Eggplant Lasagna with Beefy Marinara and Golden Three-Cheese Layers
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
30 min
Cook
65 min
Total
95 min
Servings
8
Level
Easy
Baking the eggplant slices removes moisture from the eggplant and adds texture to the dish, reducing the risk of a moist lasagna. Eggplant lasagna contains baked eggplant slices and layers of other ingredients, including beef and marinara sauce and three cheeses, with edges of mozzarella cheese browned and the layered center hot.
The sauce has cooked ground beef, diced onion, and chopped garlic sautéed in olive oil, as well as marinara sauce simmered for 5 minutes. Ricotta cheese is mixed with Italian seasoning, egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and combined with mozzarella cheese. Sauce is layered under the first eggplant layer to add moisture. Layers of ricotta and mozzarella cheese are also added to the casserole.
Look for roasted eggplant that is tender and brown and a golden-brown color for the mozzarella on top, which was baked both covered and uncovered. Issues to look out for include too much liquid in the eggplant, which may lead to leakage and reduced sauce during both covered and uncovered baking. To address this issue, blot the slices of eggplant if needed or use a spoon or baster to remove liquids from the prepared dish before serving.
Serve after standing at room temperature for 7-10 minutes. Standing time allows the layers to firm up and makes slicing easier. Use leftovers within 3 days. To serve leftovers, warm them covered in the oven until hot. To serve single portions, microwave on high for 90 seconds or until hot.
Why we keep this one around
- Roasting the eggplant will help each layer of the dish hold together when you cut it because most of the moisture has been removed from the eggplant,
- keeping the bottom layer from getting soggy and making it easy to cut the casserole.
- The beef sauce is cooked briefly with marinara to provide a cooked topping of beef, onion, and garlic that can be served and eaten in chunks.
- Covering the baking dish the first time you bake the casserole will help warm the layered center.
- Leaving the casserole dish uncovered the second time you bake the casserole will help brown the mozzarella cheese, rather than leaving it white.
- A seven- to ten-minute rest time before slicing helps the other layers, including eggplant, set so that the ricotta and sauce layers don't slide around.
- Layers of ricotta and Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses add three kinds of cheese to your pizza for a creamy layer and browned mozzarella on your slices.
- The ricotta mixture includes eggs and Parmesan cheese to bind the filling and evenly distribute Italian seasoning throughout the layers. Otherwise, all the Italian seasoning would go in the sauce.
Ingredients
- •2 eggplants
- •1 tbsp olive oil (divided use)
- •1 lb ground beef (90% lean)
- •½ cup onion (diced)
- •2 tsp garlic (minced)
- •24 oz marinara sauce (jar)
- •16 oz ricotta cheese
- •½ tsp Italian seasoning
- •1 egg
- •½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- •2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided use)
- •1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- •salt and pepper (to taste)
- •cooking spray
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- 2
Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
- 3
Trim the stem end from the eggplants.
- 4
Cut the eggplants lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
- 5
Brush 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the eggplant slices and season with salt and pepper.
- 6
Roast the eggplant for 15-20 minutes, until tender and browned.
- 7
Blot any excess moisture from the cooked eggplant with a paper towel.
- 8
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- 9
Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes while breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through.
- 10
Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
- 11
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 12
Add the marinara sauce, bring it to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
- 13
Mix the ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well combined.
- 14
Coat a 2- or 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- 15
Place 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
- 16
Add 1/3 of the eggplant slices over the sauce.
- 17
Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the eggplant, then top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
- 18
Repeat the layers, ending with mozzarella cheese.
- 19
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- 20
Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- 21
Sprinkle with parsley and let stand for 7-10 minutes.
- 22
Cut into slices and serve.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
368
Calories
30g
Protein
23g
Fat
12g
Carbs
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