Classic Eggplant Lasagna

A cast iron pan with eggplant lasagna baked in it. The pan is placed in a wooden background with fresh herbs and a parmesan rind arranged around it.

Eggplant lasagna; layers of thinly sliced baked eggplant, three melted Italian cheese, and accents of fresh herbs throughout each layer. You will be shocked by how flavorful and hearty this dish is without using any pasta noodles at all!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword eggplant lasagna, eggplant lasagna recipe

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 5

Servings lasagna slices

Calories 233kcal

Ingredients

2 medium to large eggplants Cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
32 oz tomato sauce
16 oz mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

Ricotta filling

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1 egg
3 garlic cloves
generous pinch of black pepper
pinch of salt
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Roast eggplant slices: Then arrange slices of eggplant on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush both sides of the eggplant with oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top of the slices. Bake for 20-25 minutes on the middle oven wrack until roasted.
Mix ricotta filling: in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, egg, fresh basil & parsley, garlic, and salt & pepper. Set aside.
Assemble lasagna: when the eggplant is finished roasting, In a casserole dish or baking dish, spread a generous layer of tomato sauce on the bottom. Then layer: roasted eggplant slices, a thin layer of ricotta, mozzarella, a generous dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano, and then sauce. Repeat until the final layer. On the last layer, top with sauce, then mozzarella and the last of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Bake: Lower the oven temperature to 350F and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Broil on High for the last minute to brown the cheese. Let cool for several minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Use foil if the top browns too quickly - If towards the end of your baking time the top of the cheese begins to brown too quickly, place a foil tent over top to protect it. Don't seal the foil tightly though, we don't want to trap moisture and make the eggplant watery.

Avoid burning the bottom of the lasagna by layering sauce - make sure when layering, that the bottom of your baking dish is layered with enough sauce. If it's only a little, the sauce will evaporate while baking and could potentially cause mild burning. Which we always want to avoid! :)

Nutrition