Zucchini Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna Food

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until it wilts. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, trim the ends of the zucchini. Using a knife, carefully slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/16 inch thick. If the zucchini looks watery, lay the slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture before using.
• Grate the mozzarella cheese and set aside.
• Cut the basil into a chiffonade by stacking the leaves on top of one another, rolling them tightly and then cutting across. Finely chop the parsley. In a medium bowl, combine the herbs, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the eggs, salt and pepper and stir well.
• To assemble the lasagna, place a third of the mushrooms and spinach mixture over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spoon a layer of marinara on top and cover with half of the zucchini strips, carefully overlapping the edges. Spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture onto the zucchini and spread to distribute evenly. Sprinkle half the mozzarella on top of the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat the process above, layering the mushrooms and spinach, marinara, the remaining zucchini strips, cottage cheese, and mozzarella into the dish. Top with the remaining mushrooms and spinach, followed by a final layer of marinara.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the Parmesan over the top and bake until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Allow to stand for 35 minutes before cutting into squares.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Mix carrots, oregano, and spaghetti sauce together.
• Mix Ricotta, spinach, and eggs together in separate bowl.
• Spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Layer 3 lasagna noodles, ½ remaining sauce, ½ Ricotta mixture, ½ sliced zucchini, ½ sliced mushrooms, ½ Mozzarella, and ½ Parmesan.
• Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
• Bake in 350 degrees oven for about 45 minutes.

MUSHROOM ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Steps:

• Finely dice 1/2 cup zucchini; set aside. Slice the remaining zucchini. In a large saucepan, saute the sliced zucchini, mushrooms, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, 3 tablespoons parsley, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes., In a bowl, combine the eggs, mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheese, grated Parmesan, onion powder and remaining parsley, salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with three noodles, half of the cheese mixture and a third of the remaining sauce. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining noodles and sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with diced zucchini and shredded Parmesan. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

ZUCCHINI AND MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add flour and reduce heat to low, stirring to form a roux.
• Stir in milk gradually, blending so that sauce is smooth.
• Mix in onion powder, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, and Parmesan cheese; stir and cook until mixture thickens; season to taste with salt and pepper, then keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, while you prepare lasagna.
• In lasagna pan or 13 x 9 inch baking pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray or wipe with a little oil and a paper towel.
• Spread 3 lasagna noodles across bottom, making sure entire bottom is covered; spread 1/3 of ricotta over noodles.
• Place a layer of mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchini over ricotta, and spoon 1/4 of the sauce over the vegetables.
• Repeat the layers 2 more times, topping the last cheese/vegetable layer with noodles (there may be a few noodles left over) and the remaining sauce.
• Cover and bake for 40 minutes; uncover, sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese and bake 10-12 minutes more, or until cheese is just starting to turn golden and lasagna is bubbly.
• Allow to sit 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA (THAT MEAT EATERS WILL LOVE!)

Steps:

• For this recipe, you are essentially just creating the different elements for the lasagna and then layering them. There is a tomato sauce layer, a pasta layer, a béchamel sauce layer, and a cheese layer.
• Saute the garlic and onion in a large, wide bottomed saucepan.
• Meanwhile chop up your zucchini, mushrooms, and tofu, if using. Size is what you prefer. You can put them through a food processor if you are running short on time or better yet, pass this job to your lowly sous-chef.
• When the onions are nearly softened, add the chopped veggies (and tofu) to the saucepan.
• Once the vegetables are somewhat softened, add the tomato puree, bay leaf, oregano, dried basil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Taste as you go for your preference in saltiness and spiciness. Remember, ambitious guests can always add more spice at the table.
• Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer and then keep it aside on a very low heat.
• Now create the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter into a saucepan and then slowly add the flour, stirring constantly as you go.
• Once the butter and flour are blended, slowly add the milk, again stirring as you do.
• Now add the softened goat cheese to the mixture and stir until blended. Spice the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Lastly, let simmer until thickened. Add milk if it thickens too quickly (you want a gravy consistency).
• Now you are ready for assembly. Pour a spoonful of sauce onto the bottom of a large (9x13 inch) baking dish (glass or aluminum) to just cover the surface. Then add a layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of sauce, a layer of mozzarella, and then another layer of lasagna. For the next layer, add a thick layer of the goat cheese bechemal sauce. Continue layering, adding in fresh basil leaves as you like in the middle layers. Finish off with a layer of lasagna topped with mozzarella.
• Bake about 25 minutes in ? degree oven and serve to great delight.
• NOTE: For a more robust tomato sauce, you can use Alan Leonetti's marinara sauce recipe (Recipe #84217), especially if you've made it in advance and frozen it.
• NOTE: Variation With Ground Beef: To make a more traditional meat lasagna I follow the same recipe as above but I omit the tofu (of course!) and the goat cheese. I still use the mushroom and courgette/zucchini but I cut back on the amount. I brown the beef in a separate pan and then combine it in the layer of tomato and vegetable sauce. The addition of the courgette/zucchini and mushroom in with the meat it usually a welcome twist!