Fried Eggplant Lasagna

This delicious Vegetarian Fried Eggplant Lasagna dish has the most wonderfully rich and elegant flavor. The secret to the immense flavor in this baked Vegetarian delicacy all lies in the Tomato-based Sauce known as ‘Sugo’. The Sauce is packed full of flavor and richness, courtesy of the addition of a generous cup of Red Wine (maybe a little more if you’re feeling excessive!) and cooked down until it’s smooth and rich. The Lasagna is made using lightly fried slices of Eggplant which are used as the ‘sheets’. Of course, this beauty is loaded with gooey, melty, delicious Cheese for a decadent plate of food

What makes this dish special

Other than the amazing Tomato Sugo, the uniqueness of this dish is how the Eggplant is prepared. Instead of simply roasting or lightly pan-frying the Eggplant before it is layered in the Lasagna, it is shallow fried in Oil

This is a unique method of preparing Eggplant, and a great way to lock in the beautiful Eggplant flavor while giving it a slightly crispy texture. The Eggplant is sliced into thin rounds and then fried in batches in Oil that is simply placed in the skillet until hot. We only partially cook the Eggplant in the Oil to get it crispy and golden-brown. The Eggplant then completely cooks in the Oven once it is stacked into the Lasagna

This is a great way to enjoy Eggplant. You will achieve a beautiful crispy coating that adds much needed texture to the dish, while the inside will be melt-in-the-mouth tender. The combination of Fried Eggplant along with a Tomato and Wine based Sauce with Cheese is the perfect combination for a hearty Vegetarian dinner

Avoid high moisture Mozzarella Cheese in this dish

While it tastes great in Salads and other recipes, high moisture Mozzarella Cheese (eg Buffalo Mozzarella or Burrata) is not the best choice for our Fried Eggplant Lasagna. It will be too wet, which will impact the structural integrity of the dish once it is cooked

The best choice is to use low-moisture Mozzarella Cheese. The Cheese is a lot more pliable and easier to break apart. It will also hold its shape a lot better in the dish while it is baking in the oven. It’s also generally a lot cheaper too, so you’ll save a few bucks as well!

Layering the Fried Eggplant Lasagna so it’s ready to bake

Once you have prepared all your ingredients (and allowed them time to cool) you will need to build the Lasagna. There are no specific rules when it comes to layering this dish in all honesty. As long as you capture an even distribution of the ingredients throughout, it’s going to taste great regardless

There are several layers of ingredients that go into this Eggplant Lasagna. Notably the Eggplant and Tomato Sugo are the primary ingredients, and the most prominent flavor in the cooked dish will be these two elements

The other layers consist of two types of Cheese (each layered separately), that being Mozzarella cheese and some good quality Parmesan cheese. Please try to avoid the pre-shredded Parmesan Cheese and instead go for some good quality stuff from a block

The final layer ingredient is Basil. I recommend using the Basil sparingly, as it can have quite an overpowering taste when used in abundance. Just a couple of Basil leaves per layer should do the trick. Think about how big the slices are that you will be cutting up once they’re cooked and try to get 1 Basil leaf per ‘slice’ as you’re stacking it. This may be 6 – 8 Leaves per layer depending on how big your tray is

Finish the layering with Tomato Sauce and top it all off with another final (and generous) layer of Parmesan Cheese. If you like you can sprinkle a few extra Basil Leaves on top before it goes into the oven. This will purely be for presentation purposes. It looks great with the beautiful layer of Cheese on top, so you can just leave it at that

Bake at 360F / 180C for 30 – 35 minutes

The dish will take about 30 – 35 minutes to completely cook through. Eggplant does take a little time to cook properly, so the lower temperature ensures a good, even cook through of the Eggplant and allows the Cheese to melt and bind the whole dish together

Once cooked, perhaps the most important step comes next. That is, you need to allow the Fried Eggplant Lasagna to cool at room temperature for a minimum of 20 minutes before slicing. Otherwise, once you cut into it, the ingredients will simply pour out all over the plate. Let it rest for 20 minutes so it cools enough to maintain its classic Lasagna shape. I know this part is tough, because the smells that will be filling the kitchen are irresistible! You can always use this time to finish off a wonderful side dish to enjoy with the Eggplant Lasagna

Fried Eggplant Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. Eggplants, sliced into thin rounds ¼ inch thick
• Frying Oil (eg: Vegetable Oil / Canola Oil)
• 400g Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese, torn into small chunks
• 100g Parmesan Cheese, grated
  
  

Tomato Sugo Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 6 Garlic Cloves, finely diced
• 1 cup of Red Wine
• 14 oz. 400g Passata / Tomato Puree
• 14 oz. 400g Canned Tomatoes
• A generous handful of Basil Leaves
• Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. To make the Tomato Sugo, add the Olive Oil to a saucepan over a low heat until warm. Add the Garlic and cook for 2 minutes then add the Red Wine. Increase heat to medium
2. Allow the Wine to reduce by half, then add the Passata and Canned Tomatoes along with a pinch of Salt. Cook for 10 minutes until thickened then set aside to cool
3. Pre-heat the oven to 360F, and line a baking sheet with paper towels (which will be used to place the cooked Eggplant)
4. Add enough Frying Oil to a large saucepan to cover it ½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, Batch cook the Eggplant slices in the Oil until golden-brown on both sides (about 3 minutes in total per batch)
5. Transfer the cooked Eggplant to the paper towel tray and season with a pinch of Salt
   
   

Layering and cooking the Fried Eggplant Lasagna

6. Add a thin layer of Tomato Sugo to the base of a large, deep sided baking tray. Then add a layer of Eggplant, (allowing them to slightly overlap) followed by another layer of Sugo, a few Basil Leaves, a few chunks of Mozzarella Cheese, and Parmesan Cheese
7. Repeat this layering process until the tray is full, finishing with a layer of Sugo then topped with Parmesan Cheese
8. Bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes and then allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Ensure you allow ample cooling time before slicing so that the Lasagna holds its shape
• Try to estimate how many layers you will need based on the size of your Lasagna Tray so you can best proportion out the distribution of ingredients per layer. We recommend having a couple of extra quantities of Cheese and Basil Leaves as spares
  
  

We guarantee you’re going to love this delicious Fried Eggplant Lasagna. It makes for a hearty and fulfilling Vegetarian Dinner that will easily feed 4 people

If you enjoy this recipe then why not check out some more of our delicious Vegetarian Dinner recipes here? Check out these favorite Vegetarian dishes of ours:

• French Onion Pizza
• French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables
• Tomato Mint and Couscous Salad
• Harissa Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Butternut Squash Puree
  
  

Happy Cooking!