Recipe: Very Veggie Lasagna
On a cold winter’s evening, there are few things as satisfying as a nice, warm slice of lasagna. The delicious blankets of pasta, cream, and tomato originated in Greece and were introduced to America by Italian immigrants in the 1800s. Since then, lasagna has been one of the most popular dishes in the US due to its filling and satisfying nature.
This dish can be served alone, with a side salad, or prepped and frozen to be enjoyed later. This recipe adds a veggie “punch” which significantly increases the nutrient content of each bite. Have veggies that need to be used up? Add them to the sauce! Feel free to customize the veggies included in this recipe according to your preference or availability.
The strong flavor of tomato is a versatile vehicle for any vegetables you think would go best in this recipe. We optimized other aspects of the recipe, such as choosing leaner proteins and dairy products to support heart health, and using whole wheat pasta to add more fiber and help stabilize blood sugar.
Whether you’re gluten-free, dairy-free, or have other dietary considerations, we’ve got you covered with modifications to ensure enjoyment without compromising on taste. We hope you have a chance to cook up our very veggie lasagna and taste the comfort this holiday season.
Very Veggie Lasagna
Serves 12
Ingredients:
- 2 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 1 red pepper
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 1 medium onion
- 1 small eggplant
- 1/3 C fresh basil
- 12 oz cottage cheese
- 2.5 C marinara sauce
- 5-6 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic (or 3-4 tsp minced garlic from a jar)
- 16 oz ground chicken
- 1 package no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
- Parmesan cheese (Optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel carrots. Cut zucchini, carrots, and red pepper into large chunks. Clean and slice mushrooms. Dice the onion. Chop eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Roughly chop basil. Set aside.
- Add cottage cheese to the blender. Blend until the consistency of ricotta cheese. Place cottage cheese into a bowl. Set aside.
- Add marina sauce, zucchini, carrots, red pepper, basil, and spinach to the blender. Blend until smooth. Use a blender tamper or 1/2 C water to loosen if the mixture sticks.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Once shimmering, add onion, eggplant, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until most of the moisture is gone and the vegetables are tender and turning golden on the edges, 8-10 minutes. Add a splash of oil, if necessary, to prevent sticking.
- Add garlic to the pan. Cook until fragrant.
- Add ground chicken to the pan with the remaining salt and pepper. Brown, 8-10 minutes.
- Spread 1/2 C sauce in a 9×12-inch pan. Top with 3-4 noodles in an even row, overlapping edges as necessary. Spread 1 C cottage cheese evenly over noodles. Top with half sautéed veggie and ground meat mixture. Top with 3/4 C sauce. Repeat this step once before moving to step 8.
- Top with 3 noodles. Evenly spread 3/4 C sauce on top to cover noodles.
- Wrap aluminum foil over the top of the lasagna. Ensure it’s taut and not touching the top sauce layer. Bake, covered, 25 minutes.
- Remove cover, rotate pan 180°, and continue cooking about 10 minutes or until the dish is steaming and bubbling at the corners.
- Remove from the oven. Set the pan aside to cool, 15-20 minutes.
- Drizzle remaining cottage cheese on top (if too thick to drizzle, mix in a small amount of water to thin). Sprinkle Parmesan and fresh basil on top. Slice and serve.
Tip: Using gluten-free noodles? Ensure the top layer of noodles is fully covered in sauce and/or cheese to prevent drying out in the oven.
Swaps:
- For the fresh basil: 3 Tbsp basil paste
- For the avocado oil: olive oil
- For the cottage cheese: ricotta cheese, cashew cream, or vegan/dairy-free ricotta
- For the ground chicken: ground turkey
- For the no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles: gluten-free no-boil alternative (Barilla, Chickapea, and Jovial are common options)
- For the optional Parmesan cheese: vegan Parmesan cheese
Recipe modified from: Cookie and Kate
