Spinach Lasagna

We all have those nights where we crave serious comfort food, but we definitely don’t want the heavy, bloated feeling that comes with traditional pasta. That is exactly why I love this Paleo Spinach Lasagna. By swapping out wheat noodles for tender roasted eggplant and using a rich, dairy-free coconut milk sauce, you get all those classic Italian vibes without the gluten. It is the ultimate grain-free dinner that proves eating clean doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the flavors you love!

Yields: 8 Servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Noodles:

• 2 medium or 4-6 small eggplants (approx. 32.0 oz / 907 g)

• Coconut oil for greasing (approx. 0.5 tbsp / 7 g)

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the Sauce & Filling:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (approx. 6.0 oz / 170 g)

• 1.0 tsp coconut oil (0.16 oz / 5 g)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 3.0 cups full-fat coconut milk (24.0 fl oz / 710 ml)

• 2 bay leaves

• 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg

• 2.0 tbsp arrowroot flour or tapioca starch (0.6 oz / 18 g)

• 20.0 oz frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, and finely chopped (567 g)

• 9.0 oz Paleo-friendly Coconut Milk Cheddar Cheese, shredded (255 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Eggplant: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a rimmed baking sheet with a small amount of coconut oil. Peel the eggplants completely. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the eggplants lengthwise into 0.25-inch (0.6 cm) thick slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes to soften. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Prepare the Baking Dish: Grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with coconut oil. Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C).
3. Start the Sauce: In a large saucepan, combine the chopped onion, 1.0 tsp of coconut oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the onions are softened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Simmer and Thicken: Pour in 2.75 cups (22 fl oz / 650 ml) of the coconut milk, add the bay leaves, and the 0.5 tsp of nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a simmer. In a separate small bowl, whisk the 2.0 tbsp of arrowroot/tapioca flour with the remaining 0.25 cup (2 fl oz / 60 ml) of coconut milk to create a slurry. Whisk this slurry into the simmering pot. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
5. Finish the Filling: Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the dried spinach and 0.5 cup (approx. 2.0 oz / 57 g) of the shredded cheese. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
6. Assemble: Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay a single layer of the roasted eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the eggplant with a portion of the remaining cheese, then cover with a layer of sauce. Repeat these layers until all eggplant slices are used. Finish by topping the lasagna with the remaining cheese.
7. Bake: Grease a sheet of aluminum foil with coconut oil. Cover the baking dish tightly with the foil (oil side down). Bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges, approximately 20 minutes.
8. Broil: Remove the lasagna from the oven. Adjust the oven rack to a position about 6 inches from the top heating element and turn on the broiler. Remove the foil from the dish. Broil for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is spotty brown and bubbly. Allow the lasagna to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 365 kcal

• Total Fat: 31.5 g

• Saturated Fat: 25.2 g

• Total Carbohydrates: 19.8 g

• Dietary Fiber: 5.4 g

• Net Carbohydrates: 14.4 g

• Sugars: 5.1 g

• Protein: 6.2 g

• Sodium: 280 mg

• Potassium: 610 mg

Chef’s Pro Tips for Perfect Paleo Lasagna

• Squeeze the Spinach “Bone Dry”: This is the most critical step. Frozen spinach holds a massive amount of water. After thawing, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and wring it out until absolutely no more liquid comes out. If you skip this, your white sauce will turn into a watery soup at the bottom of the dish.

• Don’t Skip the Eggplant Roast: Roasting the eggplant slices (Step 1) isn’t just about cooking them; it is about dehydrating them. Eggplants act like sponges. By pre-roasting them, you remove excess moisture that would otherwise seep out during the final bake. If they still look moist after 12 minutes, give them another 3 to 5 minutes.

• Let It Rest: Unlike traditional flour-pasta lasagna which absorbs liquid as it cools, grain-free lasagna needs time to “set.” Let the dish rest on the counter for at least 15 to 20 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This allows the coconut milk sauce and arrowroot to firm up, making it much easier to cut nice, clean squares.

• Neutralizing the Coconut Flavor: If you are worried about the sauce tasting too much like coconut, rely on the nutmeg and bay leaves—they are classic béchamel seasonings that mask sweetness. You can also add a pinch of nutritional yeast or a splash of lemon juice to the sauce to boost the savory, cheesy profile.

• The Arrowroot Slurry: When adding your thickener (arrowroot or tapioca), make sure the liquid in the pot is simmering gently, not boiling violently. High heat can sometimes break the bond of arrowroot flour, causing the sauce to thin out again. Whisk continuously and remove from heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon.

• Make It Meaty (Optional): If you have meat-eaters at the table, this recipe adapts easily. You can brown 1.0 lb (450 g) of grass-fed ground beef or Italian sausage with the onions in Step 2 before adding the coconut milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this Paleo Lasagna ahead of time? Yes, this is a great meal prep recipe! You can assemble the entire lasagna, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. If baking from cold, you may need to add an extra 10–15 minutes to the cooking time to ensure it is heated through.

Why did my eggplant lasagna turn out watery? Watery lasagna usually happens for two reasons: the frozen spinach wasn’t squeezed dry enough, or the eggplant wasn’t roasted before assembling. Eggplants hold a lot of natural water, so skipping the pre-roasting step (Step 1) will cause that liquid to release into your sauce while baking.

Can I substitute fresh spinach for frozen? You can, but you will need a large volume of it. You would need roughly 2 lbs (900 g) of fresh spinach to equal the amount of frozen spinach called for in this recipe. You must sauté the fresh spinach until wilted and squeeze out all the excess liquid before adding it to the sauce.

Is this recipe Keto-friendly? This recipe is very close to Keto, but because it uses onion and arrowroot flour (a starch), it has about 14g of net carbs per serving. To make it strictly Keto, you can reduce the amount of onion and substitute the arrowroot thickener with a teaspoon of xanthan gum or simply reduce the sauce longer to thicken it naturally.

Can I use zucchini instead of eggplant? Absolutely. Zucchini makes a great noodle substitute. However, zucchini holds even more water than eggplant. We recommend salting the zucchini slices and letting them sit in a colander for 30 minutes, then patting them very dry before roasting them briefly.

How do I store and freeze leftovers? Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap individual slices in parchment paper and then foil. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven or microwave.

I really hope this Paleo Spinach Lasagna becomes a new staple in your weekly meal rotation! It is the perfect proof that you don’t need dairy or grains to enjoy a rich, satisfying dinner that the whole family will love. If you give this recipe a try, please scroll down and leave a star rating and review—it really helps other readers find the recipe. And don’t forget to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see your delicious re-creation!