Best Irresistible Eggplant Lasagna Recipes

EGGPLANT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Oil 2 baking sheets and a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
• Whisk eggs and water together in a shallow dish. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and ground black pepper in a separate shallow dish.
• Dip eggplant slices into egg mixture, then press each gently into bread crumb mixture. Gently tap off any excess crumbs. Arrange slices on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake eggplant slices in the preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Flip eggplant and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove eggplant from the oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in ground beef. Season beef with salt and ground black pepper. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Stir tomato sauce into ground beef; bring to a simmer and set sauce aside.
• Place 1/3 of the eggplant slices on bottom of the dish. Pour 1/3 of tomato sauce with ground beef on top of eggplant layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of mozzarella cheese on top of sauce layer. Repeat 2 more times, finishing with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

EGGPLANT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Brush on both sides using 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Saute until soft for about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes. Once the mushrooms are cooked remove and set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.
• Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 slices on top followed by the ricotta mixture. Lay another 4 slices of eggplant and finish with marinara sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel 5 cloves garlic and place them in a square of foil. Sprinkle the cloves with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wrap up the foil and place it directly on the oven rack. (Be sure that the foil packet is secure so no oil will leak out.) Roast the garlic until it's brown and tender, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool enough to touch and squeeze the garlic from the skins. Set aside.
• Saute onions and carrots with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add tomato paste and stir well. This will cook off the tomato paste and give a nice orangy color. Cook for about 10 minutes. When vegetables are softened add the roasted garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and stir together until incorporated. Pour in the tomatoes. Fill the empty can with water and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Once sauce is ready carefully pour it into the food processor and puree until smooth.

LASAGNA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil lightly with olive oil. Slice the eggplant 1/3 inch thick, sprinkle with salt and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place on the baking sheet and roast 15 to 20 minutes, until the slices are lightly colored on the bottom and soft to the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven, and carefully fold the foil over and crimp the edges together (be careful not to burn yourself!). Let the eggplant cool and steam in the foil packet for 20 minutes. Set aside and turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
• Lightly oil a rectangular baking dish. Blend the ricotta cheese with the egg, water, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and 3 tablespoons of Parmesan to make sure you have enough for the top layer of the lasagna.
• Spread a small spoonful of tomato sauce in a thin layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with a thin layer of ricotta. Spoon on a few dollops then spread it with an offset or a rubber spatula. Top the ricotta with half the eggplant, and sprinkle basil and half the mozzarella over the eggplant. Top with a layer of tomato sauce and a layer of Parmesan. Repeat the layers, then add a final layer of lasagna noodles topped with ricotta if any remains, and most importantly with the tomato sauce and Parmesan you set aside. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.