Eggplant Lasagna with Mushroom Ragu

This recipe is part of a two-part 3-course meal menu. Start with this Creamy Tomato Beet Soup.

Who doesn't love lasagna? Whether it's traditional with pasta and meat, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, you name it - it's a people pleaser and is super satisfying!

One of the most popular vegetarian, low-carb versions is substituting the pasta with eggplant. The vegetable cut into thick enough sheets (not too thick!) acts as the lasagna pasta sheets, and takes on whatever flavour you add to them like a sponge. Most people keep the meat, but I swapped that out for some baby Bella mushrooms, and it was just as delicious.

This a great main dish when you are hosting or looking for a tasty weekend dinner.

I also paired the lasagna with an easy Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. Even though eggplant is a vegetable, you may still want to balance out the cheese with something green!

I also recommend pairing this dish with a bold, red wine like a cabernet sauvignon or merlot.

Ingredients

2 eggplants

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

9 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms ( a pack and a half)

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

3 spring onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon fenugreek powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 jar marinara sauce

2 tablespoon sherry or cooking wine

2 tablespoons Worcester sauce

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

Fresh parsley or basil

Instructions

Prepare the eggplant. Think of this like boiling pasta sheets before laying them into the baking pan to layer your lasagna. Pre-cooked eggplant will taste so much better seasoned and baked before assembly.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice off the tips of your eggplants, then slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices (or just thick enough to handle the layers on top).

Brush with olive oil, then season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes, until slightly browned and softened, remove from oven and set aside.

Make your ragu. In a saucepan, add the butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh garlic and spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the spring and red onions, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add in the mushroom, and sweat them out for about 5 minutes.

Add in the Worchester sauce, sherry, and marinara sauce, reduce heat from medium to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

While the ragu cooks, make the cheese filling. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the parmesan, ricotta, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, garlic and spices.

Once the ragu is done, assemble your lasagna! In a baking pan (I used 8 by 8 inches) spoon a level layer of the ragu, then layer the eggplant, ricotta mix, and mozzarella cheese on top. Repeat the process in equal parts each time. Your final layer should be mozzarella cheese which can melt on top, sprinkle some grated parmesan and fresh parsley if you care.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375F - you can cover the baking pan with foil if you like then broil at the end to melt or crispen the top.

Serve with the Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad!