven and allow to roast for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked. It’s important to roast the eggplant until all the excess moisture has evaporated and if needed, you can pat the roasted slices of eggplant dry with paper towel to make sure it’s not too wet. Remove and set aside. Make the béchamel sauce according to recipe instructions.
  3. Assemble the lasagna: Add a few spoonfuls of sauce to the bottom of a baking dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices. Spoon over some of the béchamel then add another layer of bolognese. Repeat layering the ingredients then sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan. At this stage you can cover the lasagna and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  4. Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Can I freeze eggplant lasagna?

Yes, this lasagna recipe freezes very well. I would suggest assembling the lasagna in a freezer-proof casserole dish or foil roasting pan. Cover well then freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for an hour until golden and hot throughout.To make ahead, assemble the lasagna then cover with foil. Place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Allow to come to room temperature before baking.

What to serve with lasagna

  1. Easy green salad with lemon Parmesan dressing
  2. Cheesy pull apart garlic bread
  3. Easy focaccia bread
Eggplant lasagna

Eggplant lasagna

4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Eggplant lasagna, eggplant lasagna recipe, recipe eggplant lasagna
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Calories: 428kcal
Author: Alida Ryder
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 500 g (1lb) ground pork/pork mince
  • 500 g (1lb) ground beef/beef mince
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes / strained tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the lasagna:

  • Béchamel sauce
  • 6 medium eggplant sliced into ½cm slices.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • fresh basil to serve

Instructions

Make the bolognese sauce

  • In a large pot or Dutch Oven set over medium-high heat, brown the meat well in a large pot set over high heat.
  • I do this in batches to allow the meat to brown well. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
  • Add chopped carrots, celery and onion along with the fresh herbs. Allow the vegetables to sauté until golden brown.
  • Add the meat back into the pot then add the tomatoes, beef stock, sugar, salt and pepper.
  • Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 30-45 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly and the meat is tender.
  • Once cooked, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Roast the eggplant

  • While the bolognese cooks, slice the eggplant into slices, approximately half centimetre wide.
  • Place onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. Brush over olive oil and season with salt. Place in a hot oven (200°C/390°F) and allow to roast for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked.
  • Remove and set aside.
  • Make the béchamel sauce according to recipe instructions. 

Assemble the lasagna

  • Add a few spoonfuls of sauce to the bottom of a baking dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices. Spoon over some of the béchamel then add another layer of bolognese.
  • Repeat layering the ingredients then sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.
  • Cover with foil and bake at 180°C/350°F for 30 minutes then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving scattered with fresh basil.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 913mg | Potassium: 1371mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2739IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 3mg