Eggplant and zucchini lasagna

I’ve been trying to experiment with new low carb recipes this month. Not easy, but this is one my husband and I both loved. It has all the delicious cheesy indulgence of a regular lasagna buy with way less carbs. Instead of the typical pasta noodles, you use thinly sliced and toasted eggplant and zucchini. It’s a bit more work than using no bake pasta noodles, but it’s totally worth it. Plus, zucchini and eggplant are both plentiful and delicious in September, so now is the perfect time to try this recipe!

For this lasagna, I just stuck to 2 layers of eggplant and zucchini (one on the top and one on the bottom) and one layer of ricotta cheese. You could split it up into more layers but it’s more work and I’m lazy.

Note: If you’re vegan, I recommend trying this with cashew ricotta (I use the one at Trader Joe’s) and vegan shredded mozzarella (I hear Miyoko’s is good, though I haven’t tried it yet).

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 large eggplants
• Olive oil
• 3 zucchini
• 12 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces grated Quattro formaggi cheese (can sub fontina or provolone)
• 24 ounces marinara sauce (I recommend Rao’s; it’s a simple list of ingredients with no added sugar)
• Chopped basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut eggplant into long 1/2 inch thick slices, slicing lengthwise. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices.
3. Salt eggplant and zucchini. Let sit for 20 minutes. Drain excess liquid using a colander, then wipe off any remaining water and salt using a paper towel.
4. Brush each slice of eggplant with olive oil, covering both sides. Arrange on 2 large baking trays and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Repeat previous step with zucchini, but this time, bake for 10 minutes instead of 20. Remove from oven and let cool.
6. In the meantime, prep your filling. Defrost your spinach in the microwave, then squeeze out any extra water. Stir spinach and ricotta together.
7. Assemble your lasagna in a 9×13 pan. Place half your tomato sauce in the pan and spread it out so the bottom is coated evenly. Layer half your zucchini and eggplant slices over the sauce (overlaps are okay), then top with all your spinach and ricotta mixture. Layer on your remaining eggplant and zucchini, top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle grated cheese on top.
8. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes until the cheese is nice and bubbly.