I do love a good lasagna – vegetarian or not. Lasagna is a great way to incorporate more veggies into your dinner, particularly zucchini, the roasted peppers I put away in the freezer at the end of summer, and the garlic and purple onion that keep so well over the winter months. This lasagna is easy to assemble and bake – or freeze it ahead of time and bake it from frozen. A lasagna is perfect to slide into the oven when you get home from a long day, and will be ready in less time than it takes to order pizza.

Feel free to mix and match veggies according to your taste. Using roasted red peppers cuts back on excess juices, and intensifies their flavors.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Adapted from SELF, September 2005

1 cup light ricotta cheese
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives (optional)
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 cups prepared pasta sauce
1 lb whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced or diced
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
3-4 roasted red peppers, diced
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, garlic, olives, thyme, basil and oregano; season with salt and pepper.

Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9″x9″ (or similar sized) baking dish. Add one layer of lasagna, then a layer of zucchini, purple onion and red pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over vegetables and spread to cover. Repeat layers, finishing with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan on top, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting to serve. Serves 6.

Freeze It! 12 recipes you can make ahead

Vegetarian Lasagna

Serving Size:

4 – 6

Serving Size:

Egg free, Gluten free, Nut free

Ingredients

• 22 oz butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 medium eggplants, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
• olive oil spray
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 jars (24 oz each) tomato puree or tomato pasta sauce
• 1 pound instant lasagna sheets
• 1 pound ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 2 cups mozzarella, grated

Method:

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt, leave for 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking trays with baking paper; arrange squash and eggplant slices on trays, spray with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until tender.

Place ricotta, egg, peas, and herbs in a food processor. Pulse to combine.

Spread 1 cup of tomato puree in the base of a large rectangular baking dish. Cover with a layer of pasta, breaking sheets to fit if necessary. Line with an eggplant layer, then spread with ricotta mixture.

Cover with another layer of pasta, 2 cups of tomato puree and a squash layer. Repeat with a final layer of pasta, 2 cups of tomato puree and then sprinkle with mozzarella.

Cover dish with baking paper and then foil. Bake for 50 minutes, remove paper and foil and cook for a further 10 minutes until the top is golden brown. Stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve with a green salad.

Notes:

You can roast the vegetables a day or two before, then the lasagna is quick to assemble.

Make this easier (but more expensive) by buying roasted eggplant, bell peppers, mushrooms or semi-dried tomatoes from the deli and skipping the roasting-veg stage.

Gluten-free instant lasagna sheets are now readily available in supermarkets.