Can I make this vegetable lasagna ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the lasagna completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10–15 minutes to bake time if baking from cold.

What's the best way to layer a vegetable lasagna?

Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom, then alternate noodles, vegetable mixture, and sauce, finishing with sauce on top for even cooking and browning.

How do I know when the vegetables are sautéed properly?

Cook until the carrots, zucchini, and bell pepper are tender with light golden edges, about 8–10 minutes. They should soften but not become mushy.

Can I substitute the zucchini in this recipe?

Yes. Use eggplant, summer squash, or additional spinach in equal amounts. Eggplant may release more moisture, so pat dry after cooking.

How many servings does this lasagna make?

One 9-inch lasagna yields 8 slices, enough for 4–6 people depending on portion size and side dishes.

Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe

Name: Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 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; 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; 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

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Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe | CookOS

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2
To prepare the veggies: 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 every couple of minutes, until the veggies are golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes.
3
Add a few large handfuls of spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Repeat with remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
4
Meanwhile, to prepare the tomato sauce: Pour the tomatoes into a mesh sieve or fine colander and drain off the excess juice for a minute. Then, transfer the drained tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes.
5
Pulse the mixture about 10 times, until the tomatoes have broken down to an easily spreadable consistency. Pour the mixture into a bowl for later (you should have a little over 2 cups sauce). Rinse out the food processor and return it to the machine.
6
Pour half of the cottage cheese (1 cup) into the processor and blend it until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to large mixing bowl. No need to rinse out the bowl of the food processor this time; just put it back onto the machine because you’ll need it later.
7
Transfer the cooked veggies and spinach mixture to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until they are more finely chopped (but not puréed!), about 5 to 7 times, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of whipped cottage cheese. Top with the remaining cottage cheese, then add ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (to taste) and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Now it’s lasagna assembly time!
8
Spread ½ cup tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9” by 9” baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles on top (snap off their ends to fit, and/or overlap their edges as necessary). Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with ¾ cup tomato sauce, then sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top.
9
Top with 3 more noodles, followed by the remaining cottage cheese mixture (we’re skipping the tomato sauce in this layer.) Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top.
10
Top with 3 more noodles, then spread ¾ cup tomato sauce over the top (you may have a little sauce leftover) to evenly cover the noodles. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded cheese.
11
Wrap a sheet of parchment paper or foil around the top of the lasagna (don’t let it come into contact with the cheese). Bake, covered, for 18 minutes, then remove the cover, rotate the pan by 180° and continue cooking for about 10 to 15 more minutes, until the top is turning spotty brown.
12
Remove from oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes, so it has time to set and cool down to a reasonable temperature. Sprinkle additional basil over the top, then slice and serve.