Eggplant Lasagna
A classic lasagna recipe with layers of tender roasted eggplant, ricotta, and lasagna noodles. Comforting, cheesy, and delicious! An easy vegetarian pasta recipe that’s perfect for summer.
Eggplant Lasagna! I’ve got a thing for combining the best of summer produce– eggplant and zucchini– into my lasagna. My gluten-free zucchini lasagna is great for those who want a low-carb lasagna option, and my zucchini lasagna roll-ups are a fun twist on classic lasagna flavors.
This eggplant lasagna combines the best of both worlds. It still contains lasagna noodles, with an additional layer of cooked eggplant! It’s hearty enough for those of us who can’t imagine lasagna without the pasta, while still giving a nod to creamy eggplant.
Sliced eggplant is layered alongside the lasagna noodles with a ricotta-pesto filling, parmesan, mozzarella cheese, and jarred marinara sauce. It’s simple enough for a weeknight meal but fancy enough to make for Sunday night.
See below for step-by-step photo directions, or scroll down to the full recipe below.
How to Make Baked Eggplant Lasagna (Step-by-Step Photos)
Roast the Eggplant
Thinly slice the eggplant, then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly brush with olive oil (or spray with olive oil) and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Make the Ricotta Filling
In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and prepared pesto
Layer the Red Sauce with Lasagna Noodles
Place a generous layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish (about 1 1/2 cups) and no-bake lasagna noodles on top in a single layer.
Top with Cooked Eggplant
Top with the ricotta layer and the 1/2 of the eggplant slices.
Cover with Marinara Sauce
Cover with marinara sauce
Repeat
Repeat, starting with noodles, ricotta, eggplant slices and marinara sauce. Finish with remaining parmesan cheese and mozzarella.
Bake
Cover with foil (or a large baking sheet turned over) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheesy and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
How to Store and Reheat Eggplant Lasagna
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
The lasagna noodles will become more gummy the longer it’s in the fridge, so I don’t recommend making this one too much ahead of time (that’s true with all pasta recipes). To reheat, cover and reheat in a 250-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave.
Tips for Success
Can I use store-bought marinara?
While I love making my own red sauce you can use jarred marinara for ease. I have a preference for Rao’s (Costco has the best pricing on it) or Trader Joe’s tomato basil, but any store-bought sauce that you like the flavor of will work.
Can you use no-boil noodles?
Truthfully, I like the flavor of cooked noodles better. I find that no-boil noodles can often be a little gummy and don’t have the nice tooth of cooked pasta. That said, I use no-boil noodles often! I’ve accounted for this in the recipe by using additional sauce. If you choose to cook the noodles first, then you can reduce the sauce by 1/2-1 cup.
Can I add additional vegetables?
If you want to use zucchini in place of the eggplant, I would use the same preparation here. Zucchini will likely cook faster than the eggplant, so watch it as it roasts to make sure it doesn’t burn. Then, layer as desired. You can also add cooked mushrooms or spinach to the lasagna.
How do you thinly slice the eggplant?
I use a sharp knife to thinly slice the eggplant, but you can also use a mandoline.
What to serve with eggplant lasagna?
I like serving this with a simple green salad and tender greens tossed with a little extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice or white balsamic vinegar, salad, and pepper.
More Lasagna Recipes
If you like this eggplant lasagna recipe, then you’ll love these additional lasagna recipes:
- The Best Vegan Lasagna
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Lasagna
- Spring Lasagna with Spinach
- Slow Cooker Lentil Lasagna Soup
- Lasagna with Cashew Ricotta
If you try this eggplant lasagna, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Eggplant Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium Italian or globe eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 thick slabs
- Olive oil
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- pinch fresh nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto*, see note
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- 4 cups marinara sauce of choice
- 1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles or cooked lasagna noodles**
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the eggplant slices between two baking sheets and lightly brush with olive oil. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper onto the brushed eggplant. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until tender but not browned or crispy.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, nutmeg, black pepper, pesto, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Season to taste with salt and more pepper, if desired, to taste.
- In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer 1 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce and then an even layer of lasagna noodles, covering the bottom. Layer with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture and a single layer of the eggplant slices on top of the noodles.
- Add in another cup of tomato sauce, then another even layer of lasagna noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and eggplant slices. Finish with a layer of lasagna noodles and the remaining marinara sauce, making sure to cover the noodles as much as possible.*
- Cover the the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil or another large baking sheet. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and sauce is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then garnish with basil. Slice and serve.
Notes
*No-cook noodles need additional liquid to prevent them from becoming undercooked. If you cook the noodles ahead of time, then reduce the marinara to 3-3 1/2 cups. I do think that no-cook noodles taste gummy and prefer to cook noodles but I know that is an extra step!Â