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Very Veggie Lasagna

Unlike some lasagnas this one comes together quickly. You don't want to cook the sauce too long because you want to emphasize their freshness. Serve this with a big green salad and you have a filling, but not heavy, meal.
Servings: 10

Ingredients

  • Lasagna noodles see note
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 bell peppers I used one red and one orange
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 4-5 zucchini or summer squash I used a couple of both
  • 1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted)
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 24 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 5 ounces fresh goat cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese divided
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two, just until it's fragrant.
  • Meanwhile cut all the other vegetables (except the canned tomatoes) into chunks of consistent size, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches each, though there is no need to be too precise about it. As you have them ready add them to the skillet with the onion.
  • Continue to sauté until all of the vegetables have begun to soften and maybe brown a bit around the edges.
  • Add the canned tomatoes, the wine, the salt, pepper, pepper flakes and oregano and give it all a good stir. Bring the sauce to a boil and then turn it down to a medium simmer for about 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile put the ricotta and goat cheese into a medium sized bowl. Add the eggs, the chopped parsley and 1 cup of the grated parmesan. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  • When the sauce has cooked down, assemble the lasagna.
  • Start with about 3/4 cup of the veggie sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Then add a layer of lasagna noodles. Top those with a layer of the ricotta mixture (about a third of the total), spread evenly over the noodles. Next add about a third of the veggie sauce and then a third of the mozzarella. Continue layering this way until all of the sauce and ricotta mixture are used up.
  • Top the whole thing with the last cup of Parmesan cheese.
  • Cover the casserole in foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top of the lasagna is browned to your liking and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
  • Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes (put the foil back on it to keep it warm) before cutting.

Notes

I do not find it necessary to cook dried lasagna noodles before assembling the casserole. They always cook just fine on their own, when layered between all the goodness inside. My sister-in-law let me in on that little secret years ago, and it hasn't failed me once.