Description
This Turkey Eggplant Lasagna is a healthy, gluten-free twist on traditional lasagna, featuring layers of tender eggplant slices, savory ground turkey marinara, and creamy homemade cashew cheese. It’s an easy-to-make, nutritious dish perfect for a comforting dinner that’s lower in carbs but rich in flavor.
Ingredients
Cashew Cheese
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Eggplant Lasagna
- 2 eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 cups sugar-free marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Cashew Cheese: Drain the soaked cashews and place them into a food processor. Add water, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt. Blend everything until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, forming your cashew cheese.
- Preheat Oven and Broil Eggplant: Heat the broiler in your oven. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange the slices on a broiler-safe baking sheet and broil for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure even cooking and slight browning.
- Cook Turkey Marinara: After broiling, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Heat ghee in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, minced garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. Cook while stirring until the turkey is browned and cooked through.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in the sugar-free marinara sauce, lower the heat, and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to combine flavors. Remove from heat and stir in torn fresh basil leaves for a fragrant touch.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread one-quarter of the turkey marinara sauce evenly at the bottom of an 8×8 inch baking dish. Layer one-third of the eggplant slices atop the sauce, slightly overlapping. Spread one-third of the cashew cheese over the eggplant. Repeat these layers twice more, finishing with the remaining turkey marinara sauce on top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the lasagna is bubbling hot and nicely melded.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving to allow it to set and retain its layers.
Notes
- Soaking cashews overnight or at least 2 hours softens them for creamy cashew cheese.
- Use sugar-free marinara sauce to keep the dish low in added sugars.
- Broiling eggplant slices beforehand helps to remove excess moisture and add flavor.
- Allow the lasagna to cool slightly before serving to help it hold its shape when sliced.
- This recipe works well with substitutions like ground chicken or turkey sausage if preferred.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
