Paleo Lasagna (With Or Without Cheese)

One of the most popular recipes on the blog, my low-carb, gluten-free, paleo lasagna is a perfect meal to serve to friends and family. Make it with or without dairy. 


Paleo lasagna (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Whole30 Friendly Without Dairy)

This low-carb, gluten-free and paleo-friendly lasagna is a show-stopping dish. It’s a perfect meal for a dinner party, family supper, and even fussy kids will love it. It’s so yummy, hearty and filling, that nobody will notice the lack of pasta.

Speaking of pasta, I don’t think I can technically call this a lasagna as it’s missing the actual lasagna pasta sheets but it still retains the traditional shape, layers, colours and flavours.

What Makes A Good Lasagna

The key to a good lasagna is a tasty, hearty base sauce. I believe this lasagna sauce tastes as good as it does because of the grass-fed beef used in the recipe. I’ve been paying attention to the beef sauces I make with grass-fed meat versus regular grain-fed and I can say with utmost certainty that the grass-fed beef-based sauces are more delicious (as well as more nutritious).

The rest is just good, fresh produce and a bit of patience as it does take a little while to assemble all the layers. It’s a good recipe to make on the weekends and you can get kids or your partner involved in preparing all the layers.

Low Carb & Gluten-free Lasagna (make it Paleo & Whole30 friendly without the addition of cheese)

How To Make Paleo Lasagna

How to make paleo lasagna step by step
 

Non-Dairy Paleo Lasagna Version

If you want to turn this lasagna into a paleo or Whole30-friendly version, simply leave out the last layer of ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan. Alternatively, you can make my dairy-free faux cheese sauce to drizzle over the top or sprinkle some nutritional yeast or paleo-friendly parmesan.

Healthy lasagna recipe (low-carb, gluten-free)

More Low-Carb & Paleo ‘Pasta’ Recipes

Paleo Celeriac Carbonara Casserole  

Zucchini & Prawn Arrabbiata

Creamy Zucchini Pasta With Artichoke Sauce & Turkey

Shredded Beef Ragu With Sweet Potato Noodles

Check out these ultimate paleo noodle and pasta alternatives.

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Paleo Lasagna (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Print Pin Save
4.84 from 6 votes
Calories: 645kcal
This amazing family-friendly paleo lasagna dish is filled with healthy vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms and spinach and layered with nutritious grass-fed beef sauce. It's gluten-free and low-carb and can be made with or without dairy. As there are a few processes to making this dish, please read the full recipe to get the best timings and order.

Ingredients 

For beef and tomato sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 500 g ground beef mince, grass-fed (1.1 lbs.)
  • 2/3 cup dry red wine
  • 3 garlic cloves finely diced chopped
  • 2/3 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2/3 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 3 cups tomato passata or purée, canned chopped tomatoes are fine

For the lasagna layers

  • Olive oil
  • 1 large parsnip or sweet potato, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 1 large eggplant sliced into 1cm-thick disks (1/2")
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup basil leaves fresh, torn
  • 6 button mushrooms sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 3 medium zucchini sliced vertically into thin ribbons
  • 1.5 cups ricotta cheese optional
  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated, optional
  • Cherry tomatoes to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180° C (355° F). Place a layer of parsnip slices with a little olive oil in a deep lasagna tray and pre-bake in the oven for 15 minutes, this will help to soften them slightly before we build the rest of the layers. Set aside for now.
  • To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt for 7-8 minutes, until slightly caramelised. Break the ground beef mince and add to the frying pan. Use a spatula or a potato masher (my little trick) to stir and break the mince apart into small pieces, as it tends to clump together during cooking. Cook for about 5–6 minutes until browned.
  • Add red wine, garlic, pepper, paprika and salt to the cooking meat and fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Add tomato passata, stir and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  • Meanwhile, sprinkle the eggplant slices with sea salt and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out some of the juices. Rinse and pat dry. Heat the oven back to 180° C (355° F).
  • In another frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the eggplant in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side, until light golden brown. Add more olive oil as you go along. Set aside; by this stage, all our layer ingredients should be ready.
  • Take the baking tray out of the oven and start layering the lasagna in the following order: pre-cooked parsnips, 1/3 of the tomato meat sauce, eggplant slices, fresh basil leaves, mushrooms, the rest of the meat sauce pressed down evenly, baby spinach, zucchini slices, drizzle of olive oil and some cracked black pepper. Cook in the oven, at 180° C (355° F), for 35 minutes. See the step-by-step pictures above.
  • If using ricotta and grated Parmesan cheese, add on top of the lasagna at the 20-minute cooking time mark. Increase the heat to 200° C (390° F) for the last 10–15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and a few cherry tomatoes. Serve with a side of mixed salad.

Notes

 Tomato passata is basically a fresh tomato purée, but you can use canned diced tomatoes instead; just process them into smoother consistency in a food processor or blender.

Nutrition

Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 2288mg | Potassium: 2089mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 3291IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 360mg | Iron: 7mg
Keywords: Paleo, Veggie Lasagna, Grain-Free
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Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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Comments

73 Comments
  1. I have to admit, I wasn’t 100% convinced that this would taste like a real lasagne.. Having tried numerous versions of low-carb ‘lasagne’s’, none have satisfied… I made this last night – and although it took a while to make, it was absolutely worth all of the effort!! Unfortunately it didn’t finish cooking until 10pm so I had some for lunch today (and probably again for dinner tonight post-WOD) and it is delicious. I am definitely putting this recipe onto the list for what to prepare when wanting to impress non-paleo guests. 🙂 Thank you!! P.S. I substitute parsnips for 1 large carrot and it worked a treat 🙂

    1. Thanks Angie! I am so happy you liked it. It does take a little while to make – all those layers, phew! – but I agree it’s worth the effort and it keeps really well I think. We got a few meals out of it 😉

      Irena 🙂

  2. A magnificent recipe, feeling very content watching the Australian tennis..thank you for sharing

  3. I’m going to make this beauty for supper tonight…can’t wait! I was wondering if you ever post the nutritional facts for your recipes?

    1. Hi Michelle, sometimes I go into the general nutrient composition of the dish – say it’s full of Omega-3 fatty acids or vitamins C, A and B12 – but I don’t break it down into macronutrients such as X calories, X protein etc. I do some sugar/fructose and carb analysis sometimes as that’s the main thing people try to watch on paleo. I’d like to though, just not enough time 🙁

      1. Ok thanks anyways…the lasagna is in the oven as we speak..I’m dying to try it! Thanks for your wonderful recipes and the beautiful layouts, it makes cooking even more of a pleasure!

  4. My tip to make this less time “daunting” is to make the sauce a day a head and refrigerate. Will take the same amount of time but spreading the load over a couple of days makes it more manageable (esp. with the kidlets around). I’ve also gotten into the habbit of batch cooking it so I have enough to make an extra tray to freeze.

  5. Has anyone ever tried to freeze this? Trying to find good recipes to make ahead and freeze- thank you!

  6. I made this last night. It was by far one of the most AMAZING meals I have ever had, let alone made myself!
    Great recipe! My boyfriend also loved it and he is PICKY!!!!!!

    1. I never have enough left to try. You could always make a bigger batch of the sauce and freeze that, which will halve the recipe time in half next time.

  7. Made it for lunch today and it was an absolute success. I have two super picky sons (aged 8 and 10), and when I said it was a lasagna, neither of them complained but cleaned their plates in minutes. The elder one even made a comment that he felt like in a special restaurant. I served it with tzatziki and paleo bread (from flax, eggs and sesame seeds). The only change I made was used bell peppers instead of mushroom, turmeric instead of paprika powder, and doubled the zucchini instead of eggplant. I’ll try next time with the original recipe, but this is what I had at hand this time. Thank you so much for the recipe!

    1. That’s the beauty of the recipe. You can mix and match different layers and spices and make it your own. I really love this lasagna too!

  8. This is an AMAZING recipe! I love this version more than Real lasagne. We have made so many of your recipes and have never been disappointed and have just purchased the cookbook and WOW so many more things I cannot wait to try! Thanks for making being healthy taste great!

  9. Just cooked this tonight! It wasn’t very daunting, I thought it was fun prepping it. I put some ricotta in between the veggies to make it look closer to the “real” lasagna. No eggplant since husband isn’t a fan. Husband and I loved it! We both love veggies so we didn’t mind eating out. Just gotta test it out to non Paleo friendsbut I’m pretty sure they love it. I just have to figure out how to make it less watery but I know that comes from the veggies. And next time to make it gooey, I’m gonna add mozzarella on top. Definitely goes to the make it again list.

  10. In attempt of getting back on track with my Paleo ways after being slack on hols/birthday etc and feeling rubbish from it, this was first on the weeks list of meals-YUM! Thanks for a great recipe and a new one to add to the list. I only discovered your site last week so I look forward to trying your other recipes out too. Thanks again, Emma, UK x

  11. Got this in the oven cooking now. I hope it works out as well as everyone else’s seems to. I didn’t cook the eggplant first as I kept burning it and didn’t use zucchini as i seemed to have loads of parsnip (which I missed precooking) and eggplant left over. It’s certainly looks delicious and hoping Miss 6 and Master 4 who are fussy with new things enjoy it. Also new to paleo thing so fingers crossed. Love the look of all your recipes (the ones I’ve seen so far).

  12. Hi Irena,

    I love this recipe and have made it several times. Tonight, when I pulled it up, I noticed some edits.

    Step 4 states: Take the baking tray out of the oven and start layering the lasagna in the following order: pre-cooked parsnips…

    I noticed the part about pre cooking the parsnips has been removed from the recipe. Was this intentional? Because I have made this so many times, I remembered to pre cook the parsnip, but for someone making this for the first time, it may be a bit confusing.

    Additionally, I believe the recipe used to call for cooking the onions in a separate pan from the ground beef. Then, adding the cooked onions to the ground beef mixture.

    Could you please clarify?

    Thank you,
    Lisa H.

    1. Yes, you are correct. The parsnips were slightly pre-cooked. I’ve edited this to be a little shorter and less verbose and I probably accidentally deleted it. I will add it in. The onions getting cooked separately or in the same pan as you add the beef won’t make too much of a difference, I’ve done it both ways and the result is pretty much the same – just skips that extra step making it a little easier. So, cook onion first but then just add the beef to the onion and fry off.

      Thanks for spotting it though. I will amend about the parsnips! I honestly think they will probably cook through anyway and will thus save some time, but better to be safer than sorry 😉

  13. Heyy there
    Just decided to do the two week test for carb intolerence

    And was looking for an interesting simple dish

    I loved this
    Im in egypt so we dont have parsnips these days (they only option is organic!)

    Anyway did the 2 layers eggplant

    Turned out awesome !

    Waiting for my mom’s verdict tomorrow

  14. Thank you so much Irey! Your recipes are divine!
    I have made your show off lasagne many many times, it is an all time fav in our home…
    FYI – It freezes quite well! My hubby works away and he makes me freeze some for him if I cook it when he isn’t around so he gets some when he gets home 🙂
    I personally think isn’t quite as delicious as when served straight up as the moisture in the veges once frozen changes the texture of the meat a little on defrosting.

    1. Thanks Jade! Good to know it freezes well as I often get asked but we never have enough left to freeze 🙂

  15. Hi there!

    Firstly quickly wanted to tell you how fantastic & inspiring your website is! Love it!! Then, I did try this recipe tonight for dinner (but took 800gr of minced beef & made it spicier) and it was absolutely delicious!!! Thanks a lot for that! So besides that it looks amazing and tastes divine!!

  16. My husband has just made this as his first paleo meal. It was delicious even though he had to fiddle with the recipe due to lack of some ingredients.

    Neither of us like conventional lasagne so we are really pleased to enjoy this. No nasty white sauce.

    thank you very much for sharing this recipe.

  17. Thanks. I don’t know how it’ll feel eating lasagna without the ‘sheets’ like you said, but if it’ll help me break free from pasta and get a little healthier it’s certainly worth a shot.

  18. This Lasagna was Amazing !! By far the best Paleo dish I have made so far . Thank you for the recipe

  19. I think this will be a good dish to win over my non paleo children. Although they are die hard pasta enthusiasts so we’ll see what they make of the lake of it in this recipe. One possible variation is the mix a couple of beaten eggs with the ricotta to make a white sauce. My mum used to always make her lasagne with a white sauce made from beaten eggs and cottage cheese and black pepper which tasted pretty good.

    1. Yes, you can absolutely make a healthy white sauce that way. It would make it even more delicious.

  20. Saw this recipe on Pintrest and thought it was beautiful. Made it substuiting grass fed bison (my first time having it) and it was delicious. Every single person in my family loved! And can I also say that I do not like eggplant. I have never cooked an eggplant. I had some in my CSA box that I needed to use so I did. Thanks to you, I think I like eggplant now.

  21. Hi there.

    I’m just curious if this lasagna is freezable or if you have a variation for 2 ppl? My husband and I couldn’t eat that whole lasagna, haha. I really want to try this meal. 🙂

    Thanks 🙂

    1. Hi Stefanie,

      I haven’t tried freezing it but I don’t see why not. It could get a bit mushy though. Having said that, it will last in the fridge for 2-3 days so you could have it for leftovers lunch as well.

      Irena

  22. made this on sunday was lovely and had the rest for lunch the next day def going to be on my meal planner 🙂

  23. 5 stars
    Nothing like a tasty, mouth-watering meal that looks that part as well! Can’t wait to eat it… The recipe looks easy enough… I’m using it to surprise someone special.

  24. This is absolutely and perfectly delicious and tastes so much better than “real” lasagne! This sauce is so good you just want to lay in it! Thank you so much, this recipe has found a home in my recipe keeper! 😉

  25. Thank you so much for this recipe! It is definitely better than normal lasagna. Me and my boyfriend have made this three times over the last month, and everyone who have tasted it have been blown away (including my parents in law, score!). I make it vegan/cheese free, but not entirely paleo, by making a “cheese sauce” from 1 dl cashews, 1 cup coconut milk, blend, mix into a casserole with 3-4 dl milk (I use rice milk) and some starch (I use corn starch) and heat it while I whisk it until it stiffens. Adding this, and perhaps some pieces of bacon, on top is heavenly.

  26. 5 stars
    This was really good! I sauted the mushrooms and zucchini (rather than drizzle with oil) before layering, it browned them up nicely and saved a bit on cooking time, I also think it helps bring out the flavour. I added the cheese and broiled for a few minutes to brown it up nicely. Lovely tasty lasagna and will definitely make again! Do you think the leftovers would freeze well? Thanks, Gwyn

  27. Hi, for the dairy free “cheese” topping, you mention that we can use pre cooked cauliflower, cashews and olive oil as an alternative. What are the quantities of each ingredients?

  28. For the dairy free alternative ” white cream sauce”, you mentioned that cauliflower, olive oil and cashews can be used? What ar the quantities of each ingredients? And by “pre-cooked”, do you mean I should steam the cauliflower or saute the cauliflower? Thank you 🙂

  29. 5 stars
    Made this on the weekend as I have been keen to try Paleo for quite some time. I can only say if this is a standard Paleo recipe and all the other recipes taste this good, I am hooked.

    Thanks Irena

    1. Thank you John. I can assure you that you will love a lot of the recipes here, although this lasagna is a BIG favourite with everyone.

    1. Hmmm, was your meat ragu sauce quite watery when you added it between the layers of the veggies? Another reason could be if the zucchini or courgettes or mushrooms might have given out too much moisture and that added liquid to the whole dish?

  30. 4 stars
    Omg! This looks amazing, I planned to make lasagna for lunches next week, but I didn’t wanna use pasta sheets and I showed my husband, and he approves. (Although I didn’t mention the eggplant! Haha) but ssshhhhhh. This is my I love lasagna, cuz even if I was to use pasta sheets, I add a tone of grafted veggies in the mince and it gives it so much flavour, and now I get to try the veggies out a diff way.

    Here’s to paleo.

    1. Thanks, Anne. You can also make a larger batch of the sauce and save the leftovers for later or freeze.

  31. I’ve made this a few times and love it, thanks for an awesome recipe Irena! I want to make it tomorrow but don’t have any parsnips, do you think turnips or celeriac would work better? I have both 🙂 thank you! X

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