If you love lasagna but find it too filling (or are trying to cut back on pasta), you need to try this vegetarian eggplant lasagna recipe! Mushrooms add an extra savoriness to the cheesy filling. It’s a great weeknight meal, as well as a good make-ahead option for dinner parties.
I’ll be the first to admit I love a good pasta recipe. This baked butternut squash macaroni and cheese is a personal favorite when fall and winter roll around. But it can be a bit heavy, you know?
Sometimes I want the cozy comfort of a cheesy pasta casserole without feeling like I immediately need a nap after I finish eating. That’s where this vegetarian eggplant lasagna recipe fits in beautifully!
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggplants
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Ricotta cheese
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Oregano
- Marinara sauce
How to Make Eggplant Lasagna
- You can certainly make marinara from scratch if you prefer (my all-purpose tomato sauce would also work). However, I prefer to save time since the eggplant needs to be roasted and the mushrooms need to be sautéed. I’m a fan of Rao’s Homemade, which actually tastes homemade. I wasn’t paid to say that; they have no idea who I am.
- I used a 9×13 casserole dish, which is deeper than most 9×13 baking dishes (the type you would use for brownies). You want to use a casserole or lasagna pan that’s 2 1/2 – 3 inches deep.
- You’re aiming for approximately 12-15 slices of eggplant total. The eggplant will shrink as it roasts, and thicker slices mean a more textured lasagna. If you slice thinner than 3/4 inches, the roasting time will decrease, so keep an eye on them. You don’t have to salt the eggplant prior to roasting. More on this below.
Does eggplant need to be salted?
I know I might get a few questions about this, so here’s the quick rundown. You do not need to salt the eggplant before roasting it. It will not impact the flavor or texture. I promise there is no bitterness in this lasagna.
You certainly can take this extra step if you want to; it won’t hurt anything. However, it will add about 30-60 minutes onto the prep time.
Salting eggplant does have one benefit: it will extract some of the water, which can seep out of individual slices a bit on subsequent reheats. It’s a minor annoyance that to me isn’t worth the additional time. It’s not a ton of liquid.
How to Salt
If you want to salt the eggplant before roasting it, here’s how to do so:
- Spread out a couple wire cooling racks set over rimmed baking sheets, or place 1-2 large colanders in the sink.
- After slicing the eggplant, sprinkle each slice generously with salt (I like to salt the slices on both sides). Leave untouched for 30-60 minutes, until there are beads of water.
- Thoroughly wash the salt from the eggplant, and pat dry using paper towels (you want the slices as dry as possible before roasting). Proceed with the recipe!
More Eggplant Recipes
If you like this eggplant lasagna recipe, you should definitely check out my baba ganoush, grilled fairytale eggplant, and Chinese eggplant with spicy garlic sauce!
Eggplant Lasagna
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 3/4-inch slices (see notes)
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 4 cups cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
- 15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves
- 2 cups marinara sauce (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 1 large or 2 standard sheet pans lined with foil or parchment. Brush both sides using 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden, flipping halfway through, about 25 minutes total. After removing the eggplant from the oven, lower the temperature to 350 degrees F.
- While the eggplant is roasting, heat the remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and thyme, then cook for another minute.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, eggs, 3/4 cup parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, oregano, the mushroom mixture, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish using olive oil or cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup marinara on the bottom. Top with 4-5 slices of eggplant (depending on how large the slices are). You can optionally overlap them slightly. Top with half the mushroom cheese filling, spreading evenly. Top with 1/2 cup marinara, a layer of eggplant, the remaining mushroom cheese filling, a layer of eggplant, and 1 cup marinara. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan and mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake until golden brown for 40 minutes. Allow to set for 20 before slicing.
Video
Notes
I used a 9x13 casserole dish, which is slightly deeper than most 9x13 baking dishes (they type you would use for brownies).
You need approximately 12-15 slices of eggplant total. Keep in mind that the eggplant will shrink as it roasts. Thicker slices mean a more textured lasagna. If you slice thinner than 3/4 inches, the roasting time will decrease, so keep an eye on them. You don’t have to salt the eggplant before roasting. It will not impact the flavor or texture. However, you can choose to salt it beforehand to extract some of the water, which might seep out a bit on subsequent reheats. See my post notes for instructions on how to salt the eggplant.
Adapted from Food Network
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says
Love this twist on lasagna!
T Taylor says
I made this last night. It was fantastic! Everyone loved it and many people had second helpings. I made it as the recipe read for the most part. I just didn’t measure sauce. I put what looked right to me and it turned out beautifully. The slices came out nice too. I used Rao’s marinara and it was perfect. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers today. Thank you.
Sarah Fennel says
This looks delicious!
Leigh Ann says
The perfect cozy dinner lightened up!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I LOVE eggplant! I am so trying this Jennifer!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
Pretty sure I would love this!! I love lasagna… and I love eggplant too.
Tieghan Gerard says
Love the sound of this! Cheesy eggplant is totally the way to go!
naomi says
Love this dish! Especially the fact that it is vegetarian. Such a great meal for the family.
Yolonda says
Looking forward to trying this recipe. One question though, is it really necessary to precook the eggplant before baking it in the lasagna? Can i just layer it in fresh?
Thanks…Yolonda
Jennifer Farley says
Hi Yolanda! You can try baking the lasagna without pre-roasting the eggplant, but it’s going to impact the structure. That doesn’t mean it won’t still taste good, and I’d love to hear how if goes if you try it. But eggplant shrinks a LOT when you roast it, and that size reduction mainly comes from the water being cooked out of the vegetable. So if the water is left whole in the eggplant, inside the lasagna, it will likely “escape” into the rest of the casserole– the sauce, the filling, etc. The lasagna might not hold its shape as well when sliced, and the flavors could become slightly diluted.
Nishu Chauhan says
Oh my! Hubby would love this! Pinning now! Thanks for sharing!!
Robin says
For make ahead option. Do you make the whole recipe and cook before storing in refrigerator?
Jennifer Farley says
Hi Robin, you could either build the lasagna, store it covered in the refrigerator, and then bake it right before serving (up to 24 hours), or bake it and then reheat it later. I’d probably be more inclined to store it uncooked and then bake before serving, since it tastes so good right out of the oven.
Robin says
Thank you for your quick response this helps a lot.
Christine says
Hi,
I made this tonight for Meatless Monday (with a side of homemade breadsticks) and I wanted to say that this is AWESOME!! I love that you went heavy on the mushrooms as it adds a lot of texture to the dish too.
Note:I wanted to get to a gym class and was running short on time. I baked this for 15 minutes and then set it on high broil for 10. May have sliced a little thinner than 3/4 in, which may have sped up cook time, but top started getting golden brown under broiler and was able to dig right in when I took it out. (It was one of those moments where you say “hot, hot, hot” every time you take a bite… but the boys also gave it raves when they got home once it had cooled.)
We will definitely make this again – and feels like it would be a good option for both gluten-free, vegetarian friends. :)
Deb says
Can pre-roast the eggplant a day before I put it all together to save time? Would pre-rpasting it cause it to get mushy and ruin the overall texture of the dish?
Jennifer Farley says
Hi Deb, that’s a good question! I haven’t tried it so I’m not entirely sure, to be honest. I think it will likely be softer, but not so much so that it ruins the lasagna. My advice would be to buy some extra eggplant and do a test run first.
Sandy says
Your recipe looks great, but my husband is not a fan of mushrooms. Can you suggest a substitute veggie.
Amber says
How do you think this would freeze – after cooking it. How long would you freeze it for? I’ve made this so many times for friends and family and it’s always a winner. Thanks for the recipe :)
Jennifer Farley says
I’m so glad you like it! You can freeze it, but it may release more water per slice once you defrost it. I try not to freeze casseroles for longer than 3 months, so I’d say that’s a safe bet here.