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Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna

Roasted eggplant and zucchini lasagna layers tender roasted vegetables between rich tomato sauce and golden, bubbly cheese. This vegetable lasagna no noodles bake uses a creamy ricotta layer for a hearty cross-section with dark eggplant and green zucchini.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
resting 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients
  

eggplant
  • 2 eggplants Slice into 1/4-inch rounds; salt for sweating.
zucchini
  • 3 zucchini Slice into 1/4-inch rounds for layered bake.
salt
  • 2 tsp salt For sweating the vegetables; use more for seasoning sauce/cheese to taste if needed.
olive oil
  • 1 olive oil For brushing vegetables and for the tomato sauce; measure as needed.
tomato sauce
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes Tomato base for the sauce.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Dried.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil To cook the garlic and start the sauce.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
ricotta layer
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese For creamy layer.
  • 1 egg Beaten or mixed in.
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Grated.
  • fresh basil Chopped; plus extra for garnish if desired.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
mozzarella
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese Shredded, divided between layers and top.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x13 baking dish
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Prep and roast vegetables
  1. Salt the eggplant and zucchini rounds, then let them sit for 20 minutes and pat them dry.
  2. Brush the vegetables with olive oil, then roast at 425°F for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender; set aside.
Make the tomato sauce
  1. In a saucepan, cook the garlic in olive oil for 1 minute, then add crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning along with salt and pepper.
  2. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
Mix ricotta layer
  1. Mix ricotta with the egg, parmesan, fresh basil, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
Assemble and bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, then spread 1/2 cup sauce in a 9x13 dish.
  2. Layer the eggplant and zucchini rounds overlapping, then spread the ricotta, spoon sauce, and scatter mozzarella.
  3. Repeat layers until finished, ending with sauce and mozzarella on top.
  4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 20–25 minutes until deeply golden.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the lasagna for 15 minutes before slicing, then garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Pro tip: dry-sweating the eggplant/zucchini helps the layers bake up firm instead of watery. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Freezer: freeze individual portions up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat. Dietary swap (if needed): use part-skim or a low-fat ricotta and shredded mozzarella to reduce calories while keeping the layer texture.