Eggplant zucchini lasagna is a vegetable-based lasagna with the simplest ingredients; roasted eggplant & zucchini, rich tomato sauce, an Italian cheese blend, and lots of fresh herbs. It’s rich in flavor, easy to make, and you won’t miss using pasta noodles at all!
Get the best of both worlds by using eggplant and zucchini to make this low-carb lasagna! It’s made from roasted eggplant and zucchini that are either sliced lengthwise or into rounds, then layered with cheese, fresh herbs, and rich marinara sauce. It’s then baked to perfection until the cheese is browned and the vegetables are so tender and delicious!
No pasta noodles are needed to make this recipe happen. And the recipe isn’t watery at all because the vegetables are first roasted, which helps dry out extra moisture, before layering in the baking dish. It’s truly perfection and one of my favorite vegetarian Italian dishes!
Ingredients – What You Need
Below you’ll find the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe!
Eggplant: one large eggplant, with the skin on.
Zucchini: you can use green and yellow zucchini, with the skin on.
Tomato sauce: a rich marinara will be needed for layering the lasagna. I recommend our San Marzano tomato sauce or to cut time use our favorite store-bought marinara.
Mozzarella: fresh mozzarella slices or shredded works!
Parmesan: use fresh Parmesan Reggiano for the best flavor.
Basil: fresh basil to layer throughout the lasagna.
Oregano: fresh oregano to layer the lasagna, I don’t recommend using dried because the flavor isn’t as fresh.
Step by Step Recipe Instructions
First, slice the zucchini and eggplant (skin on) into 1/4 inch thick pieces. You can slice length-wise or into round slices!
Preheat oven to 425, brush sheet pans with oil and arrange zucchini and eggplant slices on pans. Then bake for 20 minutes.
After vegetables have been roasted, layer in the baking dish:
- Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
- Layer eggplant slices, zucchini slices, and fresh herbs over top.
- Then cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover with thin layer of sauce and repeat layers until ingredients are finished.
Top layer: for the top layer, after zucchini and eggplant slices, top with sauce then the cheese.
Then bake for 20 minutes at 425F (uncovered) until cheese is melted and browned.
Extra Tips for Success
How to cut eggplant and zucchini into noodles – if slicing the noodles lengthwise I recommend using a mandoline slicer (use the safety handle always because these are very sharp). If slicing into round pieces, you can cut them by hand with a knife.
Baking dish options – I used an enameled cast-iron skillet for this recipe, you can use any type of casserole dish or a stainless steel baking pan.
Add ricotta filling – I didn’t use ricotta filling for this recipe to keep things a little lighter, but you can of course add it to this dish if desired. See recipe card notes for the recipe!
Use fresh herbs – the best way to add fresh, bright flavor is by layering the lasagna with fresh herbs. I don’t recommend using dried herbs because the taste will not be the same.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to cover it while it bakes? Not for this recipe. Whenever you cover lasagna, It’s meant to trap moisture and avoid it from drying out. For this recipe, we want those extra liquids to bake off. Leave the lasagna uncovered for that to happen.
Why is my lasagna watery? This recipe shouldn’t be watery because you’re baking the vegetables first, which draws out most of the extra moisture. But if the end product has a little bit of liquid, bake it for 5-10 more minutes or until the liquid is gone – simple fix!
How long does it last? This recipe should keep for about 4 days – keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
Does it freeze? Yes! Layer the lasagna and thoroughly wrap in plastic wrap then cover with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month, then thaw at room temperature and bake as instructed.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this recipe alongside pasta – like our 15-minute asparagus pasta or our favorite chickpea pasta noodles to add protein! You can also pair a salad on the side like our Tuscan artichoke salad or this Italian salad with parmesan herb dressing.
More Zucchini and Eggplant Recipes to Try
Zucchini Lasagna
Baked Eggplant Rollatini
Three Cheese Zucchini Rollatini (Involtini)
Roasted Eggplant Meatballs
Classic Eggplant Parmesan
Roasted Eggplant & Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices (lengthwise or into round slices)
- 2-3 large zucchinis, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices (lengthwise or into round slices)
- 32 oz tomato sauce about 2 cups
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Cut zucchini and eggplant: remove the stems, and slice vegetables into 1/4 inch thick pieces – either length-wise into sheets or cut into round pieces. Note: carefully use a mandoline slicer if cutting lengthwise, or cut by hand with a knife if slicing into round pieces.
- Roast the vegetables: brush two sheet pans with oil, then arrange vegetable pieces on pans and bake for 20 minutes.
- Layer lasagna: when eggplant and zucchini are cooked, layer in lasagna. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, arrange one layer of eggplant slices, one layer of zucchini, then sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs, and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat layers until ingredients are used up.
- How to layer the top: when you get to the final layer, instead of doing cheese after the vegetables, layer with sauce first, then sprinkle the cheese.
- Bake: then bake at 425F uncovered for 20 minutes, cheese should be melted and browned. Top with fresh herbs and serve right away!
Notes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 to 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
This is an awesome recipe, thank you so much for the inspiration! I’m keto-ing it up right now and also aiming for more vegetable-based dishes, and this is a total winner!! Just one tip for anyone looking for vegetarian-based dishes though, legit parmesan is not vegetarian 🙁 But otherwise a cracker of a recipe, thanks again 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much, Sarah! I’m really happy to hear this could workout for a keto meal too. 🙂 Always a win when its delicious too. So glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it 5 times already. So simple and easy to to make yet delicious
Thank you so much, Jessica! I’m so glad to hear. This is such a favorite of mine to make, always happy to hear from readers who enjoy it too. 🙂
My husband is limiting carbs as he trains for a big race and this recipe was soo worth the effort (which wasn’t actually too complicated compared to other lasagna recipes). I made it with the classic ricotta filling and added a layer of sautéed spinach. This will be going into regular rotation!
Hi Carla, I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe! It’s one I make so often in the summer time. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
I forgot to say I sautéed fresh mushrooms and put a layer of those in. Um
Love that idea!
Garlic is used in the riccota version, what is the prep {sliced, chopped, etc.} and why is it not used in the non ricotta version?
Is this for a 9×13 pan? I’m excited to make it with the fresh summer veggies I have on hand!
I used a 9×9 baking dish. Can’t wait to try it with ricotta cheese.
This is absolutely THE BEST lasagna ever! I did use the ricotta and added sliced onions to the layers. I will be making this over and over again! Thank you for making me a kitchen rock star!
Ottawa, Canada
I’m so so happy to hear it! I love this lasagna and make it a lot. Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
Loved no bread no fry. Took skin off the eggplant and used a baking dish. I make my own marinara. Did EVERYTHING else as you recommended and we love it! Will make this again! Thank you!