This is a great way to get a ton of veggies into your family without blatantly upsetting them. While I am normally a fan of lasagna packed full of meat, I like to switch it up and go a little lighter every once in a while.
I use this particular combo of vegetables to mimic the feel of ground beef. Chop the veggies into small 1/4″ cubes and once they’ve cooked down, you’ll have a similar(ish) consistency. Use whatever combo of veggies you have on hand, but be sure to chop them all to the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
VEGGIE LASAGNA
Ingredients
- 1-2 TBSP olive oil
- 3 medium zucchini chopped to 1/4″ cubes
- 8 oz mushrooms chopped to 1/4″ cubes
- 1/2 medium onion chopped to 1/4″ cubes
- 1-2 cloves garlic to taste
- 12 oz jarred roasted red peppers chopped to 1/4″ cubes
- 48 oz jarred spaghetti sauce (or homemade if you have time)
- 1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
- 2 carrots, grated (or 8 baby carrots)
- 1 TBSP dried oregano (or Italian seasoning)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 16 oz cottage cheese (or ricotta, or a mix of both)
- 2 eggs
- 8 oz bagged fresh spinach, rough chopped (or spinach and kale mix)
- 8-12 no-boil lasagna noodles (or traditional noodles prepared to package directions)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2-1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
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In a large skillet, sauté the zucchini, mushrooms, onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the veggies are tender and have released some of their water. Transfer the veggie mixture to a colander to continue draining the moisture.
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In one bowl, place the drained veggie mixture and stir in the roasted red peppers. Reserve,
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In a second bowl, combine the spaghetti sauce, thyme leaves, carrots, dried oregano and black pepper. Reserve.
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In a third bowl, combine the cottage (or ricotta) cheese, eggs and chopped spinach.
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In a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, lightly sprayed with cooking spray, begin to assemble your layers. Start with just enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan (to prevent sticking). Follow with noodles, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 veggie mixture, 1/2 cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup of mozzarella.
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Repeat noodles, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 veggie mixture, 1/2 cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup of mozzarella. Finish with grated Parmesan if using.
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Cover the dish with aluminum foil (dull side down) and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. To give the top a browned and bubbly look, uncover and cook under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. WATCH CLOSELY! The broiler works extremely quickly! Pull the lasagna out as soon as your desired look is achieved.
