Vegetable Lasagna

When a dinner like Vegetable Lasagna hits the table, no one will miss the meat—not even diehard meat lovers. Filled with spinach, mushrooms, ricotta, and an easy homemade tomato sauce, this labor of love recipe is worth every minute.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 40

Servings servings

Calories 416kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the noodles:

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 box lasagna noodles (see note 1)

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (such as white button or cremini) trimmed and sliced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
1 medium onion peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (see note 2)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (see note 3)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds

For the cheese filling:

15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt

For assembly:

16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the noodles:

In a large stock pot, bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to boil. Add noodles and cook until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.

To make the sauce:

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add mushrooms, onions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the mushrooms have released most of their liquid, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in spinach, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, and fennel seeds. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). You should have about 2 quarts sauce.

To make the cheese filling:

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, parsley, and salt. Chill until the sauce is finished.

To assemble the lasagna:

In the bottom of a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups of sauce. Arrange a single layer of cooked noodles over the meat sauce (I do 3 full-size noodles lengthwise and then a partial noodle crosswise). Spread with a heaping 2/3 cup of the ricotta mixture. Top with about 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) of mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.
Spoon 2 cups sauce over the cheese. Make another layer of noodles, ricotta mixture (heaping 2/3 cup), mozzarella (1 1/2 cups) and Parmesan (1/3 cup). Repeat layers 1 more time, for a total of 3 layers.
Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover baking dish. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

1. Lasagne noodles: This recipe is written for regular lasagna noodles, not “oven-ready” or “no-boil noodles.” Those pre-cooked noodles will shred on your fork in the most unappetizing way, while the “real” noodles will not. If you want to use no-boil lasagna noodles, add about 1/2 cup water to the tomato sauce and bake the first 25 to 30 minutes covering the pan with foil.
2. Sugar: Add sugar to taste. For some, that means omitting it entirely. For others, you can increase the sugar up to 1/4 cup.
3. Italian seasoning: To make your own Italian Seasoning, in a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. of dried basil, 2 Tbsp. of dried oregano, 2 Tbsp. of dried rosemary, 2 Tbsp. of dried thyme, and 2 Tbsp. of dried marjoram. Store extra in an airtight container.
4. Yield: This Vegetable Lasagna is made in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish, enough for 12 generous slices.
5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
6. Make ahead: Complete the layering process and wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap. Lasagne can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one day before you need it. To cook the chilled lasagna, unwrap the pan and bake it in a preheated oven at 375 degrees.
7. Freezer: Wrap the uncooked lasagna in plastic wrap and heavy-duty foil before freezing. It will keep in the freezer for up to a month. To bake the frozen lasagna, move it into the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to defrost slowly, then bake it in a preheated oven at 375 degrees.

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