Name: Easy Eggplant Lasagna (Low Carb Keto)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American | Italian
Ingredients: 2 large eggplant, peeled then sliced into 1/3" slices; Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray or 1/2 cup of olive oil; 1 lb Italian sausage; 15 oz container ricotta cheese; 8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained; 1 egg; 2 cups mozzarella, grated; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated; 24 oz jar marinara sauce (keto: use sugar free)

Easy Eggplant Lasagna is a tasty alternative to the carb-filled pasta version! Lasagna with eggplant recipe is made extra tasty by roasting the eggplant and layering with italian sausage, marinara sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. This is a perfect low carb and keto casserole - but yet everyone in your house can enjoy!

Easy Eggplant Lasagna, Seeking Good Eats

You Will Love This Lasagna With Eggplant Recipe

This casserole is easy! Instead of having to dip and coat the eggplant, in this recipe you simple spray or brush on olive oil (spray is the quickest and easiest) and roast the eggplant slices. From there you layer the ingredients in a casserole dish and bake.

Eggplant lasagna is so flavorful and full of ooey gooey melted cheese. I can promise you will not miss the pasta in this dish. Eggplant actually adds more flavor to the dish than just using pasta.

Low Carb and Keto Eggplant Lasagna

By using eggplant instead of lasagna noodles you save loads of carbs. This dish is made keto by the addition of ketogenic approved fats from the olive oil, meat, and cheeses.

There are 8 servings in this dish and each serving has only 6.2 g net carbs, nice!

38.2 g fat | 6.2 g net carbs | 23.1 g protein

What You Will Need to Make Lasagna With Eggplant

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Tools

Ingredients

2 large eggplant, peeled then sliced into 1/3" strips
Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray or 1/2 cup of olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
15 oz container ricotta cheese
8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 egg
2 cups mozzarella, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
24 oz jar marinara sauce (keto: use sugar free)

How To Make Easy Eggplant Lasagna

Roast Eggplant Slices

Soak the eggplant slices in salted water for 30 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven to broil, adjusting top oven rack to within 6 to 8" of the heat.

Spray eggplant slices with olive oil spray then lay on a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil. Alternatively, brush olive oil on the eggplant slices. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes until eggplant are golden brown. Turn over and repeat. Set eggplant aside.

Turn oven down to bake at 375º F

Brown Italian Sausage

In a skillet over medium high heat, brown Italian sausage. Drain fat. Set aside.

Mix Ricotta, Egg, and Spinach

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, and spinach.

Assemble Casserole

Spray a 13" x 9" casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spread 1/3 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the dish.

Lay half of the eggplant slices on top of marinara sauce. Then spread half of the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the eggplant slices. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle half the Italian sausage, half of the mozzarella cheese, and half of the parmesan cheese.

Lay the remaining eggplant slices, and repeat with all ingredients, ending with parmesan cheese.

Bake Casserole

Bake eggplant lasagna 40 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Helpful Tips

The eggplant will immediately soak up the olive oil. To prevent his, simultaneously drizzle and spread the oil with a brush. This will evenly coat the eggplant slices. Another option - olive oil cooking spray. Make sure to get 100% extra virgin olive oil cooking spray that doesn't use propellants. I found this method to work the best.
To prevent the eggplant from sticking, lay the slices on nonstick foil. They come up extra easy this way!
You can substitute ground beef for Italian sausage if you like. If you do decide to substitute, I recommend that you at least 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to your ricotta mixture.
You can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta if you prefer one over the other.

Common Questions

How can I reduce the fat in eggplant lasagna?

You can reduce the fat of eggplant lasagna, by using low fat or fat-free ricotta or cottage cheese. You can also use a part-skim mozzarella. In addition, you can spray your eggplant slices lightly with olive oil spray and place on a nonstick baking sheet. This will reduce the amount of olive oil needed.

Can I substitute ground beef for Italian sausage?

Yes, you can substitute ground beef for italian sausage. It doesn't of course have the same flavor so you may need to make some seasoning adjustments for flavor. Definitely add 1 tsp italian seasoning to the marinara sauce. You may also need to use salt and pepper.

Can I freeze eggplant lasagna?

Absolutely! The best way to do this is to assemble the casserole in a freezer and oven safe 13 x 9" pan that has a lid. Proceed with all steps, cover with lid, and freeze. Alternatively, you can bake, cool, then freeze.

Thaw the casserole 36 - 48 hours in advance of when you want to eat it. Bake until the eggplant lasagna is heated through and the cheese is bubbly.

How long will eggplant lasagna keep in the refrigerator?

Eggplant lasagna will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator after it has been baked. By the way, it makes the BEST leftover lunches!

Easy Eggplant Lasagna (Low Carb Keto)

Yield: 8 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

A tasty alternative to the carb-filled pasta version! Lasagna with eggplant is made extra tasty by roasting the eggplant and layering with Italian sausage, marinara sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. This is a perfect low carb and keto casserole - but yet everyone in your house can enjoy!