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GET IT NOWMy Eggplant Lasagna Recipe Has All The Cheesy, Meaty Comfort Factor
It’s that time again! Come July and August, this eggplant lasagna always comes calling my name. And I’ve got lots of reasons it’ll call yours:
- All the flavors of classic lasagna – Using eggplant in lasagna works amazingly well and tastes a lot like regular lasagna. Instead of pasta, I just use tender roasted eggplant between the layers of saucy ground beef, creamy parmesan ricotta blend, and melty mozzarella. (I don’t think you’ll miss the noodles one bit, but if you prefer a “pasta feel” without the carbs, try my classic keto lasagna instead.)
- Easy and meal prep friendly – The steps are super easy, and the ingredients are simple. Plus, meal prepping this dish ahead works beautifully.
- Healthier comfort food – My eggplant lasagna recipe is naturally low carb, keto-friendly (just 6 grams net carbs per serving), and gluten-free. It’s also just a wonderful combo of seasonal veggies and protein!
- Dip your toes into eggplant – The eggplant flavor is not strong in this dish, so this is a great way to experiment with this vegetable.
I think this eggplant lasagna is one of the best ways to enjoy this seasonal veggie. But to be honest, I love it anytime I spot good eggplant. Make it with me for a comforting, healthy dinner!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my 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 their size. Depending on where you’re from, your store might call it aubergine or brinjal.
- Olive Oil, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper – For roasting. Feel free to use avocado oil instead of olive oil.
Meat Sauce:
- Ground Beef – I prefer beef here, but you can easily use ground turkey, chicken, pork, or Italian sausage.
- Marinara Sauce – You can use my homemade marinara sauce, otherwise I love this brand. Tomato sauce would make a decent substitute, but I’d recommend adding extra garlic and spices (below).
- Garlic – Plus more olive oil to saute it. If you like onions, you can also saute some before the garlic.
- Spices – Italian seasoning mix, sea salt, & black pepper. Throw in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if you want extra heat.
Cheeses:
- Ricotta Cheese – The creamy base. You can substitute cottage cheese or even farmer’s cheese, but I’d run them through a food processor for a smoother texture.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – I use the shelf-stable grated kind for convenience, but freshly grated is even better.
- Egg – To bind the filling. You can omit this if you need an egg-free version.
- Mozzarella Cheese – For the melty layer and topping. I used shredded, but you can also layer on slices. If you choose fresh mozzarella, dry it first using the method from my zucchini parmesan.
How To Make Eggplant Lasagna
have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Roast the eggplant. While the oven preheats, slice the eggplant lengthwise using a mandoline. Arrange the slices on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush both sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast until soft. If there’s any excess moisture remaining, pat dry with a paper towel.
- Make the meat sauce. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic first, then cook the ground beef with salt and pepper. Stir in the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat and let it simmer.
- Make the cheese filling. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, and egg.
- Let’s layer! To assemble the eggplant lasagna, line the roasted eggplant slices on the bottom of a large baking dish (this one is my fave). Top with the ground beef marinara mixture, spread the ricotta mixture on top, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Repeat the layers a second time.
- Bake in the oven. The dish is done when the cheese is melted and golden. I like to garnish with fresh basil, but fresh parsley works, too!
My Recipe Tips
- Choose small to medium eggplants if possible. Large ones tend to be more bitter and seedy. If you only have a large one, I recommend salting the slices to remove some of the bitterness before roasting. Let them drain over the sink for 30 minutes, then rinse, pat dry, then proceed with my eggplant lasagna recipe as written.
- Use a mandoline slicer for best results. Not only is it faster than a knife, it makes it easier to cut all the eggplant slices to the same thickness. That’s important for this recipe!
- For prettier eggplant lasagna, grab two eggplants instead of one and only use the center cut slices. This makes more distinct layers. I usually just saute any extra eggplant left over on the ends.
- Do you have to salt the eggplant? I usually don’t because I get smaller eggplants (see above), which don’t need it. If you have a very large eggplant, I do recommend salting it and letting it sit before rinsing and using in this recipe.
- You’ll need an extra large baking sheet to fit all the eggplant slices. I use and love this sheet pan, which never sticks even when I don’t line it. If you only have smaller pans, swap their positions in the oven halfway through.
- Make the layers in parallel to save time. I start cooking the meat sauce while the eggplant roasts, and make the cheese filling while the sauce simmers. Then, simply assemble the layers and bake.
- My meat chopper is helpful to cook the beef faster. I use it to break up the ground beef as soon as it hits the pan. Quicker and easier than a regular spatula!
- Do you need to drain the 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, you can use 90/10 to lighten up this dish.
- For saucier lasagna, increase marinara to 2 cups. I used 1 1/2 cups to keep the carbs lower, but you can increase the amount if you want the meat layer to be more saucy.
- Add the ricotta mixture in dollops. This makes it easier to spread evenly than dumping it all in one spot.
- Want a meatless version? I like this eggplant lasagna with meat, but you can replace the ground beef with sauteed mushrooms and/or sauteed spinach. You can also try my vegetarian eggplant casserole or eggplant rollatini — they’ve got similar flavors.
Eggplant Lasagna
You'll love my eggplant lasagna recipe with layers of roasted eggplant, beef marinara, creamy ricotta, and melty cheese. Healthy & low carb!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Roasted Eggplant:
Meat Sauce:
Cheese Filling:
Cheese Topping:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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 4-6 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 to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/8 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help you get the best texture, assemble the eggplant lasagna more easily, a few variations, and meal prep options.
- Storage: I have several make ahead options here.
- Note on nutrition info: It’s based on 85/15 ground beef and will also vary depending on which marinara sauce you use.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Eggplant Lasagna
Make Ahead Options
- Store leftovers: They’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep the layers: You can prepare the layers ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, then assemble and bake the day-of. To prevent the cut eggplant from browning, I store it submerged in water with a splash of lemon juice.
- Meal prep the entire casserole: Feel free to assemble the whole thing in advance, pop in the fridge, and just bake when ready. I do this option most often!
- Freeze: My eggplant lasagna freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. If you’re making it ahead, assemble the casserole but skip the last baking step and freeze. If you have leftovers, it’s fine to freeze those after baking, too. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating if you can. Baking from frozen does work, but takes a long time to heat through.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F, as a higher temperature will darken the cheese too much. You can also warm individual portions in the microwave — great for lunch!
Serving Ideas
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 my Caprese salad, zucchini noodle salad, or broccoli rabe to balance out the richness.
You can also add my cucumber soup for a refreshing starter in the summer, or some low carb dinner rolls for an extra comforting vibe.
More Vegetable Lasagna Recipes
I love combining veggies with lasagna flavors! If you like my eggplant lasagna, you’ll probably like these, too:
233 Comments
Jesse James Cornell
0My eggplant came out of the oven soggy and limp. Did I slice it to thin?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jesse, Eggplant is supposed to soften when cooked. Not sure what result you were expecting?
Shelby Cantrell
0Hi! I’m wondering if can replace meat with spinach or something else for a meatless option as well? How would that look?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Shelby, Yes, I’m sure you can do that!
L.P.
0I’ve made this twice now and it’s so so yummy. We live in the tropics and get a lot of eggplants. My 4-year-old who doesn’t eat the traditional lasagna loves it too! I do go a little bit over on the cheese (who doesn’t?). Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Rochelle Stevens
0Can this be made ahead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rochelle, Yes, you can do that!
SY
0Hi, this looks amazing for meal prep! How long does this keep in the fridge? Please reply ❤️
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0It keeps in the fridge for a few days, maybe up to 5.
Rochelle
0Hi, I am trying this recipe out and wondered about using cottage cheese in place of ricotta. I don’t usually prefer the taste of ricotta.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rochelle, Sure, you can use cottage cheese if you’d like!
Liucija
0Made this today and it turned out soooooo well!!! I’ve been craving lasagna for a few days now and this has definitely helped 😉 I took slightly longer to cook it, perhaps around 25-20min instead of 15min, because the egg plant was still a little hard when I took it out. So I cooked it for 10 extra minutes and it tasted like heaven!
Thank you!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the lasagna, Liucja! Thanks for stopping by!
Molly Currie
0This recipe is amazing !!!!! I cannot express in words how good this is !! I only changed one thing. I used some of a jar of spaghetti sauce that I already had in my pantry. This is going on my weekly or bi-weekly meal plan. I will also be taking this to all my potlucks !!! My daughter is going to love me for this. She is gluten free but loves home made spaghetti or lasagna. Can’t wait to show this off to her 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Molly! Please come back again soon!
Shannon
0I converted this to use zucchini instead of eggplant, and it was simply amazing! I’ve never made low carb lasagna before but I have eaten it, and I don’t remember it being half as good as this recipe!
I didn’t have mozzarella cheese on hand but I did have herb & garlic white cheddar. I think almost any cheese topping would work (as long as you have that good Parmesan in there). Thanks for the recipe! I was referred by a friend.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Shannon! Thanks for stopping by!
Anna
0Hi, I’m going to try this recipe today. If I use homemade pasta sauce I made already instead of making it again for the recipe, how much would it come to? 2 cups or more?
Thank you,
Anna
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Anna, If your homemade sauce is marinara, use the same amount as the recipe calls for. If it’s already a meat sauce, I didn’t measure that amount exactly, but can try to estimate. 1.5 lb raw ground beef yields approximately 4.5 cups cooked, and we have another 1.5 cups marinara. Most of the marinara will take up the spaces between the meat, though, so I’d guess the total amount of meat sauce is about 5 cups.
Anna
0This recipe was amazing. We had guests over and we all loved it. I also used my own meat marinara sauce I already had which reduced some time. Thank you for this!
Lisa K
0Loved this recipe. It worked perfectly and everyone in the household enjoyed it. Very easy, and quick to execute too.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Lisa! So glad to hear the whole family liked it.
Kristy K. James
0I tried eggplant lasagna ten or fifteen years ago but hadn’t heard about roasting the slices first. I just layered the raw slices with the meat sauce and cheeses – and hated it. Does roasting make a big difference? Because I have to say, yours looks delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kristy, Yes, roasting makes a huge difference! Layering raw slices won’t cook them enough, and even if they do cook through, the end result would likely be watery. Definitely roast the slices first. Hope you’ll try this recipe!
Theresa Lytle
0Love the recipe! I took off the eggplant “skin” first because I find it hard to cut and eat. Tasted amazing!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Theresa!
Jackie
0Can I freeze this? Before or after baking?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jackie, Yes, you can! Both ways should work fine.
Deb Perugi
0Does the sugar come from the marinara Sauce and is the sauce homemade?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Deb, The eggplant, ricotta cheese, and marinara (even without added sugar) all have small amounts of sugar. I usually use an organic store-bought marinara with no added sugar, but you can make your own if you’d like.
Anita Shultz
0Absolutely delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Anita!