Vegetable Italian Lasagna Food

THE BEST VEGETARIAN LASAGNA RECIPE EVER

Steps:

• Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent and the pepper is tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, honey or sugar, salt, and pepper. If you're using whole tomatoes, break up the tomatoes with a spoon. To save time, I will sometimes give whole tomatoes a quick spin in the blender to break them down a bit, then add them to the pot. (This is also a good method if you're serving people who don't like tomato chunks in their sauce).
• Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the sauce comes to a boil. Turn the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the parsley, then remove from the heat.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grab a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. Smear a little of the sauce on the bottom of the pan. Add a single layer of pasta, breaking to fit as needed. Using a couple of spoons (one to scoop and one to scrape it off), plop half the ricotta all over the noodles in little mounds. Top with 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle on half of the mozzarella.
• Repeat with a layer of pasta, then the rest of the ricotta, then another third of the sauce, then the remaining mozzarella.
• Add a last layer of pasta and spread the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
• Bake until bubbly and melty and the pasta is tender, about 45 minutes. If the top begins to get brown, cover with foil during the last 10 minutes or so of baking.
• Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
• Keeps refrigerated covered or in an airtight container for about 3 days. It also keeps frozen for several months. I have also frozen single-portion leftovers in individual freezer bags for quick and easy lunches.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce: Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium pot over low heat. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally at first and more often as it colors, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-low, add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil sprig, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until quite thick (if you draw a spoon through the sauce, you'll see the bottom of the pot for a few seconds before the sauce fills back in), about 30 minutes. As the sauce thickens, turn the heat down a bit so the bottom doesn't scorch. Stir in the chopped basil. Let cool to room temperature before assembling the lasagna. (Makes 1 quart.)
• To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Squeeze the spinach in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Put it in a large bowl, and stir in the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg.
• Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 lasagna noodles across the sauce (they won't touch). Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce on top. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture (about 1 cup) across the sauce, and use the back of a spoon to spread it (it will smush into the tomato sauce, which is fine). Scatter 1 cup of the mozzarella on top.
• Repeat the layering 2 more times. Top with the last 3 noodles, spread the last 3/4 cup tomato sauce over them and scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray, and cover the baking dish.
• Bake until the noodles are soft and the cheese has melted, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the cheese is bubbling and the lasagna is slightly browned around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

HEARTY VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse with cold water, and drain.
• In a large saucepan, cook and stir mushrooms, green peppers, onion, and garlic in oil. Stir in pasta sauce and basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Mix together ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, and eggs.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer 1/2 each, lasagna noodles, ricotta mix, sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering, and top with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add spinach, and stir well to combine.
• Spread a small bit of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish or dishes. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles on top. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by 1/3 of the remaining sauce; sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat to make two more layers, ending with cheese. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Before baking, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
• Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add red pepper, carrot and onion; cook and stir until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini and garlic; cook and stir until squashes are crisp-tender., Stir in tomato paste, broth, brown sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix egg and ricotta cheese. Spread 1 cup vegetable mixture into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Layer with two noodles (trim to fit pan), half of the ricotta mixture, about 1-1/2 cups vegetable mixture and two additional noodles. Top with remaining ricotta mixture, noodles and vegetable mixture., Sprinkle with cheeses and Italian seasoning. Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Mix goat cheese, olives, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of an 8" x 11" baking dish. Add one layer of lasagna and season with black pepper. Add a layer of zucchini, squash, and red pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of goat cheese mixture over vegetables and spread to cover. Repeat layers, finishing with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes or until top browns. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat a 13x9 glass baking dish with non fat cooking spray.
• In a large bowl combine the soup, ricotta cheese and cream cheese.
• Mix well until smooth.
• Mix in the frozen vegetables.
• Mixture will be stiff.
• Spread 1/3 of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of the dish.
• Press 3 of the lasagna noodles over the vegetable mixture.
• Spread 1/3 of the vegetable mixture over the lasagna noodles.
• Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
• Top with the remaining 3 lasagna noodles.
• Cover with the remaining vegetable mixture.
• Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.
• (I pour about 1/2 cup water around the edges of the pasta before I seal the pan with aluminum foil).
• Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Remove the aluminum foil.
• Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

GLUTEN-FREE VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a medium pan, heat the olive oil on medium-low heat. Add the onion, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, garlic and a dash of salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften and onion becomes translucent. Set aside.
• Cook the noodles according to package directions till al dente (not quite done and still firm). Drain and leave a little water so the noodles do not stick. Or lay them out on a flat surface.
• Meanwhile, while the noodles cook shred the parmesan and mozzarella cheese and make the ricotta filling. In a large bowl cream together ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, oregano, basil, and milk.
• Spray a large 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking oil. Spread a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place a single layer of noodles over the tomato sauce (3-4 strips throughout each layer). Then add the ricotta mixture, then sautéed vegetables on top. Repeat 2 more times starting with tomato sauce, then noodles, creamed cheese, vegetables. On the fourth layer of noodles, dip them first in water then top with tomato sauce and the shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Rest lasagna for about 30 minutes to allow the noodles to absorb liquid and flavors to set. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbly. If the sides seem to burn, cover with foil, and remove foil for last 5 minutes of cooking. Rest at least 20 minutes before serving and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, bell peppers, red onion, zucchini, dried basil, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until the vegetables are tender and begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce and balsamic to the vegetables. Stir to combine then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl add the ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well, until the mixture is evenly combined.
• Stir in the spinach, using a fork to break it up and distribute it as evenly with the ricotta mixture as possible.
• Spread a thin layer of the vegetable tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on top, breaking the ends if needed so that they fit. Leave some space around the noodles, as they will expand as they cook.
• Top the noodles with 1/3 of the remaining sauce, half of the ricotta mixture, the next 1/3 portion of the sauce, and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella.
• Top with 3 more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and 1/2 cup mozzarella (no tomato sauce in this layer).
• Top the cheese with the 3 final noodles. Spread the remaining sauce over the top.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.
• Cover the lasagna with foil (be careful not to let the foil touch the top of the cheese or it will stick-I like to stick a few toothpicks in the top of the lasagna so that they are poking up and keep the foil off of the cheese). Bake it covered for 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, uncover, and rotate the pan by 180. Continue cooking uncovered for 15 to 20 more minutes, until it is hot and bubbly and the cheese is beginning to have brown spots.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes to set. Sprinkle with fresh basil, then slice and serve.