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When I first set out to create a healthy eggplant lasagna recipe without noodles, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would it turn out to be a sad reminder of the missing noodles? To my delight, it wasn’t! It had all the flavors of a good lasagna, and I honestly didn’t miss the noodles one bit.
I should have known I would love eggplant lasagna without noodles. After all, I’m a huge fan of using veggies as stand-ins for starches in traditional comfort food recipes. From zucchini noodles alfredo to bacon cheeseburger soup to cauliflower mac & cheese, I’ve been doing it for a long time.
Low carb eggplant lasagna is no exception, and it’s the ultimate comfort food. Who doesn’t love the flavors of lasagna, right? Beef, marinara, and several cheeses are just perfect combined with Italian seasonings. It’s the same reason I adore lasagna stuffed peppers and cauliflower casserole with beef marinara so much.
During the summer, simple eggplant lasagna is the best way to enjoy those flavors and use seasonal produce at the same time. Give it a try even if you don’t like eggplant! The flavor of the eggplant is not strong with this preparation.
How to Make the Best Eggplant Lasagna
The best eggplant lasagna is surprisingly easy to make. The ingredients are the key! 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. Choose a marinara sauce you love, because those flavors will definitely shine in this recipe. You could even make your own!
Other than that, it’s very straightforward. You need the right amount of salt and ingredient ratios, but this recipe has all that figured out for you. Just follow the recipe card step-by-step. You’ll have the best eggplant lasagna before you know it!
You can save a lot of time by making the layers in parallel. Roasting the eggplant, cooking the meat marinara sauce, and making the cheese filling can all be done in tandem. Then, it’s a matter of simply assembling the layers and baking until you get to the best part. Oooey, gooey cheeeesy lasagna!
You know what else I love about this recipe? All the ingredients needed are incredibly common. There’s a good chance you have everything you need in your fridge at any given time. And, there are many ways to use any you have left afterward.
I haven’t tried assembling the entire dish in advance, but you can definitely prepare the layers ahead of time. That’s a common trick of mine. I actually like to keep some of the meat sauce in this recipe on hand in my freezer at all times, because it’s convenient for casseroles like this, as well as a simple stir fry. Eggplant lasagna is my favorite way to use it, though!
Easy Eggplant Lasagna
As you can see in the pictures, this eggplant lasagna recipe makes very distinct portions. That actually makes it even easier, in both prep and serving!
You’re essentially making “lasagna stacks”, as opposed to a single casserole. A serving is just one of these stacks cut in half. It may not seem like a lot, but eggplant lasagna is incredibly filling. You could have a couple servings if you want, though.
I found the stacking method to be very convenient for assembly. Besides, it leads to a really nice serving presentation. It’s extremely easy to neatly cut a stack in half – or serve it whole if you’re hungry, because you can easily have two servings!
All that being said, you don’t have to make individual stacks like I did. Feel free to spread your eggplant lasagna layers all the way across the casserole dish. Just be sure to use a sharp knife and cut carefully if you go that route. It may be a little harder to remove from the pan without making a mess, but that’s okay. It will be just as delicious, anyway!
Eggplant Lasagna Recipe Without Noodles (Low Carb, Gluten-free):
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Video Showing How To Make Eggplant Lasagna:
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| servings | 20 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Eggplant Lasagna Recipe Without Noodles (Low Carb, Gluten-free) This healthy low carb eggplant lasagna recipe without noodles is quick and easy to make, using simple ingredients. Just 20 minutes prep time!
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- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 1/2 lb Ground beef
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1 1/2 cup Marinara sauce (or more - see notes**)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 medium Eggplant (~1 1/4 lb); sliced lengthwise into 8 slices, about 1/4"-1/2" thick (see notes***)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- 8 oz Ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 2 cup Mozzarella cheese
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. 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.
- Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes while preheating the oven and preparing the eggplant.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line and grease a baking sheet.
- 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.
- Roast the eggplant in the oven for about 15 minutes, until soft. When done, remove from the oven and leave the oven on at 400 F.
- Meanwhile, make the cheese filling. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg.
- Line the bottom of a 9x13 glass or stoneware casserole dish with a single layer of roasted eggplant slices. Top each slice 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. (You'll end up with 4 oblong stacks - one serving will be 1/2 of one of these.)
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and golden.
Net carbs per serving (1/8 of recipe): 6g
*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.
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Anita Shultz says
Absolutely delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Anita!