Dec 15, 20222 min read

Recipe - Vegetable Lasagna

This time of year, we always have to come up with dishes that feed a crowd. With Clark and I both trying to incorporate more plant-based meals and several friends who are vegetarians, I went in search of a great vegetarian lasagna recipe. Voila - I think I found one!!!

It is hard to find vegetarian lasagnas that are not too watery and taste hardy. This one was great, it was filling and firm.

RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
48 ounces marinara sauce (I used Rao's)
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pinches red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
5 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 egg
1 cup ricotta cheese (8 ounces)
9 oven-ready (no boil) lasagna noodles
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional for serving)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini. Cook until softened, 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
Add the marina sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley to the skillet and stir. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the temperature to low. Cook at a low simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in the chopped fresh spinach.
While the sauce simmers, crack the egg into a medium bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the ricotta cheese and stir to combine.
To assemble the lasagna, put about 1 cup of the sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 noodles in an even layer over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Place small spoonfuls of the ricotta and egg mixture on top of the sauce using 1/3 of the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Mozzarella and 1/3 of the Parmesan over the top.
Repeat two more times. For the top layer of the lasagna, use the remaining noodles, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with a piece of foil that has been sprayed on the underside with olive oil, so it will not stick to the cheese.
Bake the lasagna covered for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. Do not skip this part or it will be too soupy when serving!