Vegan Eggplant Lasagna

This comforting vegan eggplant lasagna is hearty, gluten-free, dairy-free, and bursting with all the usual flavours and textures of a classic lasagna recipe!

Eggplant vegan lasagna is ideal for those colder months and perfect for making ahead of the busy holiday season. It stores well in the refrigerator or freezer too - ready for reheating whenever you are.

While I’ve included brown rice lasagna sheets in this vegan aubergine lasagna, you can certainly make this recipe low-carb by skipping the lasagna sheets and simply adding more slices of pre-baked aubergine. 

Enjoy this vegan gluten-free eggplant lasagna as is or serve it with a light leafy salad. 

Ingredients for Eggplant Veggie Lasagna

To make this delicious dish you'll need to have the following ingredients on hand. As you can see, apart from the aubergine, onion, and fresh basil, the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples.

• Aubergines, sliced lengthwise
• Chopped tomatoes
• Coconut milk
• Vegetable stock
• Nutritional yeast
• Tomato paste
• Onion (white or yellow) diced
• Garlic, minced
• Brown rice lasagne sheets (Optional - see notes on how to make it without)
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Basil

For the spices, you'll need paprika, dried thyme, dried basil, chili flakes, and salt & pepper.

Can I add Other Vegetables to this Aubergine Lasagne?

Definitely! Lentils are another popular vegetable addition to a vegan lasagna. They could be added to the sauce, layered between the eggplant and pasta for a bulkier version of this lasagna. 

Can I Make it Without the Lasagne Sheets?

Yes, you can. If you want a low-carb version of this eggplant veggie lasagna, simply omit the pasta noodles and add some additional sheets of pre-baked eggplant. 

How Thick Should my Aubergine Slices be?

I haven’t really specified the width of the sliced eggplants but it’s worth noting that you shouldn’t cut the aubergine too thick, or there’s more likelihood of your dish being watery, especially if the thick slices haven’t released enough liquid from the pre-baking. Aim for around a ¼ inch (6-7mm).

How to Make Eggplant Vegan Lasagna

1. Preheat your oven to 200C / 400F
2. In a pan heat a drizzle of olive oil, and then add in the onion and garlic
3. Fry those for a few minutes before adding in the paprika, dried herbs and chilli flakes.
4. Next, add in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable stock and season it with salt and black pepper.
5. Combine well, bring up to a boil and then leave it to simmer for around 10 minutes or until thickened.
6. In the meantime, spread sliced aubergine out across 2 lined baking trays and brush each slice on both sides with a little olive oil.
7. Pop these in the oven to roast for 10 minutes, then flip them over for another 10 minutes.
8. Next, add the nutritional yeast to the tomato sauce, along with a handful of torn fresh basil.
9. Get your baking dish and layer in ⅓ of the sauce, then layer ⅓ third of roasted aubergines, then layer on some brown rice lasagna sheets.
10. Repeat 2 - 3 three layers like that, depending on the size of your baking dish.
11. Once all done, pop back into the oven (still at 200C / 400F) to bake for around 30 minutes.
12. Serve sprinkled with fresh basil.

What to Serve With Vegan Aubergine Lasagne

This dish is already quite hearty and filling as it is. For that reason, I recommend serving a light side dish along with this vegan lasagna. Something like a leafy salad would be great with this eggplant veggie lasagna. Or you could try my Brussells Sprout Salad, or Cucumber Radish Salad.

Alternatively, if you're not gluten-free, a big chunk of freshly baked bread (try my clean eating bread recipe!) goes well too.

How to Store Vegan Lasagna with Eggplant

Cover the baking dish with leftovers and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. 

You could also freeze this vegan aubergine lasagne for up to 3 months like any other pasta dish. Thaw overnight and reheat in the oven till heated throughout.

Tips for Making the Best Eggplant Lasagna Recipe

• Frying and baking the eggplant prior to assembling and baking the vegan lasagna helps to remove the excess moisture from the eggplants so that this dish doesn’t become a mushy mess. Eggplants are notorious for holding a lot of liquid. 
• If you have picky eaters in the family consider removing the skin around the edges of your sliced eggplant for a smoother texture. I leave the skin on for extra fibre but each to their own!
• For a little heat to this dish, consider using a brand of canned tomatoes such as Ro-Tel canned tomatoes. They contain diced green chilies that provide a slight kick of heat to any dish. Although, sa they come in 10oz cans, you'll have to adjust the measurements a little.
• The nutritional yeast in this dish provides a slight cheesy flavor which we all love about a typical lasagna. You can omit it if you’d prefer without it affecting how the dish turns out although it does offer an additional boost of nutrition too. 

Other Delicious Plant-Based One Dish Dinner Ideas:

• Potato Goulash
• Healthy Vegetable Stew
• Aubergine Daal
• Vegan Shepherd's Pie

As always please, if you make this recipe share it with me either on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I would love to see it! Hashtag #HediHearts.