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Vegetable Lasagna with Aubergine
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Vegetable Lasagna with Aubergine

A hearty, layered vegetarian lasagna featuring roasted aubergine, a rich tomato-vegetable sauce, creamy ricotta-spinach layer and a smooth béchamel. Serves 6 and works with oven-ready or pre-cooked lasagna sheets.

Prep:45 min
Cook:60 min
Total:105 min
Servings:6
medium
vegetarian
lasagna
aubergine
eggplant
Italian
baked

Ingredients

  • •2 medium aubergines
  • •6 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
  • •1 large onion
  • •3 cloves garlic cloves
  • •2 medium courgette
  • •250 g mushrooms (e.g., cremini)
  • •200 g fresh spinach
  • •800 ml passata (or crushed tomatoes)
  • •2 tbsp tomato paste
  • •1 tsp dried oregano
  • •1 tsp dried basil
  • •1 tsp sugar
  • •1.5 tsp salt
  • •0.5 tsp black pepper
  • •12 sheets lasagna sheets (oven-ready or pre-cooked)
  • •400 g ricotta cheese
  • •1 item large egg
  • •100 g Parmesan, grated
  • •300 g mozzarella, shredded
  • •60 g butter (for béchamel)
  • •60 g plain/all-purpose flour
  • •600 ml milk (whole or semi-skimmed), warm
  • •0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • •10 g fresh basil leaves (optional)
  • •0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1.Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking tray with parchment or lightly oil it.
  2. 2.Prepare the aubergines: slice each aubergine into 0.8–1 cm (1/3–1/2 inch) rounds. Lay slices on a tray, sprinkle lightly with 0.5 tsp salt and leave for 15–20 minutes to draw out bitterness and moisture. Pat dry with kitchen paper and brush both sides lightly with 1–2 tbsp olive oil.
  3. 3.Roast or grill the aubergine slices: arrange on the baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender. Remove and set aside.
  4. 4.Make the tomato-vegetable sauce: heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  5. 5.Add vegetables: slice the zucchini and mushrooms and add to the pan. Sauté 6–8 minutes until they release moisture and begin to brown. Season with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper and the red pepper flakes if using.
  6. 6.Add tomatoes and simmer: stir in the passata (800 ml), tomato paste (2 tbsp), dried oregano and dried basil. Add 1 tsp sugar to balance acidity. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, 15–20 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  7. 7.Prepare the spinach-ricotta layer: while sauce simmers, wilt the spinach in a hot dry pan (or microwave) until collapsed (2–3 minutes). Drain and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. In a bowl, mix ricotta (400 g), chopped spinach, 1/2 of the grated Parmesan (50 g), the egg, a pinch of salt (about 0.25 tsp) and a little black pepper.
  8. 8.Make the béchamel: melt 60 g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 60 g flour and cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the warm milk (600 ml) until smooth. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens to a pourable but coating consistency (about 5–7 minutes). Season with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp nutmeg. Remove from heat.
  9. 9.Prepare to assemble: lower oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). If using dried, non-oven-ready lasagna sheets, boil them briefly according to package directions and drain. Use a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish—lightly oil the base.
  10. 10.Assemble the lasagna: spread a thin layer (about 1 cup / 250 ml) of tomato-vegetable sauce over the base to prevent sticking. Arrange a single layer of lasagna sheets to cover. Spread about one-third of the ricotta-spinach mixture over the sheets, then add a third of the roasted aubergine slices, and spoon about one-third of the tomato-vegetable sauce on top. Drizzle or spoon about one-quarter of the béchamel over the layer and sprinkle with a little mozzarella and a little Parmesan.
  11. 11.Repeat layers: add a second layer of sheets, then repeat ricotta-spinach, aubergine, sauce and some béchamel and cheeses. Finish with a final layer of sheets, the remaining tomato sauce, the rest of the béchamel, and top evenly with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  12. 12.Cover and bake: cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is bubbling and golden.
  13. 13.Rest and serve: remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes (this helps the lasagna set and makes slicing easier). Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and serve in generous portions.
  14. 14.Storage and reheating: cool completely, then refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze individual portions up to 3 months. Reheat from chilled in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 20–30 minutes (covered then uncovered to crisp) or reheat frozen portions covered at 180°C until heated through (45–60 minutes).