Delicious Meat and Eggplant Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or more as needed
• 0.5 large white onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 eggplant, peeled and diced
• 2 zucchini, peeled and diced
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 0.75 cup tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
• 4 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 egg egg
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or more to taste
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add ground beef; season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, breaking the beef apart with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes. Fill the now-empty tomato can with water and add it to the simmering sauce.
2. Incorporate diced eggplant, sliced zucchini, chopped mushrooms, grated carrots, tomato puree, 2 tablespoons of salt, dried basil, freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, and a fragrant bay leaf into the hearty sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil; then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the flavors meld harmoniously, about 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf and discard before serving.
3. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add lasagna noodles to the boiling water, stirring gently to prevent sticking, and cook until they are tender yet still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain the cooked noodles thoroughly and lay them out in a single layer on paper towels to dry; discard any broken or misshapen pieces.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine creamy ricotta cheese and a fresh egg; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk the mixture thoroughly until it is smooth and well combined.
5. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
6. Spread a thin layer of the prepared meat sauce on the bottom of a large baking pan. Create layers using cooked noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, savory meat sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and a light sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top of each layer. Continue layering until all the ingredients are used. Cover the prepared pan tightly with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until the lasagna is bubbling hot, about 30 to 35 minutes. Carefully remove the foil cover and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Continue baking until the top is beautifully golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Let the finished lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 412 kcal
• Fat Content: 15 g
• Fiber Content: 7 g
• Sugar Content: 5 g
• Sodium Content: 1739 mg
• Protein Content: 27 g
• Cholesterol Content: 69 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 46 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g