Low-Fat Eggplant Lasagna

The deep purple eggplant is a versatile, low-calorie vegetable that lends itself to a variety of traditional Mediterranean recipes, including lasagna. Olive oil, basil, garlic, oregano, tomatoes and onions bring out the subtle flavor of eggplant. With its mild taste and firm, resilient texture, eggplant can replace pasta in a low-fat lasagna recipe, adding fiber, potassium and folate.

Eggplant Facts

A member of the nightshade family, eggplant is related to tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. When shopping for eggplant, choose a smooth, shiny vegetable that feels heavy and firm to the touch, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises. If you decide not to peel your eggplant, select a young vegetable with a tender skin, as the skin of older vegetables can be tough and bitter. According to data from the University of Illinois, one cup of cooked, cubed eggplant has 28 calories, 7 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber, 246 mg of potassium and 14 mcg of folate.

Traditional Lasagna

The rich flavor of lasagna comes from its blend of tomatoes, herbs and cheese. Many traditional lasagna recipes call for two or three varieties of cheese: a combination of mozzarella and ricotta or cottage cheese to fill the layers of pasta and grated Parmesan to sprinkle over the top of the dish. A 100-g, or one-cup, serving of cheese lasagna has 5 g of total fat, 2 g of saturated fat and 13 mg of cholesterol, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although cheese provides calcium, protein and other essential nutrients, many cheeses are also high in cholesterol and saturated fat. According to the American Heart Association, or AHA, saturated fat is the primary dietary cause for high blood cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease.

Recipe Ingredients

The American Diabetes Association, or ADA, features a recipe for low-fat eggplant lasagna in the 2007 edition of "The Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook." The recipe substitutes eggplant slices for pasta and reduces the dish's total fat content by more than half, compared to a traditional cheese lasagna. A mixture of minced garlic cloves, chopped onion, fresh tomatoes and tomato paste, basil, oregano, parsley and ground pepper alternates with low-fat cottage cheese and nonfat mozzarella on layers of steamed eggplant. Grated Parmesan cheese tops the dish, which bakes for 30 to 35 minutes. To enhance the blend of Italian flavors in this eggplant recipe, bake the dish the day before you plan to serve it.