Eggplant Lasagna
This veggie-focused lasagna uses roasted eggplant instead of pasta, combined with a spinach, herb, and ricotta filling, marinara sauce, and plenty of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. The dish is gluten-free and offers the same hearty comfort as traditional lasagna, with added brightness from lemon zest.While not overly complicated, it involves several steps. To save time, roast the eggplant slices up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate them until ready to assemble.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds globe eggplant cut into ¼ inch- to ½ inch thick planks
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley plus more for serving
- 1 arge egg lightly beaten
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce or 2½ cups homemade
- 1 ½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper and arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer. Brush them with oil and sprinkle with oregano, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the eggplant and rotating the pans halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
- While the eggplant roasts, prepare the ricotta filling. Squeeze the spinach over a strainer to remove excess moisture, then transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, ⅓ cup Parmesan, basil, egg, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, mixing well to combine.
- Spread ½ cup of marinara sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of eggplant on top, trimming pieces as needed to fill any gaps. Spoon about half of the ricotta mixture over the eggplant and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the cheese, followed by another layer of eggplant slices. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture over the eggplant and top with another ½ cup of mozzarella.
- Add the final cup of marinara sauce, then top with the last layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup of Parmesan and ½ cup of mozzarella.
- Bake the lasagna, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the lasagna cool for at least 10 minutes to set, then sprinkle with additional basil. Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve hot.