Lasagne con melanzane is the vegetarian version of the classic Italian lasagne, and it deserves far more attention than it gets around here. Instead of meat sauce, there are tender slices of aubergine between the sheets, and the result is both lighter and more aromatic than the original. The aubergine soaks up the tomato sauce and turns almost creamy, while the cheese on top bakes to a golden crust.
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In the air fryer you get exactly that crust without having to heat up a whole oven. The concentrated heat works close to the dish, so the top browns nicely while the layers underneath get piping hot all the way through. The whole thing is ready in 60 minutes, 30 of which go on preparation and the last 30 on cooking at 170 °C.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love aubergine lasagne in the air fryer
Aubergine has a quality that few other vegetables can match: it takes on flavour without disappearing into it. Once the slices have given up their moisture, they behave almost like pasta sheets in their own right — soft, but with enough bite to hold the layers together. That is why the dish works so well without meat. There is still substance in every mouthful, and the tomato sauce gets to be the star alongside the cheese.
At the same time, it is one of the easiest ways to make lasagne on a weekday. You do not have to keep an eye on a meat sauce for an hour and a half. The aubergine does the heavy lifting in half an hour of preparation, and the rest happens by itself in the basket.
The difference between the air fryer and the oven
A conventional oven heats up a large space and browns mainly from above. The air fryer blows hot air around a small chamber, which gives more even browning and typically 20-30 per cent shorter times than the equivalent oven recipe. For lasagne that means one thing above all: the cheese crust finishes at the same time as the middle is hot, instead of you having to choose between the two. On the other hand, room is limited, so the dish has to be chosen with care.
My kitchen test of aubergine lasagne
I have made this version in my Philips XXL, which has room for a round oven-safe dish without anything being squeezed at the sides. 170 °C for 30 minutes is the point where it all comes together: the aubergine is completely tender, the sauce bubbles at the edges, and the cheese has taken on colour without drying out. With the preparation included, the whole thing comes in at 60 minutes.
It took a couple of attempts to find the balance. The first time, I turned the heat up to save time, and the result was a cheese crust that was darker than it should have been, while the bottom layers were still lukewarm. 170 °C is low enough for the heat to reach all the way down, and high enough for the top to still brown.
Put the thickest layer of cheese on right at the end, and cover the dish loosely for the first few minutes. That way you decide for yourself how dark the crust gets.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The mistake that most often ruins an aubergine lasagne is water. Aubergine consists almost entirely of moisture, and if you put the raw slices straight into the dish, a puddle collects at the bottom that makes the sheets go soft and dissolves the layers — salt the slices, leave them to stand, and pat them dry first. The next mistake is too much tomato sauce. It seems generous, but the lasagne spreads across the plate instead of holding its shape, so use a thin, covering layer between each tier. The third mistake is about the dish: a dish that fills the whole basket blocks the heat circulation, and then the top browns unevenly. Leave room all the way round, so the air can get down the sides.
How to serve aubergine lasagne
The dish is filling enough to stand on its own, but a few simple sides lift it:
- Crusty bread to mop up the last of the sauce
- A green salad with lemon and olive oil as a fresh counterweight
- Grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves just before serving
- A glass of red wine with acidity, for example a light Sangiovese
Storage and reheating
Aubergine lasagne is one of those dishes that gets better the next day, because the layers have time to settle. It keeps for three to four days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat it in the air fryer at a low heat rather than in the microwave — that way the cheese crust goes crisp again instead of rubbery. You can also freeze it in portions and let it thaw completely in the fridge before reheating.
Lasagne con melanzane proves that a lasagne does not need meat to be a real lasagne. Give the aubergine the treatment it deserves, and you get a dish that tastes of a southern European summer in the middle of a completely ordinary weekday.
FAQ
Yes. Give the slices a turn in the air fryer first, so they give up some of their moisture and turn tender. If you skip the step, the bottom of the lasagne turns soggy.
Yes. Long slices of aubergine can be layered instead of sheets, and then you get a gluten-free version. The dish turns out lighter, but also a little softer in texture.
Measure the basket before you choose a dish. An oven-safe dish of about 18-20 cm fits most models, and there has to be air all the way round, so the heat can circulate.
Recipe
Aubergine lasagne in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Oven-safe dish - Must fit in the air fryer basket
- 1 Brush
- 1 Grater
Shopping list
Ingredients
Aubergine
- 2 pcs aubergines (About 600 g in total)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (For brushing)
- 1 tsp salt (For salting)
Tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pcs onion (Finely chopped)
- 2 clove garlic (Finely chopped)
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp pepper (Freshly ground)
- 10 g fresh basil (Roughly chopped)
Lasagne sheets and cheese
- 250 g ricotta
- 50 g grated Parmesan (Choose a vegetarian version)
- 6 pcs lasagne sheets
- 200 g grated mozzarella
How to make it
Preparation
- Cut 2 pcs aubergines into slices lengthways, about 5 mm thick. Lay the slices on a cutting board, sprinkle them with 1 tsp salt, and leave them to stand for 15 minutes. Then pat them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
- Brush the aubergine slices on both sides with 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 pcs onion and 2 clove garlic for 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add 400 g chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp pepper. Leave the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat, and stir in half of 10 g fresh basil at the end.
- Mix 250 g ricotta with half of 50 g grated Parmesan in a bowl, and season the mixture with a little pepper.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Lay the aubergine slices in a single layer in the basket, and bake them for 10 minutes at 200 °C. Turn them halfway through. Bake in several batches if the slices cannot lie without overlapping.
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the base of an oven-safe dish that fits in the air fryer basket. Layer 6 pcs lasagne sheets and aubergine slices in alternating layers with tomato sauce and the ricotta mixture in between, and finish with a layer of tomato sauce.
- Scatter 200 g grated mozzarella and the rest of the Parmesan evenly over the lasagne.
- Turn the air fryer down to 170 °C fan, and bake the lasagne for 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Cover the dish with foil for the last 5 minutes if the top takes on too much colour.
Serving
- Leave the lasagne to rest for 5 minutes so the layers settle. Scatter over the last of the fresh basil, and serve the lasagne straight from the dish.
Our notes for the recipe
Pat the aubergine slices really well dry after salting — excess moisture is the most common cause of a soggy lasagne. Choose a shallow dish, so there is air around it in the basket; that is where the heat circulation decides how golden the cheese gets. Variation:
Swap half the aubergine slices for grilled courgette or pepper, or stir 100 g of thawed and well-drained spinach into the ricotta mixture for a greener layer. Serving:
Serve with a crisp green salad with a lemon dressing and a piece of toasted bread to mop up the last of the sauce. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches or divide it between two small dishes.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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