Roasted Vegetable Lasagna That Actually Slices

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A weeknight-friendly vegetable lasagna built the way the family-restaurant version should be: zucchini, eggplant and bell peppers get roasted hot and fast first, so their water evaporates in the oven instead of pooling in your pan. The result is a big, cheesy, budget-conscious lasagna that holds a clean square on the plate. Uses jarred marinara and no-boil noodles to keep it simple.

Ingredients

• 1 lb zucchini (about 2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
• 1 lb eggplant (1 small-medium), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 24 oz whole-milk ricotta
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 48 oz jarred marinara sauce (two 24-oz jars)
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 lb low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 4 cups)
• Olive oil or cooking spray, for the pan

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
2. Toss the zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and onion with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, the black pepper and the oregano. Spread in a single, uncrowded layer across both sheets — crowding steams the vegetables instead of roasting them.
3. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, swapping the pans between racks halfway through, until the vegetables are browned at the edges and the eggplant is collapsed and dry-looking. There should be no liquid left on the pans. Set aside and reduce the oven to 375°F.
4. While the vegetables roast, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 45 seconds until fragrant, then pour in the marinara. Simmer gently 10 minutes, then take off the heat.
5. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, the basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg until smooth.
6. Coarsely chop the roasted vegetables into rough 1/2-inch pieces so they layer flat, then fold about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce into them.
7. Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of plain sauce over the bottom. Lay down 3 noodles, then spread a third of the ricotta mixture over them, a third of the vegetables, 1 cup sauce and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat twice more.
8. Top with the last 3 noodles, the remaining sauce (spread edge to edge so no pasta is exposed), the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the last 1/4 cup Parmesan.
9. Cover tightly with foil, set the dish on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is browned in spots and the sauce bubbles thickly at the edges. A paring knife should slide through the center with no resistance.
10. Let the lasagna rest on a rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting — this is what sets the layers. Cut into 9 squares and lift out with an offset spatula.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem