Indulge in a wholesome and satisfying vegetarian twist on the classic lasagna with this Vegetable Lasagna recipe. Packed with fresh veggies, creamy cottage cheese, and a homemade tomato sauce, this hearty dish is a perfect meal to pair with your Day 9 Advent Wine. It’s a colorful, nutritious option that’s sure to impress guests at your next gathering or holiday meal.
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients
Veggies and Spinach:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach
Tomato Sauce (or substitute 2 cups prepared marinara sauce):
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil + additional for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Remaining Ingredients:
- 2 cups (16 ounces) low-fat cottage cheese, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 8 ounces (2 cups) freshly grated low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Veggies: Preheat the oven to 425°F.In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, yellow onion, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden around the edges, about 8–12 minutes. Add the spinach in batches. Stir frequently until each batch of spinach wilts down, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- Make the Tomato Sauce: Drain the canned tomatoes in a mesh sieve or fine colander for 1 minute. Transfer the drained tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor, then add the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes.Pulse the mixture about 10 times until the tomatoes break down into a spreadable consistency. Pour the mixture into a bowl (you should have just over 2 cups of sauce) and set aside.Rinse the food processor bowl and return it to the machine. Add 1 cup of the cottage cheese and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer this smooth cottage cheese mixture to a large mixing bowl.Add the cooked veggies and spinach to the food processor. Pulse 5–7 times until finely chopped but not pureed. Add this veggie mixture to the cottage cheese bowl. Stir in the remaining cottage cheese, salt (to taste), and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
- Assemble the Lasagna: Spread ½ cup of the tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9"x9" baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles on top, snapping them to fit as necessary. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with ¾ cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle ½ cup of mozzarella cheese on top.Add 3 more noodles, followed by the remaining cottage cheese mixture (skip the tomato sauce for this layer). Top with another ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.Add the final 3 noodles, then spread the remaining ¾ cup of tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the Lasagna: Cover the dish with parchment paper or foil (being careful not to let it touch the cheese). Bake for 18 minutes. Then remove the cover, rotate the pan 180°, and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes until the top is golden and spotty brown. Remove from the oven and allow the lasagna to cool for 15–20 minutes to set. Garnish with additional fresh basil, slice, and serve with Day 9 Advent wine!