Servings: 4 · Prep Time: 10 mins · Cooking Time: 55 mins
Total Time: 65 mins

Dinner

This low carb take on a classic lasagne is rich with layers of tender beef, a thick and creamy cheese sauce and thinly sliced aubergine in place of pasta sheets. This is perfect for families or batch cooking, providing multiple hearty portions!

Ingredients

  • minced beef (600g)
  • cream cheese (260g)
  • baby spinach (3 cups)
  • garlic (2 cloves minced)
  • fresh thyme (2 tsp)
  • Italian seasoning (2 tsp)
  • balsamic vinegar (1 tbsp)
  • tomato pur�e (1 tbsp)
  • eggplant (1 medium)
  • olive oil (1 tbsp)
  • almond milk (2/3 cup)
  • red onion (1/2 small finely diced)
  • tomatoes (1/2 cup chopped)
  • beef stock (1/2 cup)
  • Parmesan (1/2 cup grated)
  • mozzarella (1/2 cup grated)
  • ground nutmeg (1/8 tsp)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the minced beef and cook until browned all over. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan and sweat until tender. Add the garlic and thyme, cooking until fragrant.

Return the beef to the pan and add the Italian herbs, balsamic and tomato pur�e. Stir everything together well to combine.

Add the chopped tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced down.

Whilst the beef is cooking you can prepare the cheese sauce. Add the cream cheese, almond milk and nutmeg to a small pan over a medium heat. Season to taste and bring to a gentle simmer until thick and creamy.

Add half of the Parmesan and all of the mozzarella, stirring until melted into the sauce.

Add the spinach, stirring through until just wilted then remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 160 for fan assisted.

To create the 'pasta', peel the outer skin from the aubergine and discard. Peel the flesh into wide strips with a vegetable peeler and set aside.

To assemble the lasagne, select an oven proof dish and layer the base with 1/3 of the beef mixture. Lay 1/3 of the aubergine strips over the top of the beef, then 1/3 of the cheese sauce over the aubergine. Repeat this for two more layers.

Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top of the lasagne and transfer to the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown on top.