Aubergine Zucchini Ricotta Lasagna

Whole-wheat lasagna layered with aubergine and zucchini, a simple tomato passata sauce, light ricotta-egg cream, and a little part-skim mozzarella, baked until tender and bubbly.

Ingredients

  • Whole-wheat lasagna sheets (about 180–220 g)
  • Aubergine (1 large, sliced 0.5–1 cm)
  • Zucchini (1–2 medium, sliced)
  • Onion (1, finely chopped)
  • Garlic (1 clove, optional)
  • Tomato passata (700 ml)
  • Light ricotta (250 g)
  • Egg (1)
  • Mozzarella, part-skim (120–150 g, grated)
  • Parmesan (20 g, optional)
  • Olive oil (2 tsp)
  • Dried oregano or Italian herbs (1–2 tsp)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 200°C.
  2. Roast vegetables: place aubergine and zucchini on a tray, brush or drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast 18–22 minutes, flipping once, until softened and lightly browned.
  3. Make sauce: sauté onion in a small pot with a splash of water (or 1 tsp olive oil) for 5–7 minutes. Add garlic (optional) for 30 seconds. Stir in passata, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer 8–10 minutes.
  4. Mix ricotta layer: combine ricotta with egg, a pinch of salt and pepper.
  5. Assemble: spread a thin layer of sauce in a baking dish. Add lasagna sheets, then sauce, then roasted aubergine and zucchini, then small spoonfuls of ricotta mix. Repeat, finishing with sauce.
  6. Top: add mozzarella (and Parmesan if using).
  7. Bake 30–35 minutes until bubbling and the pasta is tender. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

If the lasagna sheets look dry during assembly, mix 2–4 tbsp water into the passata before layering. Roasting aubergine first keeps the texture silky and prevents bitterness.

Variations

  • Add red lentils: stir 80–100 g red lentils into the passata and simmer 12–15 minutes (add water as needed) for more protein and slower blood sugar response.
  • Make it lighter: use 200 g low-fat cottage cheese instead of ricotta and reduce mozzarella to 80–100 g.
  • Add vegetables: layer in thin tomato slices or roasted bell pepper for more sweetness without extra spices.
  • No-bake veg option: skip roasting and instead pan-sear aubergine slices 2–3 minutes per side, then layer (less oven time, similar result).