Vegetable Lasagna
Involved · 90 min · Serves 4 · Italian
Dietary: vegetarian, pescatarian, nut-free
Layers of noodles, lemony garlic ricotta, spinach and roasted mushrooms, pepper and zucchini in marinara, baked under mozzarella and pecorino until browned and bubbling.
Ingredients
For 4 servings
Roasted vegetables
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin: 1 tbsp for the vegetables, the rest for the dish and the noodles
- 115 g mushroom, cremini, stemmed and quartered
- 0.5 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces
- 0.5 zucchini, medium, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces
- 0.25 onion, medium yellow, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces
- 0.25 tsp salt, sea salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Noodles
- 180 g lasagna noodle, regular, not no-boil (about 8 noodles)
Ricotta filling
- 340 g ricotta, whole milk (about 1½ cups)
- 2 clove garlic, grated
- 0.5 lemon, finely grated zest only (about 1 tsp)
- 0.5 tsp salt, sea salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Layers
- 360 ml marinara sauce, about 1½ cups
- 45 g spinach, fresh (about 1½ cups)
- 100 g mozzarella, low-moisture part-skim, grated (about 1 cup)
- 25 g pecorino, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
- 5 g basil, leaves, or chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)
Steps
Roasted vegetables
- Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F), line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and oil a baking dish about 20 cm (8 inch) square.
- Put the mushrooms, pepper, zucchini and onion on the baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread them out evenly.
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and browned around the edges, then turn the oven down to 200°C (400°F).
Noodles
- While the vegetables roast, cook the noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the packet, until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil so they don't stick together.
Ricotta filling
- In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Layers
- Spread about 120 ml (½ cup) of the marinara over the bottom of the oiled dish. Cover with a layer of noodles, trimming them to fit, then spread over half the ricotta in an even layer. Arrange half the spinach on top, then half the roasted vegetables, and dot with about 80 ml (⅓ cup) of the sauce.
- Repeat with a second layer of noodles, the rest of the ricotta, spinach and vegetables, and another 80 ml (⅓ cup) of sauce. Finish with a last layer of noodles.
- Spread the remaining marinara over the top noodles and sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and pecorino.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
- Let it stand for 20 minutes before slicing, so the layers set and hold together, then garnish with basil or parsley, if using. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or a 180°C (350°F) oven. To freeze, assemble it but don't bake it, cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months, then defrost overnight in the fridge before baking.