Anna Louise Aubergine lasagne is the vegetarian version of the classic baked pasta that earns its place entirely on its own merits rather than as a substitution for the meat.
Roasted aubergine — golden, slightly smoky, completely tender — gives a richness and depth to the tomato sauce that many people find indistinguishable from the meat version. The aubergine absorbs the tomato sauce completely and gives the filling a silky, almost melting quality that is completely its own.
The key technique is the roasting. Aubergine goes into a lasagne raw and it gives a watery, slightly bitter result that does not do justice to the finished dish.
Roasted at high heat until golden and slightly caramelised, aubergine gives a completely different character — concentrated, rich, slightly smoky, and capable of standing up to the robust tomato sauce and the silky béchamel.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Aubergine Lasagne
For the Roasted Aubergine Tomato Sauce
- 3 large aubergines, cut into 2cm cubes
- 4 tbsp olive oil — for roasting
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 150ml red wine or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Large handful fresh basil, torn
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 75g unsalted butter
- 75g plain flour
- 900ml whole milk, warm
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 75g Parmesan, finely grated
- Salt and white pepper
For Assembly
- 12 dried lasagne sheets — no-cook variety
- 125g mozzarella, torn — for the top
- 75g Parmesan, finely grated — for the top
How to Make Mary Berry Aubergine Lasagne
Step 1 — Roast the Aubergine
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Place the cubed aubergine on two large roasting trays in a single layer. Drizzle generously with the olive oil. Season well. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deeply golden and slightly caramelised at the edges. Do not under-roast — pale aubergine gives a bland, watery filling.
Step 2 — Make the Tomato Sauce
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for ten minutes until completely soft. Add the garlic, dried oregano, and smoked paprika — cook for two minutes. Add the tomato purée — cook one minute. Add the wine or stock — bubble two minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and sugar. Season. Simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes until the sauce is thick and deeply flavoured.
Add the roasted aubergine to the tomato sauce. Stir gently. Simmer for five more minutes until the aubergine has absorbed some of the sauce. Add the torn basil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 3 — Make the Béchamel
Melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour — stir for two minutes. Add the warm milk gradually, whisking continuously until smooth. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and comes to the boil. Add the nutmeg, Parmesan, salt, and white pepper. Remove from the heat.
Step 4 — Assemble
Reduce oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Lightly butter a deep 30x20cm ovenproof dish.
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the base. Lay four lasagne sheets over. Spread half the aubergine tomato sauce over the pasta. Pour a third of the remaining béchamel over. Lay four more sheets. Spread the remaining aubergine tomato sauce. Pour another third of béchamel. Lay the final four sheets. Pour the remaining béchamel over the top completely. Scatter the torn mozzarella and grated Parmesan generously over the surface.
Step 5 — Bake
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is deeply golden and bubbling and a knife inserted through the layers meets no resistance. Rest for ten minutes before serving.
My Top Tips For Perfect Aubergine Lasagne
Roast the aubergine at high heat until deeply golden. This is the technique that makes the difference. Pale, steamed aubergine gives a bitter, watery filling. Deeply roasted, caramelised aubergine gives a rich, sweet, complex flavour that carries the entire lasagne. Spread in a single layer on two large trays and do not crowd.
Salt the aubergine before roasting — or just roast it. Older recipes suggest salting and resting aubergine to remove bitterness. Modern aubergine varieties are less bitter and salting before roasting is not strictly necessary. A generous seasoning before roasting is sufficient.
The smoked paprika gives the aubergine sauce its depth. This single teaspoon of smoked paprika gives the vegetarian tomato sauce a slightly smoky, complex depth that helps it compete with the meat version. Do not omit it.
Spread béchamel on the base before the first pasta sheet. This prevents the base sheets from drying out during the long bake and becoming tough or undercooked.
Rest for ten minutes before serving. This appears in every lasagne recipe — because it matters every time. A freshly cut lasagne collapses. Ten minutes gives the layers time to firm and the servings hold their shape.
Serving Suggestions
With a simple green salad dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil. With garlic bread. On its own — a generous portion of this lasagne needs nothing alongside.
How to Store
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat covered with foil at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes.
In the freezer: Freeze assembled before baking for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and bake as directed, adding ten minutes.
Mary Berry Aubergine Lasagne Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Spread aubergine cubes in a single layer on 2 large trays. Drizzle with oil — season. Roast 25–30 minutes turning once until deeply golden.
- Cook onion in oil 10 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and paprika — 2 minutes. Add purée — 1 minute. Add wine — 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and sugar — season. Simmer 15–20 minutes until thick. Add roasted aubergine — simmer 5 minutes. Add basil. Taste.
- Make béchamel: melt butter, add flour, stir 2 minutes. Add warm milk gradually — whisk smooth. Thicken over heat. Add nutmeg, Parmesan, seasoning.
- Reduce oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Butter dish. Thin béchamel on base. Layer: 4 sheets, half aubergine sauce, third béchamel. Repeat. Final 4 sheets — remaining béchamel over top completely. Scatter mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add spinach to the filling?
Yes — 200g of baby spinach wilted and thoroughly squeezed dry, added to the tomato sauce with the aubergine, gives additional colour and substance.
Can I add ricotta between layers?
Yes — spoonfuls of seasoned ricotta dotted over each layer of aubergine tomato sauce before the béchamel goes on give extra creaminess and a distinctly Italian character.
Can I use courgette alongside the aubergine?
Yes — two courgettes cut into 2cm chunks and roasted with the aubergine give a lighter, slightly more varied filling.
Why is my lasagne watery?
The aubergine was not roasted sufficiently and released moisture into the sauce during baking, or the tomato sauce was not reduced enough before assembling. Ensure both the aubergine is properly roasted and the sauce is thick before layering.
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