by Caitlin Shoemaker
published on
GFGluten Free
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This Vegan Eggplant Lasagna is free from Gluten, Dairy, and Grains, but not on flavor! A hearty, healthy, and cozy dinner option.
Looking for a cozy, filling, and all-around satisfying plant-based Dinner option? Look no further – this Eggplant Lasagna checks all of those boxes, and then some!
This Vegan Eggplant Lasagna has layers of Eggplant “noodles”, a mind-blowing Vegan Ricotta Cheese, and hearty Lentil and Vegetable mixture, to make the dish more filling and provide extra plant-protein. Simply layer everything in a casserole dish and bake it a little in the oven!
One of the biggest problems I’ve encountered with Eggplant Lasagna is it can get a little….mushy. Eggplant has a high water content, which releases during the baking process. Never fear though, friends! We’re going to pre-bake our Eggplant slices (before layering) to remove some of that unnecessary moisture.
You also want the Lentil & Vegetable filling to be as “dry” as possible when you add it to the Lasagna. Everything is still going to release a little liquid in the oven to keep things juicy, but wedo want to minimize all wet-ness in order to get those thick Lasagna layers we all know and love.
I’ve also seen several online recipes that require for you to salt your Eggplant, let it sit, and then rinse + use. I find that baking is amuch more effective way to remove extra moisture, and I’ve personally never encountered a “bitter” Eggplant, even without salting. I also think that salting the Egglant adds too much Salt to the recipe itself, and it’s harder for me to tell you the correct amount to add to the rest of the recipe in order to balance it out.
This recipe does require some work and quality time in your kitchen, but I promise it issoso worth it. All of the individual steps are straightforward, and you can even prepare the Vegan Ricotta, Lentil filling, and Eggplant “noodles” in advance!
A Few Final Thoughts:
- If you’re serving this to some picky eaters, you may want to peel the skin of the Eggplant (prior to slicing) to create a smoother, more noodle-like consistency. I personally did not mind it with the skin on – a little extra fiber never hurt anybody 😉
- If you’re looking for more cozy Vegan Dinner recipes, you’ll also love this Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole and this One Pot Pumpkin Curry!
- I opted to use a store-bought Marinara sauce, but if you want to get extra fancy you can also make your own.
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
[penci_video url=”https://youtu.be/kiRMFTr6nTg” align=”center” width=”560″ /]
Vegan Eggplant Lasagna
This Vegan Eggplant Lasagna is free from Gluten, Dairy, and Grains, but not on flavor! A hearty, healthy, and cozy dinner option.
- Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 65 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-12 Servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Lentil Filling:
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 cup Carrot, finely diced
- 14 oz Crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup Tomato Paste
- 1 cup Dry Green Lentils
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth
- ½ cup Parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup Basil, chopped
- Salt, to taste
For the Lasagna:
- Lentil Filling, above
- 1 batch of Vegan Ricotta
- 3 large Eggplant, cut into ⅓” rounds
- 1 ½ cup Marinara Sauce of Choice
Instructions
- Prepare the Eggplant:Preheat the oven to 375F while you prepare all of the ingredients. Line 2-3 Baking Trays with parchment paper and fill each tray with the Eggplant “coins”, so none are overlapping. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Make the Lentil Filling: In the meantime, add the diced Onion to a large pot with a splash of Water or Oil; sauté over Medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Then, add the Carrot, Crushed Tomatoes, and Tomato Paste to the pot, stirring well. Once everything is well incorporated, add the Lentils, Vegetable Broth, Parsley, and Basil. Bring everything to a boil, then cover and simmer over low for 30 minutes.
- Layer the Lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of Marinara Sauce over the base of a large casserole dish, then cover it well with 1/3 of the Eggplant – try to overlap it as tightly as possible!
- Layer 1: spread 1/2 of the cooked Lentil filling evenly across the Eggplant, followed by 1/3 of the Vegan Ricotta
- Layer 2: add another layer of Eggplant, then follow with the remainder of the Lentils and another 1/3 of the Ricotta
- Top it Off: add the remainder of the Eggplant to the Casserole, followed by the rest of the Vegan Ricotta. Pour 1 cup of Marinara Sauce over the dish, and swirl it together with the Ricotta to complete the Lasagna.
- Bake and Serve: bake the Lasagna at 375F for 35 minutes. Let the Lasagna sit for 10 minutes, then cut and serve as desired.
Keywords: eggplant lasagna, dairy free lasagna, grain free lasagna, low carb lasagna, lentil lasagna, vegetarian eggplant lasagna
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