This classic lasagna dish made with eggplant will take you back through time. Try out this straightforward recipe for creamy and flavorful eggplant lasagna for dinner during the middle of the week. Because it is not prepared with noodles, it has fewer carbohydrates and is free of gluten. You'll be able to master the preparation of this classic eggplant dish with the help of our step-by-step instructions and accompanying video. The combination of ground beef and eggplant is a culinary combination that has stood the test of time. This flavor combination is used in a variety of meals, including classic eggplant lasagna, Turkish stuffed eggplant, Greek moussaka, and others. 
The preparation of this dish could take a little bit of time, but the wait will be well worth it. HOW ACCURATELY THIS RECIPE SHOULD BE FOLLOWED This is one of my all-time favorite lasagna recipes for a variety of reasons, including the following: Because of the layers of roasted eggplant, finely seasoned ground beef, and a scrumptious cheese mixture (3 sorts! ), this dish has a fantastic taste combination. It is virtually hard to turn down this dish because of the layers of roasted eggplant. In addition to its delicious flavor, this meal is an excellent option for those who are looking for a lasagna that does not include gluten. It also has a low carb content. Because it does not call for noodles, this meal is also great for those watching their carbohydrate intake. Making it while I'm cooking meals is one of my favorite things to do since it can be kept fresh and delicious in the refrigerator for a few days without changing its consistency or flavor in any way. In addition to that, it warms up quite well. I have just presented you with three persuasive arguments in favor of giving this fantastic eggplant lasagna a go this weekend. INGREDIENTS To prepare this eggplant lasagna without using noodles, you will need these ingredients: I used eggplants from Italy, but you could just as easily use globe eggplants. Because Chinese eggplants have less flesh than other varieties, I would not recommend using them. Extra virgin olive oil is the kind of olive oil that is often suggested. This onion is going to be used in the beef sauce that we're making. It is preferable to use lean ground beef with a fat level of between 5 and 7%. As far as spices go, all you really need is some salt, pepper, oregano, and dried basil. 
Tomato sauce: For this meal, you might use either homemade tomato sauce or store-bought tomato sauce from a jar. It is important that you keep in mind that you will not be using spaghetti sauce with this recipe. Make use of smashed tomatoes for a boost in both taste and color. Ricotta made with whole milk is my preference, although ricotta made with half skim milk would also work. Parmesan: For this recipe, the best parmesan would be freshly grated parmesan cheese. Egg: Used to act as a binder for the cheese filling. Mozzarella: Please grate your own mozzarella if you are able to. It improves the overall taste of the food. COOKING GUIDELINES Putting the Eggplant Together The eggplant should be halved lengthwise and then sliced to a thickness of 1/4 inch. The slices should then be placed on a baking sheet and salted generously on both sides. The eggplant should be allowed to rest for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it begins to "sweat." In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and ensure that the eggplants are well dried off before brushing them with olive oil and placing them in the oven for 20 minutes. GET THE FILLING READY After warming the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, the spices and ground beef are sautéed together. After a short time of cooking, remove it from the heat and set it aside. In a separate dish, whisk together the egg, parmesan, and ricotta. 
COMBINE AND BAKE Arrange the meat sauce, eggplant, ricotta mixture, and shredded mozzarella in a baking dish, then place it in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the meat is cooked through. A SINGLE ACTION CHANGES EVERYTHING The most important stage in the preparation of dishes that call for this vegetable is salting the eggplant. The following are some of the benefits of doing this step: Because of this, the eggplant will lose more water throughout the cooking process, which will prevent it from becoming too watery (on the grill, in the oven, or in the fryer). It provides eggplant the delicate and pleasurable texture that we like and prevents the vegetable from becoming mushy, sticky, or soggy. When cooked, salted eggplant takes up far less oil than its unseasoned counterpart does. VARIATIONS To make it vegetarian, just delete the ground beef and replace it with chopped vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, and maize, or with meat alternatives like as vegetarian sausage. You may switch up the sort of meat that you use to make this eggplant lasagna by substituting the ground beef with Italian chicken sausage, ground chicken, or ground turkey instead of the ground beef. NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS I recommend not peeling the eggplant since the slices are already tiny and the skin will hold its shape when baked into the lasagna after being roasted. The question of whether or not the eggplant has to be peeled is answered in the affirmative. 
It is best practice, just as it does with traditional lasagna, to wait a few minutes after the dish has cooled before attempting to cut it. The leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days in a container that is airtight and made of glass. Is it possible to freeze this meal? No, you shouldn't store this recipe since the extra liquid that the eggplant creates affects the consistency of the lasagna when it's frozen. Ingredients
- 3 Italian eggplants were Washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 lb ground beef lean
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz.
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 oz.
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Trim the eggplants' tops and bottoms. Slice the eggplants 14 inches thick when cut lengthwise.
- Slices of eggplant should be placed on a baking pan with salt liberally sprinkled on both sides. Allow the eggplants to "sweat" for 45 minutes. After that, dry them off and brush 12 teaspoons of olive oil on all sides.
- Roast the eggplants for 20 minutes after preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
- The onion should be sautéed till golden brown in the meanwhile in a big skillet with the remaining olive oil.
- After breaking up the ground beef, brown it with salt, pepper, dried oregano, and basil.
- Add the tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes once the ground beef has finished cooking. Cooking should continue for a while. Heat has been removed; placed aside.
- In a large mixing basin, combine ricotta, Parmesan, and an egg. Set aside.
- It's time to put your eggplant lasagna together. Spray cooking spray on a baking dish and preheat the oven to 375°F. Start by covering the bottom of the serving dish with a thin layer of beef sauce. Ricotta cheese and roasted eggplant are used to top the meal. Before serving, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top of the meat sauce. Continue until there is no more ricotta mixture, eggplant, or beef sauce.
- Bake the eggplant lasagna for forty minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden.
- Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting it.