Eggplant lasagna is a healthy, delicious, low-carb alternative to traditional meat-based lasagna. It is one of many delightful vegetarian lasagnas. The only fattening part of this dish is the cheese. Due to the lack of ground beef, it is also cost-efficient. If you have trouble locating marinara sauce, you can simply use your choice of spaghetti sauce. As an alternative to making the white sauce, ricotta cheese can be used. As with any recipe, feel free to adjust the seasoning according to personal preferences. This dish is great served up with a nice gardener or Caesar salad and some homemade garlic bread.
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[btn color=”orange” target=””]Ingredients:[/btn]
- 3 large eggplants
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- mozzarella cheese for topping
- Parmesan cheese for topping
For sauce:
- 24 oz pasta or marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- pinch of basil
- cooking oil
For bechamel/white sauce:
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup fresh milk
- 1/2 cup grated Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese
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- Servings: 4
- Time: 55 minutes
- Level: Moderate
- Cuisine: American
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Recipe Rating:
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[btn color=”orange” target=””]Cooking Video:[/btn]
[btn color=”orange” target=””]Directions:[/btn]
- Slice eggplant lengthwise into about 1/4 inch thick pieces, and place them on a baking pan coated with a cooking spray.
- Season eggplant with salt and pepper. Brush evenly with cooking oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. After 20 minutes, you can set the oven to broil for the remaining 10 minutes to ensure the eggplants are lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside. Alternatively, you can grill or fry them in hot pan until light brown.
- Add olive oil to a preheated pan. Saute onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Pour in marinara sauce and water. Add salt, pepper, basil, and grated cheddar cheese . Cover, stir occasionally, and simmer over low heat for at least 20. Set aside.
- Add butter in a saucepan. While melting, add in flour, 1 table spoon at a time, and continuously stir over low heat until flour is fully dissolved. Pour in fresh milk one half at a time. Continue to whisk the mixture until smooth, lump free, and well combined. Turn off heat. Sprinkle in grated Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese and stir well until sauce is creamy and cheeses is melted. Allow it to cool down for a few minutes and set aside.
- Spread sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Lay in the roasted eggplant side by side. Add a layer of sauce, white sauce, crushed tomatoes and cheeses. Repeat procedure according how many layers you desire.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for at least 20 -30 minutes or until the the top is light brown.
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
