Vegetable Lasagna Recipe (Easy) | Kitchn
- Tomato sauce: A bunch of browned mushrooms is the base for this thick and rich tomato sauce. Tomato paste, canned crushed tomatoes, and canned whole peeled tomatoes cook together for the lushest texture. It simmers aways while the vegetables roast.
- Roasted vegetables: Vegetable lasagnas can include everything from spinach and mushrooms to zucchini and broccoli. This version leans heavily on Mediterranean favorites. Roasting zucchini and eggplant concentrates their flavor and cooks out a lot of the water, ensuring a sturdy lasagna slice that doesn’t slip and slide all over your plate. Jarred roasted red peppers are invited to the party as well, adding lots of flavor without an extra cooking step.
- Cheese, cheese, and more cheese: A layer of ricotta is classic in Italian-American-style lasagna. A full cup of Parmesan brings salty depth of flavor to the mild and milky cheese, while a little lemon zest brightens it up. Heavy cream helps prevent that gritty texture baked ricotta can sometimes have and makes it easier to spread as you layer. Spinach is a common addition to the ricotta mixture as well, but I reached for a literal bunch of fresh basil instead. Finally, a pound of mozzarella provides that classic, melty stretch.
- Pasta: Many lasagna recipes call for 12 to 14 ounces of lasagna noodles, leaving a few noodles behind in the box. I never know what to do with these stragglers. So I use a full pound of noodles here, resulting in a towering dish. The result is an impressive vegetarian main dish.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced in volume and well browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot and breaking up the whole tomatoes into large chunks with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Fill the crushed tomato can halfway with water, swirl to collect any tomato bits stuck to the can, and pour it into the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes. (You should have 6 to 7 cups of sauce.) Meanwhile, roast the vegetables.
Trim and cut 1 1/2 pounds zucchini in half crosswise. Cut the pieces lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick planks. Place on one of the baking sheets. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in a single layer.
Trim and cut 1 1/4 pounds eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Cut any larger rounds in half into half-moons. Place on the second baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Arrange in a single layer, overlapping slightly if needed to fit.
Place the zucchini on the lower rack and eggplant on the upper rack. Roast until the bottoms of the zucchini are browned, about 20 minutes. Flip both the zucchini and eggplant slices. Return to the oven, this time with the eggplant on the bottom rack. Roast until tender and browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. (The eggplant may need a few minutes more than the zucchini.) Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients for assembly.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, grate 1 pound mozzarella cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 4 cups). Finely grate 5 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 3/4 packed cups, or use 1 1/4 cups store-bought grated). Transfer 1/2 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan to a small bowl and toss to combine for the topping. Pick and coarsely chop the leaves from 1 large bunch fresh basil until you have 1 loosely packed cup. Finely grate the zest of 1 medium lemon until you have 2 teaspoons.
Coat a 9x13x3-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Set aside 1/4 of the best-looking noodles for the top layer. Top with 1/3 of the remaining noodles, overlapping them slightly and cutting to fit as needed. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and spread into an even layer with the back of the spoon. Arrange 1/3 of the zucchini, 1/3 of the eggplant, and 1/3 of the roasted peppers evenly on top. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella (1 heaped cup). Dollop 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce on top and spread into an even layer.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is deeply browned, 20 minutes more. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting and serving.