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Roasted eggplant is one of my favorite things to make during the summer, and I’m always finding new ways to incorporate it into full meals. Come July, this eggplant lasagna recipe always comes calling my name… but I make it anytime of year when I can find good eggplant.
Let’s talk taste! Eggplant lasagna offers the comfort food factor of regular lasagna, but with layers of roasted eggplant instead of the noodles. And if you’re worried that you’ll miss the pasta, don’t be. This dish has all the flavors of a great “real” lasagna! (Still, if you prefer a “pasta feel” without the carbs, try my classic keto lasagna instead.)
During the summer, this healthy eggplant lasagna is the best way to enjoy those flavors and use seasonal veggies at the same time. Give it a try even if you don’t like eggplant! The eggplant taste is not strong in this dish. (But if you do like eggplant, make sure you also take sauteed eggplant and eggplant rollatini for a spin this season.)
Why You’ll Love This Eggplant Lasagna Recipe
- All the same flavors of regular lasagna, but healthier
- Tender eggplant, saucy beef, and gooey cheese
- Easy to make, with quick prep time
- Simple ingredients found at any grocery store
- Just 6 grams net carbs per serving
- Naturally low carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free
- Great for meal prep

Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for eggplant lasagna, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Roasted Eggplant:
- Eggplant – You’ll need about 20 ounces of eggplant, which may be one or two depending on the size. For prettier lasagna, you can use two eggplants instead of one, and only use the center cut slices. To avoid any bitterness, make sure you choose small-to-medium eggplants that are firm to the touch. Huge ones, or those that are too soft, tend to be more bitter.
- Olive Oil – This adds flavor and helps the eggplant caramelize when you roast it. I use extra virgin olive oil most often in this dish, but regular olive oil or avocado oil also works.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Meat Sauce:
- Olive Oil – For sauteing the garlic. Again, other types of heat-safe oil are fine to use.
- Garlic – I used 2 cloves, but feel free to use more if you love garlic (I do and sometimes add more!). You can mince it yourself, or use jarred garlic for convenience. If you like onions, you can also saute half an onion (diced) together with the garlic, which will take about 5-7 minutes.
- Ground Beef – I use 85/15 ground beef and don’t usually need to drain it, but you can drain yours after cooking (before adding the marinara) if you use 80/20. Alternatively, 90/10 is also fine to use if you want to lighten up this dish. Other types of ground meat, such as ground turkey, chicken, pork, or Italian sausage, also work.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You can also add crushed red pepper flakes if you want extra heat.
- Marinara Sauce – I used 1 1/2 cups to keep the carbs low for a keto eggplant lasagna, but you can increase the amount if that’s not important to you and you want the meat layer to be more saucy. Watch for added sugar if you use a store-bought marinara, or try my homemade sugar-free marinara sauce.
- Italian Seasoning – I often make my own Italian seasoning mix (takes just 5 minutes!), but store bought also works.
VARIATION: Make vegetarian eggplant lasagna!
Instead of the ground beef, substitute veggies. Sauteed mushrooms and sauteed spinach make great options!
Cheese Filling:
- Ricotta Cheese – If you’re not a fan of ricotta, you can substitute cottage cheese (run it through a blend to make it more smooth), or even farmer’s cheese.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – I use the shelf-stable grated kind for convenience, but freshly grated is even better.
- Egg – To bind the filling together. You can omit this if you need an egg-free version. I haven’t tried egg substitutes to see if any would work.
Cheese Topping:
- Mozzarella Cheese – Buy pre-shredded or shred it yourself. You can also use sliced fresh mozzarella instead.

How To Make Eggplant Lasagna
This section shows how to make low carb eggplant lasagna, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
The trick to making eggplant lasagna relatively quickly is to make the layers in parallel: Roast the eggplant, cook the meat marinara sauce, and make the cheese filling at the same time. Then, simply assemble the layers and bake.
- Slice the eggplant. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or use foil and grease well). Slice the eggplant into thin sheets lengthwise. (I recommend a mandoline like this for thin, even slices, but a knife also works.)
- Roast the eggplant. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet in a single layer. Brush both sides with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until soft. If there is any excess moisture remaining, pat dry with a paper towel.

Why roast first?
Roasting the eggplant makes it deliciously caramelized and removes excess moisture, so your eggplant lasagna won’t be watery.
- Make the meat sauce. While eggplant is roasting, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon or spatula. Stir in the marinara sauce and Italian seasonin, then reduce heat and let it gently simmer.


- Make the cheese filling. While the meat sauce simmers, mix together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg in a small bowl.
- Assemble the eggplant lasagna. Now, you’ll alternate the layers: Line the bottom of a 9×13 glass or stoneware baking dish (this one is my fave) with a single layer of roasted eggplant slices. Top with the ground beef marinara mixture, spread the ricotta mixture on top, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Repeat the layers a second time, with the final layer being the mozzarella on top.




- Bake in the oven. The dish is done when the cheese is melted and golden. I like to top with a little fresh basil.

Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep any leftovers from this eggplant lasagna recipe in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: This dish is perfect for making ahead! You could prepare the layers ahead of time: roast the eggplant, mix together the cheese layer ingredients, and cook the meat sauce. Store these separately in the fridge for up to 4-6 days, then just assemble and bake the day-of. Alternatively, you can assemble the whole thing in advance, store in the fridge for 2-4 days, and just bake when ready. (I usually opt for the second option.)
- Freeze: Lasagna with eggplant will keep in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. If you are making it ahead, assemble the casserole as written but skip the last baking step and freeze. If you have leftovers, it’s fine to freeze those after baking, too. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating if you can. While baking from frozen is possible, it would take a very long time to heat through.
- Reheat: If you previously baked this recipe for eggplant lasagna, you can reheat it in a 350 degree F oven, or in the microwave. If it was pre-assembled but not fully baked, you’d heat it the same way as the original, at 400 degrees F. The cheese will burn if it’s in there for longer than 10-15 minutes, though, so you may want to reduce heat or tent the top with foil if you are baking it for longer to get it warm enough.

What To Serve With Eggplant Lasagna
Eggplant lasagna is easily a complete meal in itself — that’s one of the things I love about it! But if you want to add something on the side, try a Caprese salad (or avocado Caprese salad), refreshing zucchini noodle salad, or some low carb dinner rolls.
More Low Carb Lasagna Recipes With Veggies
If you like this easy eggplant lasagna recipe, you might also like some of these other ways to enjoy lasagna flavors in a healthy way — loaded with vegetables!
Tools To Make Eggplant Lasagna
- Mandoline Slicer – This tool makes it easy to slice eggplant into sheets that will be uniform in thickness. (Plus, you’ll find so many ways to use it.)
- Baking Sheet – This one is extra large, to fit all the eggplant slices. Plus, it comes with a rack that’s great for air circulation for other foods that you want to get crispy, such as bacon in the oven.
- Large Skillet – For making the meat sauce.
- Meat Chopper – This masher breaks up ground meat super fast.
- Baking Dish – The perfect size for this eggplant lasagna recipe. It goes beautifully from oven to table, and comes with a lid in case you want to transport your casserole.
Easy Eggplant Lasagna Recipe
Eggplant Lasagna
You'll love this eggplant lasagna recipe with layers of roasted eggplant, beef marinara, creamy ricotta, and melty cheese. Healthy & low carb!
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Roasted Eggplant:
Meat Sauce:
Cheese Filling:
Cheese Topping:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Roasted Eggplant
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line and grease a large baking sheet.
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Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet (or two small ones). Brush both sides with olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
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Roast the eggplant in the oven for about 15-25 minutes, until soft. When done, remove from the oven and leave the oven on at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
Meat Sauce
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While the eggplant is roasting, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook until browned (about 10 minutes), breaking apart the meat with a spoon or spatula.
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Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Cheese Filling
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While the meat sauce simmers, make the cheese filling. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg.
Assembly
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Line the bottom of a large glass or stoneware baking dish (this one is my favorite and the perfect size) with a single layer of roasted eggplant slices (typically 6 slices for a layer). Top with the ground beef marinara mixture. Spread the ricotta mixture on top. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers again, with shredded mozzarella last.
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Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and golden.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram – I’d love to see it!
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/8 of entire recipe
- Nutrition info is based on 85/15 ground beef and will also vary depending on which marinara sauce you use.
- For “saucier” lasagna, increase marinara to 2 cups instead of 1 1/2.
- For prettier lasagna, you can use two eggplants instead of one, and only use the center cut slices.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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What Is Eggplant Lasagna?
Is Eggplant Lasagna Keto?
Yes, this simple eggplant lasagna recipe is keto friendly! Each filling serving has just 6 grams net carbs.
171 Comments
Barbara
0I really loved this! Easy to make, tasted like regular lasagne.
CAROLYNN DAVIS
0I made this lasagna according to your recipe and I loved it! Thank you so much!
Marc Moreau
0Loved it! Made Few changes though. Added 2 small minced jalapeños peppers with the garlic. I replaced the ground beef with precooked ”hot” chicken sausage (Costco) I had in the freezer when I added the marinara sauce. So it had a little heat! I added more marinara sauce which was good but the portions didn’t hold its form. Maybe I’ll use less next time. Also next time I think I’ll add some spinach a minute or two before I add the marinara sauce. Thanks!
Dawn
0I have yet to try this, it just sounds like eggplant Parm. Looking for a different sauce, at least, that is still Keto friendly. Thanks.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dawn, Here is a recipe for keto eggplant parm.
Pete Mac
0I am a practically lifelong veggie, but I liked the sound of this recipe. So Instead of meat mince, I used Quorn mince and the result seemed absolutely delicious to me. (and to my other half). I made my own marinara sauce as you suggested and that was fabulous too. Additionally, I added some grated cheddar cheese on top before popping it into the oven (it was too large for our air fryer). It was perhaps even nicer than my usual Quorn lasagne, thank you so much for all of these recipes. I will now try and convert lots of other ones to a vegetarian take on things.
Luna
0This recipe was a revelation! The roasted eggplant slices are a delightfully delicious. We sub the ricotta for soft goat cheese, and the mozzarella and parm for manchego and pecorino (cow dairy intolerance). The nuttiness and bite of the goat & sheep cheese with the smokiness of the roasted eggplant is divine! MAKE THIS DISH! Keto and non-keto eaters LOVE it!
Marianne B
0Just to tell you that I love this recipe! I keep making it and my friends love it just as much. It made it into my selection of go-to recipes. Thank you!
Diane
0LOVE this recipe ! I’ll never make traditional lasagna again!
S Lewis
0This eggplant recipe is awesome love it
Curley
0A perfect recipe the whole family loved it. The only change I made was slicing the egg plant vertically instead of horizontally, and when I served them they were like individual sandwiches….. Awesome Thank you
Bert stauff
0The recipe was so easy. I changed things because I had leftovers I needed to use. I substituted cottage cheese and mixed egg, leftover gf spaghetti into it with parmesan cheese.
I than went ahead and layered the lasagna as directed. It came out great.
Rini
0Thank you for posting this recipe. I haven’t been able to eat a good lasagna ever since I became low carb! This recipe hit the spot exactly and it was delicious. Also, it was very easy to make.
Elizabeth S
0This was the BEST Lasagna. Love the addition eggplant. I made it for a dinner party and every one devoured it. I did add red pepper flakes for a little spice. Will be making again.
Darcey
0This dish was so good! The entire family loved it! The spice level was perfect! thanks
Traci
0Loved this recipe! What a great change to traditional lasagna. It turned out perfect and tasted amazing.
Julianne
0Such a wonderful recipe! It combines two of my very favorite Italian dishes- lasagna and eggplant parm. Absolutely delish!
Anne Marie
0Excellent! I used Impossible burger and this recipe is delicious. Thanks!
Cathy
0This is a delicious take on eggplant! I make it for the whole family and even guests who don’t follow a keto food plan. Everyone. LOVES it!! I freeze leftovers and they are perfect when reheated! Love this recipe! Thank you!!
Belinda
0This is my favourite lasagna, and have made it many times. Thanks Maya!!
Penny
0Excellent!!! I will definitely make this again! A perfect comfort food without the guilt.
Char
0Absolutely delicious!! Followed your recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. This will go in my favorites list. Thank you for another awesome recipe!
Bonny Maynard
0This was awesome! Tasty, filling and easy to make. Will definitely be making again! Thank you for sharing! The roasted eggplant is on point and you are correct, we didn’t miss the noodles!
Edith
0Hi Maya, This recipe was excellent! So flavorful. My husband loved it too. Thank you.
Jane Franco
0I made this for the first time tonight and we loved it! I added some baby spinach to the sauce for extra veggies! We will make this again.
Nikki
0Overall this was a good recipe, I just found that I am not a fan of the hassle that goes in with the egg plant lasagna. I think if your looking to make something easier to put together, I would chop up the eggplant and put it into the sauce.
Rk
0Great recipe!
Diane
0Do you peel the eggplant?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Diane, No, don’t peel it. The skin helps to give it structure.
Jane
0We tried this for the second time tonight. So delicious!!! It’s perfect! Thank you.
Susan
0I just made your Eggplant Lasagna recipe and it was delicious! It will be served again.
LORNA
0I’ve made this recipe a number of times and I love it much more than traditional lasagna with noodles. It does freeze beautifully. I always have some portion size pieces in my freezer.
Michael
0How many Oz is each serving?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Michael, My serving sizes are by volume only. You can calculate it by weighing the whole recipe and dividing it by the number of servings, which in this case is 8.
Sarah
0Love it!!!! Substituted 93% lean ground turkey for the beef and also used low-fat ricotta. It was great! Thank you!