Easy Keto Eggplant Lasagna Recipe

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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. One of my favorite ways is this keto eggplant lasagna recipe with ground beef and ricotta. If you’re worried that you’ll miss the noodles, don’t be. My low carb eggplant lasagna without noodles has all of the flavors of a great lasagna, I promise you won’t even miss the noodles one bit! And, learning how to make eggplant lasagna is super easy – not so different from the regular kind.

I really should have known how awesome low carb eggplant lasagna without noodles would be. After all, I’m a huge fan of using keto vegetables 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 that for a long time. (In fact, I have a whole guide on keto pasta alternatives that have many veggie options as replacements.)

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.

That being said, if you prefer real noodles, try my classic keto lasagna instead.

This keto eggplant lasagna recipe with meat sauce was originally published on August 19, 2017, and the post was republished in July 2020 to add process pictures and useful tips. I also changed the method a bit to make it easier to assemble. Here is one of the original photos, if you are curious:

What Is Eggplant Lasagna?

Low carb eggplant lasagna is just like regular lasagna, but with layers of roasted eggplant instead of the noodles. Who doesn’t love the Italian flavors of lasagna, right?

What does eggplant lasagna taste like?

Eggplant lasagna tastes very close to regular lasagna. The texture of the eggplant layer is just slightly different from pasta.

Layers of roasted eggplant, a beef and marinara sauce, and three cheeses and Italian seasonings… it’s a flavor combo that can’t be beat!

Is eggplant lasagna keto?

Yes, this simple eggplant lasagna recipe is keto friendly! Each filling serving has just 6 grams net carbs.

How To Make Eggplant Lasagna

The trick to keto eggplant lasagna is to make 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.

Here’s how to make eggplant lasagna without noodles:

• Roast eggplant. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line and grease a baking sheet and arrange the slices in a single layer. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until soft.

TIP: 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.

• Make meat sauce. While eggplant is roasting, heat oil in a large pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon or spatula. Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.

• Make cheese filling. While the meat sauce simmers, mix together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg in a small bowl.

• Assemble low carb eggplant lasagna. Now, you’ll alternate the layers…

Line the bottom of a 9×13 inch glass or stoneware casserole dish with a single layer of roasted eggplant slices…

Top with the ground beef marinara mixture…

Spread the ricotta mixture on top…

Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese…

And repeat the layers again, with shredded mozzarella last.

• Bake. It’s done when the cheese is melted and golden. I like to top with a little fresh basil.

Low Carb Eggplant Lasagna Storage Instructions

Can you make baked eggplant lasagna ahead?

Yes, you can make this recipe for keto eggplant lasagna ahead.

You could prepare the layers ahead of time:

• Roast the eggplant
• Mix together the cheese layer ingredients
• Cook the meat sauce

Store these separately in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, then all you need to do is assemble and bake.

Alternatively, you can assemble the whole thing in advance as well, store in the fridge for 2-4 days, and just bake when ready. (I usually opt for this second option.)

How to store leftovers of healthy eggplant lasagna?

IStore this classic eggplant lasagna recipe in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can eggplant lasagna be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze eggplant keto lasagna for 2-3 months.

If you are making it ahead, assemble the casserole as written but skip the last baking step. If you have leftovers you want to freeze, it’s fine to freeze those after baking, too.

Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking if you can. While baking from frozen is possible, it would take a very long time.

How to reheat keto eggplant lasagna

If you previously baked it, you can reheat low carb eggplant lasagna leftovers in a 350 degree F oven, or in the microwave, until heated through.

On the other hand, if it was pre-assembled but not fully baked, you’d heat it the same way as the original, at 400 degrees F. Keep in mind that cheese will burn if it’s in there for longer than 10-15 minutes, so you may want to reduce heat or tent the top with foil if you are baking it for longer to get it heated through.

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, here are a few ideas:

• Avocado Caprese Salad – Make easy eggplant lasagna, then whip up this Caprese salad while
• Ratatouille – This is a great way to use up more seasonal summer veggies to go with your eggplant lasagna.
• Zucchini Noodle Salad – Super simple and refreshing!
• Caesar Salad – Skip the chicken and just serve it as a side salad.
• Keto Dinner Rolls – If you like a roll with your pasta-inspired meal, this hits the spot and is still low carb.

More Keto Lasagna Inspired Recipes

If you like this low carb eggplant lasagna recipe, you might also like some of these other ways to enjoy lasagna on keto:

• Lasagna Stuffed Peppers – Layers of lasagna stuffed into baked bell peppers. Yum!
• Zucchini Lasagna – You can make it the same way as eggplant lasagna, but use zucchini instead. This version features a pesto sauce.
• Cauliflower Lasagna – Another way to sneak a veggie into your keto lasagna.
• No Noodle Lasagna – Skip the noodles altogether and just include the other layers.
• Zucchini Roll Ups – These are like zucchini lasagna in the form of individual rolls. Great for portion control and so fun!

• Meat Chopper – This masher breaks up ground meat super fast.
• 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.)

4.94 from 80 votes

Easy Keto Eggplant Lasagna Recipe

See how to make eggplant lasagna without noodles! This healthy, low carb keto eggplant lasagna recipe is easy comfort food, with simple ingredients + 20-minute prep.

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Total: 1 hour

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 8 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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Meat Sauce

• 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 cups Marinara sauce (or more - see notes**) ▢
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning ▢

Roasted Eggplant

• 20 oz Eggplant (about 1-2 depending on size; sliced lengthwise into 8 slices, about 1/4"-1/2" thick - see notes) ▢
• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• Sea salt ▢
• Black pepper ▢

Cheese Filling

• 8 oz Ricotta cheese ▢
• 1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese ▢
• 1 large Egg ▢

Cheese Topping

• 2 cup Mozzarella cheese ▢

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Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Roasted Eggplant

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line and grease a baking sheet.

2. 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.

3. 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

1. While the eggplant is roasting, 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.

2. Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Cheese Filling

1. While the meat sauce simmers, make the cheese filling. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg.

Assembly

1. Line the bottom of a 9x13 in (23x33 cm) glass or stoneware casserole dish 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.

2. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and golden.

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Recipe Notes

• 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.

Serving size: 1/8 of entire recipe

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 426

Fat 30g

Protein 30g

Total Carbs 9g

Net Carbs 6g

Fiber 3g

Sugar 4g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: eggplant, gluten-free, keto, lasagna, low carb, nut-free, sugar-free

Calories: 426 kcal

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