Sausage Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Pesto

A low carb lasagna cutting more than half of the calories than regular lasagna by using eggplant in place of pasta! Layered with so much Mozzarella cheese and a Ricotta Pesto…no one will miss the usual carb loaded lasagna.

Salted Eggplant ‘sheets’ are drizzled with garlic olive oil and pan roasted to enhance their flavour…

And a rich and rustic bolognese is made with slices of beef sausage instead of the usual beef mice…

Layered in the same way as lasagna…

….only guilt free with those garlic roasted eggplant slices.

Baked until all of the cheese have melted over the top and throughout. And watch that ricotta bubbling through the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Completely messy, rustic and cheesy…

Who needs pasta anyway?

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Sausage Eggplant Lasagna

A carb free, healthy lasagna cutting more than half of the calories than regular lasagna by using eggplant in place of pasta! Layered with so much Mozzarella cheese and a Ricotta Pesto, no one will miss the usual carb loaded lasagna.

Weight Watchers: 11pp per serve.

Servings: 6

Calories: 519 kcal

Author: Karina - Cafe Delites

Ingredients

Lasagna:

3 large eggplants , sliced lengthways into 1-cm strips
Drizzle olive oil
Salt to season
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion , finely chopped
540 g | 19oz beef sausages , sliced
2 garlic cloves , crushed
2 x 400g | 14oz cans crushed tomatoes
small pinch of sugar (or a natural sweetener if following low carb)
1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder
1/2 cup basil leaves , chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Ricotta Pesto

250 g | 9oz ricotta (or mascarpone) cheese
4 tablespoons basil pesto

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray 2 oven trays with cooking oil spray. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on oven trays; drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to evenly coat with your hands. Roast for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes, or until tender and golden. Set aside to cool.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until light golden. Add the sausages and fry until browned and cooked through. Stir garlic through and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Season with salt to taste, a pinch of sugar, stock powder and basil.
Place ricotta, pesto, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix until well combined.
Grease a 6cm deep, 20cm (base) square ovenproof dish. Spread a third of the tomato sauce over the base of the pan. Add the eggplant slices over the top. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the eggplant. Layer with another layer of sauce, eggplant and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering with eggplant, sauce and half of the ricotta. Finish the top layer with sauce and remaining ricotta. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Sausage Eggplant Lasagna

Amount Per Serving (0 g)

Calories 519 Calories from Fat 227

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 25.2g 39%

Cholesterol 10.2mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%

Dietary Fiber 11.8g 47%

Protein 32g 64%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

Star says
February 28, 2017 at 4:44 AM
Can I make this ahead of time?
Kristi | Necessary Indulgences says
July 25, 2016 at 10:54 PM

I made this last night and it was fantastic! Thank you for the recipe.
Karina says
February 29, 2016 at 7:39 AM
Hi Danielle. The oven is preheated to 180C (350F) 🙂
Danielle Petrella says
February 29, 2016 at 7:03 AM
What temperature should the oven be when you put it in the over for 20 minutes at the end?
Karina says
February 19, 2016 at 11:39 AM
Hmmm I’m not sure as to why that happened? Did it cook out thinner than clumps? Was your ricotta a smooth type of ricotta?
Jen says
February 17, 2016 at 10:17 PM

My cheese didn’t come nice and runny like yours. The ricotta was dry clumps. Should I have mixed it with cream or something?
Karina says
October 30, 2015 at 5:50 PM
Katie I’m so glad you think so! I hope you do try this one!
katieecrawford says
October 30, 2015 at 1:40 AM
Everything about this is amazing! Eggplant instead of pasta?! Done. Pesto ricotta? Check. Cannot wait to make this!
Karina says
October 17, 2015 at 7:44 PM
Haha thank you Mila!
mila furman says
October 14, 2015 at 3:43 PM
Karina!!! This looks so incredible!!! I do not know how I keep missing your posts!!! But this is fantastic!

Sausage Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Pesto