Best Vegi Lasagna
Based on a Cooks Illustrated recipe that I adapted. The secret here is to dice and roast the vegetables first. This both avoids the soggy effect many vegi lasagnas have from raw vegis releasing their moisture, and adds the flavor of roasted vegis.
SAUCE
2 Tb. Olive oil
2 Large garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted brand)
2 Tb. Chopped fresh parsley or basil (I use parsley)
salt
pepper
pinch sugar
VEGETABLES
1 Small eggplant
2 Small zucchini
1 Small onion
12 Mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt
pepper
3 Tb Olive oil
Cooking spray or oil
1 box (1 lb) no-boil Lasagna noodles - I like Barilla "rolled flat like homemade" style no boils. Even though there's only 9oz in the package, there are plenty for my 10"x14" pan. [I tried using regular "boil" noodles, but I think there wasn’t enough liquid from the vegis to cook them fully, so it was a bit crunchy. Either use no-boil or try parboiling the regular noodles to give them a head start]
1 15 oz container of whole milk ricotta
1 lb Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
Dried Oregano
SAUCE: Heat oil and garlic in skillet over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley (or basil), salt and pepper to taste. Pour into large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3-1/2 cups.
VEGETABLES: Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Chop eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic and mushrooms into ½ inch dice and put in large mixing bowl. Toss with 3 Tb olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Put back in bowl and set aside. (If necessary, do in shifts or on several cookie sheets…don’t crowd veggies so they are all touching or they will steam instead of roast on all sides and get browned.)
Note: You will be making 5 noodle layers, but the sauce is used 6 times (including top and bottom) and the vegetables and ricotta only 4 times (in between noodles) So, keep this in mind when dividing ingredients.
ASSEMBLE (each ingredient gets split into the following parts for layers):
Sauce = 7 parts of ½ cup each (one part goes under other layers and last two parts on top together)
Vegis = 4 parts
Ricotta = 4 parts
Mozzarella = 5 parts
Parmesan = 5 parts
Oregano = sprinkle as you like
- ½ cup sauce - Spread evenly over bottom of greased 13-9-inch lasagna pan (I use 10x14 glass casserole and it seems to fill it up).
- Three noodles- Lay crosswise (I have to break a fourth to fill spaces if there are any - doesn't have to be perfect.).
- ¼ of the vegetables - Spread evenly over the noodles.
- ½ cup sauce - Spread evenly over the vegetables. With a spoon, spread around a little so a bit of sauce touches all noodle surfaces.
- ¼ of the ricotta - Dot over the vegetables and sauce.
- A little less than 1/5 of the mozzarella - Sprinkle over next.
- 1/5 of the Parmesan - Sprinkle on top.
- A little oregano - Sprinkle as you like.
Continue to make three more layers.
Use the same amounts as above: No sauce first, but noodles, vegetables, then sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan and oregano.
This should use up the vegetables and ricotta and leave 1 cup of sauce and more mozzarella.
For fifth and final layer:
Lay noodles, remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, remainder of mozzarella and parmesan. (Can be wrapped with plastic and refrigerated overnight or wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator.)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover pan with large sheet foil greased with cooking spray. (Be careful foil doesn’t touch cheese if at all possible or it will pull off the cheese after baking.) Bake 25 minutes, 30 minutes if chilled; remove foil and continue baking until top turns golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let lasagna rest 5 minutes. Cut and serve immediately.