Eggplant Lasagna is a lightened up, no noodle lasagna that is as comforting and delicious as ever!
Okay, we have to talk about my new obsession that is Orange is the New Black. Are you watching this?! I am, obviously. Actually I can’t watch it anymore because I finished the entire season already. In less than a week. If you know me and my TV habits (I rarely watch TV), you know this is quite crazy. So when I’m glued to the TV for a week straight, you know something is up.
If you haven’t heard of it, Orange is the New Black (OITNB) is a Netflix series based off a woman’s true story of going to prison for smuggling drugs one time in her early twenties. She’s an unlikely character to be going to prison as she has been living a pretty comfortable life in the city, owning a boutique bath soap company and engaged to a writer. The series is funny, shocking, disgusting, uplifting, surprising, frightening, and enlightening all at the same time. After watching the first season I feel like I really know the women in prison with the main character, Pieper, and their stories leave you feeling for them. It also makes you think about how you would survive in prison. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t do well.
I think this Eggplant Lasagna was surprising and enlightening too, just like OITNB. It was surprising how much Marc and I both loved this dish and it was enlightening because I didn’t think I really liked eggplant. Turns out I do. Turns out Marc does, too. For some reason I always envision eggplant being mushy and if there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s a mushy vegetable. Luckily, there was no mush to be found in this eggplant lasagna. I think is due to two extra steps I took when making it: the salting the eggplant slices to extract some of the moisture and also baking the slices after they are coated in egg and bread crumbs. This step gets them nice and crispy before being layered with tomato sauce, a ricotta cheese mixture, and mozzarella cheese.
Paired with a light arugula salad, this was a delicious meal. It truly was like lasagna with the ricotta mixture, filled with fresh basil, garlic, and a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes. The dish was filling, warm, and comforting which was surprising given the “low-carb” aspect of the meal. If you’re one that needs a few carbs in your dinner you could definitely serve it with a loaf of French bread or atop a bed of pasta.
Even more reason to make this Eggplant Lasagna is that eggplants are in abundance in the markets right now and are cheap, too! This is the perfect dish to enjoy seasonal, budget friendly produce.
Ingredients
for the eggplant:
- 1 large eggplant or 2 small egg plants about 2 lbs total, cut crosswise into rounds
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- salt
for the filling:
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 16 oz container part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup freshly basil chopped
for the rest:
- 1 24 oz jar of your favorite tomato pasta sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
To prepare the eggplant:
- Cut eggplant into 1/4-1/2" slices and spread out on baking sheet.
- Sprinkle each piece with salt and let sit for 20 minutes.
- With a paper towel, dab each slice, removing formed condensation.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine 2 eggs and water in a shallow bowl.
- Place breadcrumbs in a second shallow bowl with a pinch of salt.
- Dip each piece of eggplant in egg mixture followed by breadcrumbs, making sure the bread crumbs adhere.
- Place on baking sheets and bake in oven for 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 15 minutes.
To make the filling:
- In medium bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, red pepper, garlic, salt, ricotta, egg white, and basil.
- Stir well to combine.
To assemble:
- Spray 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of dish.
- Layer half of the eggplant over tomato sauce.
- Top eggplant with 1 cup of the pasta sauce, followed by 1/2 of the ricotta filling, followed by 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat again, starting with the remaining eggplant, 1 cup pasta sauce, remaining ricotta filling, and remaining 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until cheese is golden brown.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.
- Enjoy!
Welcome to greens & chocolate! I'm Taylor and am so excited that you stopped by! I'm a Minnesota girl in my 20's who's loving life with my husband Marc, our son Lars, and our Golden Retriever Maddie. I love cooking healthy meals, but it's essential that I have my dessert. All after a hot yoga class or a run, though! It's all about moderation here at greens & chocolate. 
I’M OBSESSED WITH ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK!! I finished it in a week too and am now soooo impatient for Season 2!
I also LOVE this eggplant parm, it looks like perfection! So cheesy and comforting!
I watched Orange is in the New Black in about 4 days, obsessed! Great show. If you haven’t watched House of Cards I strongly recommend that too.
I’ve been thinking House of Cards should be my replacement for OITNB! I’ll give it a watch this weekend 🙂
Thank you! Thank you for posting this recipe! I have always wanted to try eggplant but I’m too scared. This recipe looks amazing so I will certainly be making it. As for OITNB. LOVE IT TOO! Although I don’t think Pieper actually smuggled drugs, I thought she just carried the drug money one time for her partner. Oh well, either way I cannot wait for season 2!!
This looks awesome Taylor, I’m always looking for ways to jazz up a classic dish and this is perfect. Great pictures too! It is my first time to your blog and I’m LOVING it. We are very similar, healthy but gotta have dessert. So glad I found you. Following you through bloglovin and Pinterest 🙂
Thanks Krista! So glad I found YOU too… Your blog is beautiful!
Ahhh… thanks so much Taylor. 🙂 Love finding another foodie friend!
Um, yes! OITNB is addictive; I watched the entire series in THREE days. I am dying for season two! This lasagna looks delish! I am pinning now.
Yum that looks so good! Love the idea of using eggplant in this way 🙂
Okay, I’m going to have to get Netflix. Everyone is talking about this show!
I feel the same way about eggplant. The texture is usually too weird for me but in the right recipe, it can be awesome! This lasagna looks like a perfect recipe for it!
I actually made eggplant rollatinis over the weekend and we’ve been eating them all week. Your method is a little healthier than mine; I fried the eggplant. I’ll have to try baking them sometime!
I am obsessed and I might have screamed “NOOOOOO” out loud when the season ended. PLease tell me when it will be back… I cannot find a date anywhere and I am DYING!! 🙂
I wish I knew! All I know is they’re still filming it so probably not for awhile..boooo!
This looks goooorgeous! I LOVE breaded aubergine, don’t think I’ve ever put it in a lasagne like this but it looks amazing!!