This eggplant lasagna swaps high-carb lasagna noodles with low-carb eggplant slices. Try this keto eggplant lasagna recipe and you won’t need a nap afterwards!
Total carbs 12g, net carbs 8g
Sometimes I crave warm and satisfying comfort food. I just want to tuck into a savory casserole, oozing with hot, gooey mozzarella cheese like an eggplant parmesan or lasagna, but I know I can't eat traditional eggplant parmesan which is coated in flour and bread crumbs. And lasagna is out of the question because of the pasta noodles.
Traditional lasagna recipes call for a box of lasagna noodles. The carb count for traditional lasagna is about 28g of net carbs per serving compared to 8g of net carbs for healthy eggplant lasagna without pasta. That's a difference of 20g of net carbs! Low carb keto for the win!
Don't worry you won't miss regular lasagna noodles. This is the best eggplant lasagna and is absolutely delicious!
👩🏻🍳 Table of contents
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
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- Total carbs 12g, net carbs 8g
- 👩🏻🍳 Table of contents
- Ingredients
- Optional ingredients
- How to make keto eggplant lasagna
- Equipment
- Substitutions
- What can I serve with eggplant lasagna?
- How to make eggplant lasagna ahead of time
- How to store eggplant lasagna
- Watch how to make keto eggplant lasagna
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Keto Eggplant Lasagna recipe card
- More eggplant recipes
Ingredients
Eggplant slices
In place of pasta noodles, you'll need 3 large eggplants approximately 1 to 1 ¼ pounds each. Look for eggplants that feel heavy in your hand, have smooth, shiny skin with no brown spots and green stems. Press the flesh with your finger. It should leave a slight indentation.
Salt for preparing the eggplant
Salt eggplant. Salting removes some of the bitterness of eggplants. Use 1 tablespoon of salt in the boiling water, not as a seasoning.
Vinegar
Use 1 tablespoon of vinegar in the salt water used to boil the eggplant slices, to keep the eggplant slices from discoloring.
Full fat ricotta cheese
Typically used in lasagna, ricotta cheese is a mild, creamy cheese that adds protein to the filling.
Fresh mozzarella cheese
A generous portion of fresh mozzarella is layered in for protein and hot gooey cheesy deliciousness.
Parmesan cheese
Parmesan cheese adds a layer of Italian umami to the dish.
Eggs
Eggs add protein and binds the filling.
Spices
Salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon give the dish an aromatic, sweet and savory flavor profile. Cinnamon is linked to better blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that it may curb blood sugar by lowering insulin resistance.
Olive oil
Add olive oil to the sauce to keep it from sticking to the casserole dish.
Crushed canned tomatoes
Use canned tomatoes instead of pasta sauce or tomato sauce which can contain added sugar.
Optional ingredients
This is a vegetarian eggplant lasagna. However, you can add meat if you like or try these other ingredients.
- roasted eggplant
- Italian sausage
- meat sauce
- ground beef
- Italian seasonings
- fresh basil
- tomato sauce (no sugar added)
- marinara sauce (no sugar added)
- frozen spinach
- summer squash
- zucchini squash
How to make keto eggplant lasagna
This is a quick and easy eggplant lasagna that doesn't use fried eggplant. If you have time, roast the eggplant slices instead of boiling them. Roasted eggplant slices will have a richer eggplant flavor.
- Slice eggplant into thin, long slices. Salt the eggplant. Boil a pot of salted water. Add a splash of vinegar. Boil eggplant slices until tender. Drain and pat dry with paper towels so you don't end up with watery lasagna.
- While the eggplant cooks, combine ricotta cheese with egg and spices to make a cheese mixture. This recipe uses salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg for seasoning. Feel free to use Italian seasoning if that is your preference.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Layer crushed tomatoes, cooked eggplant, ricotta cheese mixture, and mozzarella cheese in a baking dish. Repeat layers. If you prefer to use meat sauce, layer in cooked Italian sausage or ground beef.
- Top with crushed tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for an hour.
Equipment
- A large casserole dish
- A pot with a lid
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
Substitutions
- Zucchini slices for zucchini lasagna
- Full fat cottage cheese if ricotta isn't available
- shredded mozzarella cheese can substitute fresh mozzarella
What can I serve with eggplant lasagna?
Serve hot and bubbly with a side salad or side vegetable. If you are feeding non-carb counters, then serve this dish with a side of garlic bread or pasta or both.
How to make eggplant lasagna ahead of time
If you’d like to prepare eggplant lasagna ahead of time, simply assemble the lasagna in an oven-safe container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
If you need to prepare even farther in advance, assemble the lasagna in an oven-safe container that can also go in the freezer. To prevent freezer burn, press plastic wrap down against the surface and up around the sides to seal out all the air. Then make sure that it is tightly covered with a lid. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Before you bake the lasagna, defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once it has fully defrosted, bake according to the instructions in the recipe card below. Bake the lasagna until its internal temperature reaches at least 160° F. If the lasagna was not fully thawed before baking, you must bake it longer.
How to store eggplant lasagna
You can store baked eggplant lasagna in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat keto eggplant lasagna by placing on a microwavable plate and heating it for 2-3 minutes on high heat.
Watch how to make keto eggplant lasagna
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can you have eggplant on a keto diet! A quarter of a large eggplant is about 1 serving and has only 4 grams of net carbs. Eggplant is also low on the glycemic index, so it won't spike your blood sugar.
Eggplant is a non-starchy vegetable. That makes it naturally low in carbs. Use eggplant slices instead of lasagna noodles for a low-carb swap. 1 large eggplant (approximately 1-¼ lb) has only 16 grams net carbs, the rest is fiber, protein, and vitamins. Leave the skin on for the phyto-nutrients.
Quickly boiling sliced eggplant noodles in salted water for a few minutes removes much of the bitterness and softens the eggplant.
Keto Eggplant Lasagna recipe card
- Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 portions 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This recipe swaps high-carb lasagna noodles with a healthy portion of eggplant slices. If this recipe were to use a box of lasagna noodles instead of eggplant, the carb count would mount to 28g of net carbs per serving.This is a difference of 20g of net carbs! Eat this low-carb, keto-friendly version instead and you won’t need a nap afterwards!
Ingredients
3 large eggplants (approximately 1-1 ¼ lbs each)
1 tablespoon salt plus 1 tablespoon vinegar (for boiling water, not seasoning)
2 cups (about 15 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese
3 eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 pounds (32 ounces) fresh mozzarella cheese
¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
2 cups of crushed canned tomato
Instructions
Set a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Meanwhile slice the eggplants lengthwise about ½ inch thick. Boil for 3 minutes then drain and let cool. This removes some of the bitterness and softens the eggplant.
Combine ricotta cheese with nutmeg, cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt & ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and eggs. Mix throughly.
Combine olive oil and crushed tomato.
Slice the mozzarella into ¼ inch slices.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a large casserole dish. Place a layer of eggplant over it. Spread a layer of ricotta mix over the eggplant. Top with a layer of mozzarella. Repeat layering process with tomato sauce, eggplant, ricotta mix and mozzarella. Finish with a final layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour.
Notes
Just before serving, put the eggplant casserole under a broiler for 1-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Keep an eye on it! Check the casserole every minute to avoid burning the cheese.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Keto, Meatless, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Diabetes, Carbs, count, carbohydrates, Main, Vegetables, no pasta, Monday, WOE, LCHF, diet
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