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This rustic beef and eggplant lasagna filled with beef ragu, vegetables and topped with three types of cheeses is a real triumph! Serve with our Caprese Salad.
Take a look at our Seafood Lasagna for something unique, or leave out the meat with mushroom-based Vegetable Lasagna!
I don’t know at what point lasagna became too commonplace, too normal, too ordinary, but it did. But tasting proper Italian lasagna changed my mind about the rustic simplicity of this dish.
My tastebuds when through an awakening on our first trip to Italy. Among many revelations, I had a taste of lasagna that changed how I look at the dish forever! It was leaner, more flavourful and with a better balance of ingredients that I knew was possible.
When made the Italian way, lasagna can be pretty special because a lot of attention is paid to the ingredients used. The taste you get out of a dish is the direct result of what you put in!
This beef ragu, three cheese, eggplant lasagna benefits from ingredients that can stand on their own but work so well when baked together. And when the beef ragu is made in advance, getting this stunning lasagna ready for dinner is a snap!
Beef ragu and eggplant lasagna
A little while I ago I made Italian Beef Ragu, the kind you’d get in the best restaurants. To make that ragu I cooked a large roast doused in red wine with garlic, thyme, rosemary and plum tomatoes in a This is an affiliate link.slow cooker for 12 hours.
The result by far exceed my expectations. Luckily, we had plenty of leftovers which I froze. I knew even then I wanted to put that meat in a lasagna and see what happened.
I used some eggplant I had on hand by broiling broiled it with a light sprinkling of This is an affiliate link.olive oil and layered those tasty slices into my eggplant lasagna. Although worried that I was taking quite a few liberties with the original recipe, it turns out the end result was closer to the original recipe than what we know as lasagna now.
I read up on the origins of lasagna and found out it’s one of the older pasta dishes of Italy. The first written recipe came from Bologna, made with beef ragu and a variety of vegetables!
It’s not really surprising that centuries ago they weren’t using ground beef. Instead they used a sauce cooked over a long period of time to tenderise cheaper cuts of meat.
Suddenly mine didn’t seem so odd. Italian cuisine is very regional and lasagna recipes also vary depending on what part of Italy they come from. In other regions, the pasta sheets are layered with ricotta and parmesan.
This lasagna was now beginning to look like more “back to the roots” lasagna, so I decided to give it a more personal twist. I had a few cheeses to choose from that were leftovers from a recent adventure in pizza making, so I decided to include them in the recipe as well.
That’s how Three Cheese Lasagna was born, namely-Parmesan, Fresh Mozzarella and Smoked Gouda. The last one in particular added so much flavour!
Beef ragu
You are probably thinking that you don’t have leftover Beef Ragu in the freezer. So how would you be able to make this delicious lasagna?
The good news is that the Ragu recipe is cooked in a crockpot. The ingredients could be easily loaded in the morning to let the machine do its magic. I’ve also got you covered if you would rather go for a quicker meat sauce!
The sauce will be ready for you when it’s time to assemble the lasagna an hour before dinner. This sort of preparation will make your job in the kitchen much quicker and simpler.
Three cheese lasagna
Two of the three types of cheese I used for this recipe are classic additions to most lasagna dishes. This is an affiliate link.Parmesan is used for the sharpness of the flavour, which cuts through the richness of the meet and other cheese perfectly. Grating your own parmesan is the way to go for a recipe like this!
Mozzarella is perfect for lasagna because of how well it melts. Although I used fresh mozzarella, shredded will work for this recipe as well.
For the third cheese, I used a semisoft smoked cheese that I love. The smokiness brings something unique to a dish like this and adds to the homey comfort of such a rustic dish.
If smoked cheese is hard to come by or just not your favourite, then feel free to substitute for almost any cheese that will melt when cooked.
Love traditional lasagna? We have it covered, with my classic Lasagna Recipe or, for something a little different, Easy Lasagna Soup!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I use oven ready lasagna sheets. There is no need to pre-boiled them before layering into the lasagna. They are much easier to use and they hold an al dente texture after baking.
- It can seem easier to use pre-grated Parmesan cheese, but please avoid that stuff. It’s dry and has very little flavour so you’ll need to use much more to compensate. I prepare my own by running real This is an affiliate link.Parmesan cheese through a This is an affiliate link.food processor. This is a great way to save time and energy it would take to grate hard cheese.
- Let the lasagna sit at least 15 and ideally 30-40 minutes so it holds its shape when cut into pieces and served. Otherwise the hot ragu and cheese will ooze out as pieces are removed.
Serving suggestions
It’s a good idea to let lasagna rest for around 10 minutes before serving. This gives time for some of the liquid absorb into the rest of the dish so pieces hold together better when it’s time to serve. It also helps to prevent the hot cheese from burning mouths.
A lasagna is almost a one-pan meal, but as a hearty dish it can be a good idea to serve a simple side salad with it. I also love to make warm garlic bread to soak up any remaining sauce!
Storage and leftovers
Whether you make ahead or have leftovers, lasagna can be stored for 5 days in the fridge. Keep it in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. It can be warmed in a microwave or oven set to 180C/350F. If heating in an oven, cover with aluminum foil so it doesn’t dry out.
Baked lasagna can also be frozen for up to a month. Keep frozen lasagna in the baking dish and put it in the fridge the day before you plan to reheat. Let it thaw completely before returning to the oven.
More Favourite Baked Pasta Recipes
- Stuffed Shells with Pesto and Tomato Beef Sauce
- Sausage Pasta Bake
- Baked Gnocchi with Meat Sauce and Mozzarella
- Layered Italian Baked Mac and Cheese
Rustic Three Cheese Lasagna
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Lasagna dish
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants, sliced thickly
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 750ml / 3 cups beef ragu recipe
- 500ml / 2 cups This is an affiliate link.tomato passata/ crushed tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- 9 sheets lasagna, use more or less depending on the size of them enough for 3 layers
- 125g / 1/4 cup cup This is an affiliate link.Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 220g / 1 cup fresh mozzarella ball, torn
- 50g / 1/2 cup smoked gouda, or other smoked cheese
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4-5 basil leaves
Instructions
- Turn your oven on to a broiler/grill setting and set the rack 6″ away from the top.
- Slice the eggplants 1/2" thick, arrange on a baking sheets and lightly brush with olive oil or spray with a low calorie spray. Broil for 5-6 minutes on one side, turn the slices over brush with olive oil and broil for 4 minutes longer. Set aside.
- Turn the oven temperature to 350F/180C.
- Mix your Beef Ragu with tomato passata or crushed tomatoes in a medium bowl, season with more salt if needed. Take a ladleful of the sauce and spread on the bottom of a baking dish in a thin layer.
- Then lay your lasagna sheets in one layer, cover with more sauce and grated parmesan, then eggplant layer, reserving 3-4 slices for the top and parmesan, another pasta layer and sauce, finishing with the third layer of lasagna sheets and the sauce.
- Cover the top with torn mozzarella ball, grated smoked gouda, sliced tomatoes, reserved eggplant slices and basil leaves. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top.
- Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes longer till cheese is bubbly and golden. Let it stand for 15 minutes before cutting in squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks so good. I want to cook it for lunch, but have to wait couple days – now I have to study and write essays and not read blogs 😀
But still it’s amazing. For me lasagna is always dish which needs time. I don’t have slow cooker, so I cook sauce like in 2-3 hours so I know what you mean – it’s really different from what you can get on the go in some mid-class lunch cafeteria.
Thank you for inspiration.
There is nothing boring or ordinary about your lasagna…it sounds delicious.
Thank you Karen, such a sweet comment!
That is a beautiful lasagna! Love the eggplant and smoked gouda.
Thank you Jennifer! Those two made it extra special for me as well! I love eggplant in any shape or form and smoked gouda…well who doesn’t like it!
Your lasagna looks incredible, love the three cheeses!
Thank you Laura, just today I was talking to one of my Italian students about the recipe and she was going to try it. That’s the biggest compliment for me. 🙂
YUM! You painted such a great verbal description that I can already smell it, and my mouth is watering! I agree, the American versions of so many things are so bland and boring. Can’t wait to try this version.
I am very glad, Lisa that my description was so vivid for you. That is what blogging is all about. Thank you!
This is absolutely beautiful! A very special lasagne indeed. It’s sad isn’t it, how Western cultures tend to ‘bastardize’ traditional recipes from different countries and then for the most part, we see them as boring or bland. I thought that about some Chinese dishes too until I tried more ‘authentic’ versions! You really did the lasagne justice here. It’s gorgeous with the flavoursome beef ragu and those delicious veggies! Yum! x
Thank you, Laura. I am all for good food being accessible but sometimes it just has to be a labour of love and a little bit more special than something I threw together in 20 minutes. 🙂
What a beautiful lasagna.
Thank you, Jen!!
Wow what a dish! I’ve never seen lasagna done quite this way, and that beef peeking out from under the noodles looks to die for. I really like that you combined meat and veggies, so often it’s either or. I’m heading off to check out your beef ragu, you’ve really tempted me tonight 🙂
Thank you, Sue! I am quite comfortable in the temptress role!
Oh wow. This is a fantastic recipe. I have never seen a beef ragu quite like this before. I visited the recipe and had to bookmark it. Love this lasagna.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy this lasagna and that beef ragu. I am quite fond of them both.
Yowza – this looks killer! I think my Italian hubby would adore this. Yum!!
Thank you, Ashley. Mine loved it so much, he didn’t want to share at all!