This Eggplant Lasagne with Pumpkin is a favourite dish coming into the winter months. Made with deliciously roasted eggplant, mashed roast pumpkin and lasagne sheets, you really can't go wrong!
When I was younger (and still ate red meat), I got really turned off lasagne. I didn't know that there was any other types of lasagne other than the classic beef, bechamel and tomato.
I remember seeing a vegetarian lasagne on a menu one day and out of interest, I ordered it and instantly fell in love. You can literally put ANYTHING into a lasagne and roast vegetable lasagne has got to be one of my favourites!
Also, I'm really not sure whether it's lasagne or lasagna, but I feel the lasagna has too many 'a's in it, but please correct me if I'm wrong!
This eggplant lasagne with pumpkin recipe was made using homegrown eggplant and pumpkin - which I think is pretty cool! But, I've also made it super simple to make - no extra bits and bobs, just simple flavourful vegetables that are easily accessible most of the year. And carnivores, don't worry - I've given some options for substitutions too.
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Eggplant lasagne ingredients
Eggplant. Eggplant that has been sliced and pre-roasted is the star of this recipe.
Pumpkin. The other star of this recipe is a delicious roasted pumpkin that has been mashed with Italian herbs and spices to create a 'meat-like' layer without the meat!
Cheese. You want a cheese that melts, so I recommend Mozzarella or pre-packaged 3 or 4 cheese mixes.
Marinara Sauce/Passata. Tomato sauce forms the base flavour of the lasagne with the eggplant and pumpkin. You can make your own, or use store bought.
Herbs. I used Italian herbs and garlic to coat the eggplant and pumpkin before roasting it to give it an extra dimension of flavour. You can also top the lasagne with some fresh herbs like basil, parsley or thyme for an added touch of freshness.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make roast vegetable lasagne
Using a sharp knife and cutting board, slice the eggplant into circles and sprinkle each side with salt. Allow them to sweat for 5-10minutes. This allows them to sweat and remove bitterness once cooked. Blot moisture with a paper towel that is released.
Cut pumpkin into cubes, removing the skin.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and coat both the eggplant and pumpkin in olive oil, salt and pepper, crushed garlic and Italian herbs and roast in the oven for 40 minutes @180C or until the pumpkin has softened.
Using a stick blender, food processor or a good old fork or potato masher, mash the pumpkin until smooth (don't worry if it has a couple of lumps).
Layer a baking dish (I use a 9x13 inch deep dish) beginning with ¼ cup of the marinara/passata (this will ensure the lasagne sheets don't stick). Then add a single layer of lasagne sheets (normally 2 sheets).
Top the lasagne sheets with the mashed pumpkin, eggplant and another ¼ cup of marinara/passata. Continue until you reach the top.
Finish the layers with lasagne sheets then marinara/passata and grated cheese.
Cover with foil (don't let it touch the lasagne otherwise you'll end up with cheese everywhere) and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 20 minutes or until you can pierce through all the layers with a skewer.
If you are making lasagne for meal prep, cook only for a further 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden as the layers will continue to cook when you re-heat.
Let rest for at least 10 minutes.
Substitutions and variations
Other vegetables. You can pretty much add any other vegetables you want. I often do a layer of onion, spinach and ricotta, but I didn't have any when I put together this recipe.
You could also substitute the roast pumpkin with sweet potato or potato.
Beef lasagne. This is the classic "lasagne". Instead of the eggplant and pumpkin (or even in addition to), add a layer of cooked beef mince. You could also substitute this with chicken, pork or TVP for a vegetarian "meat" lasagne option.
Fresh lasagne. You can definitely use fresh lasagne sheets for this roast vegetable lasagne. Take away the 20 minutes covered cooking time as it won't be needed to cook the pasta through. Bake for 10-20 minutes (depending on if you're using as a meal prep) or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Low carb. You could remove the lasagne sheets and use an extra eggplant as "pasta".
Vegan. To make this a vegan lasagne, substitute the mozzarella on top for a vegan variety. The rest of the dish is naturally vegan.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Baking tray
- Silicone baking mat (optional)
- Stick blender, food processor or potato masher
- 9x13 inch Baking dish
Pasta meal prep
Because of all the flavours in a lasagne, it actually tastes better the next day because it gives the dish time for the flavours to sink in.
Therefore, it makes a fantastic meal prep recipe paired with some extra veg or a salad for a bit of freshness.
Storing lasagne
You can store your lasagne in the dish you bake it in or in separate airtight containers, ziplock bags or aluminium foil.
Before putting it in the fridge or freezer, allow it to cool completely (this can take 1-2 hours). By allowing it to cool, you help preserve the flavour and keep the fridge from heating up (which can be dangerous to the other food).
Be sure to follow Australian Food Standards, but in my personal experience, I have found that roast vegetable lasagne can be stored for up to 4-5 days in the fridge.
Reheating lasagne
Before re-heating the lasagne, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to get to room temperature.
Microwave. When you reheat pasta meal prep like lasagne, drizzle a tablespoon or two of water over the top. This will stop the pasta sheets from becoming dry and allows the sauce to reheat without burning or decreasing. Reheat on 1 minute intervals until the centre is warm (you can test this by cutting a piece in half).
Oven. You can reheat lasagne in the oven in single or family-sized serves. Place it in an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminium foil. Reheat @180C for approx. 15 minutes or until the centre is warm. This will vary depending on the thickness of the lasagne.
Freezing lasagne
Allow the eggplant lasagne with pumpkin to come to room temperature after cooking.
Separate into individual portions (or multiple portions if you're looking to reheat more than one at a time) and store in either an airtight container, ziplock bag or in aluminium foil. If storing in an airtight container, I find that separating them by parchment paper works well. Freeze for 3-6 months.
De-frost in the refrigerator overnight and allow to come to room temperature before re-heating based on the above.
Want more meal prep information? Check out my comprehensive Meal Prep for Beginners blog post, and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book where you'll find tips, tricks, and essential guidance to kickstart your journey to healthier, more convenient eating.
FAQ
Absolutely! Lasagne can be quite time-consuming.
Unbaked. You can cook parts of the dish (like the eggplant and pumpkin in this recipe) on one day, and do the baking on another day.
You can also assemble the dish up to 24 hours before baking. Cover it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store it in the refrigerator for when you're ready to bake.
Baked. If you want to bake the lasagne in advance, allow it to cool completely before storing in the fridge by wrapping in plastic wrap or foil. When ready to re-heat, cover in aluminium foil and add to a preheated oven @180C for approx. 15 minutes until heated through.
Freeze. You can freeze unbaked lasagne by assembling it and freezing in a freezer-safe baking dish. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil (around the entire baking dish) and label it with the date. It'll last about 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Re-heat lasagne in the oven by placing a single portion or family-sized serve in an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminium foil. Reheat @180C for approx. 15 minutes or until the centre is warm.
If you're a big cheese lover, in the last 5 minutes, uncover and add another layer of cheese. Let this cook and bubble for the freshly cooked cheese taste.
There are a couple of reasons for this:
Lack of moisture. If your sauce doesn't have enough liquid, it won't be able to penetrate the lasagne sheets and soften them. So make sure when you're layering, that the entire sheets in every layer are covered in the sauce. I like to drizzle more sauce down the sides to catch the corners of the lasagne.
Uneven cooking. Ensure your oven is preheated and the lasagne is positioned in the centre of the oven for even heat distribution.
Types of sheets. Different brands and different types of lasagne sheets might require different cooking times or need to be pre-cooked. Make sure to check the instructions for specific recommendations.
What to serve with roast vegetable lasagne
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Recipe
Easy Eggplant Lasagne with Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 250 g lasagne sheets Note 1
- 700 g passata or marinara
- 2 large eggplants
- ¼ pumpkin
- 4 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoon Italian herbs
- ½ cup mozzarella
Instructions
Prepare eggplant.
- Slice the eggplant into circles and sprinkle each side with salt.
- Allow them to sweat for 5-10 minutes. This allows them to sweat and remove bitterness once cooked.
- Blot moisture on each side with a paper towel.
Cook vegetables.
- Cut pumpkin into cubes, removing the skin.
- Line a baking tray and coat eggplant and pumpkin in olive oil, salt and pepper, crushed garlic and Italian herbs.
- Roast the vegetables in the oven for 40 minutes @180C or until the pumpkin has softened.
Mash pumpkin.
- Using a stick blender, food processor or a good old fork or potato masher, mash the pumpkin until smooth (don't worry if it has a couple of lumps).
Assemble lasagne.
- Layer a 9x13 inch deep baking dish beginning with ¼ cup of the sauce. Then add a single layer of lasagne sheets (normally 2 sheets).
- Top the lasagne sheets with the mashed pumpkin, eggplant and another ¼ cup of sauce. Repeat layers until you reach the top of the dish and finish with lasagne sheets topped with sauce and grated cheese.
Bake lasagne
- Cover the layered lasagne with foil (make sure it doesn't touch the cheese) and bake covered @180C for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for a further 20 minutes or until you can pierce through all the layers with a skewer (See Note 2 for making this as a meal prep).
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes (see post for storing this in the fridge/freezer).
- Cut and serve with a side of salad (optional).
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