Eggplant Lasagna

Using vegetables as a substitute for pasta is a great way to sneak in some extra veggies into your meal. I have a friend who has used dried zucchini. You can find that recipe here. I found this recipe for eggplant lasagna in a cookbook made by WIC and First 5 Riverside. Craig brought it home from work one day and we have used several recipes from it. It was basically a cookbook that focused on cooking with fruits and vegetables. I altered the recipe a bit to suit our families needs, like adding meat.

1 T olive oil
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef or turkey
5 large tomatoes thinly sliced
1 1/2 t dried basil
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1 1/2 t salt
1 medium eggplant, thinly sliced
8-16 oz mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese to top

Preheat oven to 425. In a skillet over meduim high heat saute onions, garlic and brown meat in olive oil. When the meat is brown and the onions are tender, drain liquid. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, and salt. Saute until tomatoes are tender. They will fall apart a bit. Spread half of tomato mixture into greased baking dish (I usually use cooking spray) Place one layer of eggplant over tomato mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Layer one more time, finishing with cheese. Top with a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until eggplant is tender. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is light brown.


There is a lot of moisture coming from the eggplant so don't be too concerned about all the liquid in the pan. It doesn't affect taste or flavor. I really like this recipe because all the ingredients are fresh and it tastes really good. My kids will eat it up, except my 4 year old who knows she doesn't like what's for dinner before I even make it. Enjoy!