Description
This Vegetable Lasagna is possibly the tastiest and heartiest meatless dish you'll ever eat. Each layer is loaded with perfectly al dente noodles, rich tomato sauce with your fave veggies like zucchini and mushrooms, and a creamy three-cheese mixture that you won’t be able to get enough of.
Ingredients
For the noodles:
- 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the vegetable sauce:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
For the cheese mixture:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
Cook the noodles:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add lasagna noodles, olive oil, and salt and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm), about 10 minutes or according to package directions.
- Rinse the noodles under cold water to cool off completely and set aside.
Prepare the vegetable sauce:
- Heat oil in a large pot or 4 quart Dutch oven for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles.
- Add mushrooms, zucchini, and salt. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and vegetables are caramelized, about 7 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Stir well to combine and continue cooking until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and parsley. Stir well to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Prepare the cheese mixture:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, egg, and parsley. Whisk to combine.
Assemble the lasagna:
- Sauce: In a 9x13-inch casserole pan, evenly spread 1 cup of the vegetable sauce on the bottom.
- Noodles: Place a layer of 3 lasagna noodles evenly over the sauce.
- Cheese: Spread half of the cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.
- Sauce: Spread half the remaining sauce on top.
- Noodles: Top with another layer of 3 noodles.
- Cheese: Spread remaining half of cheese mixture on top.
- Noodles: Top with the last layer of 3 noodles.
- Sauce: Add remaining sauce on top.
- Shredded cheese: Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake the lasagna:
- Lightly grease a large piece of aluminum foil and cover the pan with the greased side inside. Greasing the foil prevents the melted cheese from sticking to the foil while baking.
- Bake the lasagna covered for 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes or until the melted cheese turns golden brown and bubbly.
- Optionally, turn on broiler on high and broil for the last 3-4 minutes to get a crispy and brown cheesy crust. But keep a close eye on the broiler as things can burn quickly.
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Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.
Notes
How to store: Place the leftover lasagna in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also portion it out into individual servings for easy reheating throughout the week.
How to reheat: Reheat each portion in the microwave for just over a minute. If heating multiple portions at a time, cover them with foil and bake in the oven at 375°F for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. If you’d like to crisp up the top, remove the foil and broil for an additional 3 minutes — but keep a close eye on the broiler because things can burn quickly in there.
How to freeze: Wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap and use aluminum foil to cover it in another layer. You can also portion it out into individual servings and double-wrap each portion as well. Place the portions in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, pop it straight from the freezer at 375℉ for 30 to 40 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat an individual portion in an air fryer at 375℉ for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian