Eggplant Lasagna (Gluten Free, Low Carb)

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This Eggplant Lasagna is gluten free, low carb, and high in protein. It’s a lightened up version of regular lasagna but is still the perfect hearty, filling comfort meal! This recipe uses eggplant instead of lasagna sheets but I promise you won’t even miss the pasta because this dish is so flavorful, cheesy, and delicious.

One of my favorite things is taking classic recipes and making my own version with a fun twist. I love traditional lasagna (who doesn’t??) and wanted to try a different version that was higher in protein and used seasonal vegetables to boost the flavor, texture, and nutrients! I’ve tried this with zucchini before and it was so good but I like this recipe even more. Eggplant tastes amazing roasted, it’s thicker and less watery than zucchini, and it soaks up all the flavors from the spices, meat sauce, and cheese so every bite is delicious!

I’m the type of person that could eat the same meal every day until I get tired of it and let me tell you, this has become one of my current obsessions so I’ll be making it A LOT. Whether you’re meal prepping, cooking for someone, having a dinner party, or just want an easy comfort meal, this lasagna is the way to go!

Watch the full video tutorial HERE.

Why You’ll Love This

• Great for meal prep – Casserole type dishes are the best for meal prep because it’s a lot of food you only have to make once! Make this and pre-portion for meals throughout the week, store in the fridge or freezer, and reheat when you’re ready to eat.
• Sneaky high protein – This lasagna uses beef in the sauce (you can use turkey or chicken too) and instead of regular ricotta we’re using cottage cheese to add a little more protein!
• Seasonal produce – Eggplant is at its peak in the summer so not only is it fresher, it’s usually cheaper too! Buy it at the grocery store or your local farmers market.
• Dietary friendly – This recipe is gluten free, high protein, low-carb, and keto.

What You’ll Need

• Ground beef – You can also use ground chicken or turkey.
• Marinara – I like this Organic one from Whole Foods!
• Eggplant
• Cottage cheese – This one from Good Culture is my favorite to use and is a weekly grocery staple.
• Basil leaves
• Grated parmesan – I love using Organic Valley raw parmesan, it tastes so fresh!
• Shredded mozzarella
• Oregano
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

How To Make

1. To make the meat sauce, brown ground beef (or protein of choice) in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer while you prepare the rest of the dish.
3. To roast the eggplant, preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Slice the eggplant into coins and place flat, in rows, on the baking sheet.
5. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and toss until evenly coated. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. To make the high protein “ricotta”, blend the cottage cheese until smooth. (Tip: This is optional! If you don’t mind the texture of cottage cheese, use it as is and skip blending. I prefer mine smooth.)
7. Add in chopped basil and parmesan and stir to combine.
8. To assemble the lasagna, take a large baking dish and layer 1/3 of the sauce, half of the eggplant, and half of the cottage cheese mixture.
9. Repeat this one more time with the sauce, eggplant, and cottage cheese mixture to use the rest. Top with mozzarella and oregano.
10. To bake, cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
11. Remove the foil and broil for about 5 more minutes or until cheese starts to become golden brown.
12. Let this cool for at least 15 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Recommended Tools

• Parchment paper
• Baking tray – You’ll need one large one or two medium-sized ones depending on the size of your eggplants!
• High-speed blender
• Large baking dish – I use this 9×13 one.
• Foil

More Healthier Hearty Meals

Healthier Broccoli Cheddar Casserole (Gluten Free)

Healthy White Chicken Chili (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Healthier Tuna Noodle Casserole (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Eggplant Lasagna (Gluten Free, Low Carb)

Course: Main Course

Keyword: clean eating, gluten free, healthy dinner, healthy meal prep, high protein, keto, lasagna, low carb

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 jars marinara
• 2 eggplants
• 1.5 cups cottage cheese (or ricotta)
• 1/4 cup basil leaves (chopped)
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
• oregano
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

Instructions

Make Meat Sauce:

• Brown ground beef (or chicken, turkey, etc.) in a pan over medium heat.
• Add marinara sauce and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down and let it simmer while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Roast Eggplant:

• Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice eggplant into coins and place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and toss until evenly coated.
• Bake for 15 min.

Make High Protein “Ricotta” Mixture:

• Blend 1.5 cups of cottage cheese until smooth. (Optional You don’t need to blend if you don’t mind the original texture.)
• Add chopped basil and parmesan to cottage cheese, stir to combine.

Assemble Lasagna:

• In a large baking dish, layer 1/3 of the sauce, half of the eggplant slices, and half of the cottage cheese mixture.
• Repeat this one more time to use the rest of the sauce, eggplant, and cottage cheese mixture.
• Top with mozzarella and oregano.

Bake:

• Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 min.
• Remove foil and broil for another 5 min or until cheese starts to become golden brown.
• Let cool for at least 15 min before serving. Enjoy!

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