Healthy Vegetable Lasagna with Zucchini and Ricotta
This is a veggie lasagna recipe, with ingredients sourced from Trader Joes, but any store with has no-prep lasagna noodles like Barilla and organic veggies will do! This lasagna is very quick, easy to assemble and it’s a family staple, and best when we can source tomatoes, basil and zucchini from the garden! The only pre-prep is to steam the broccoli and zucchini, and a quick blend with a blender or food processor.
This recipe takes many shortcuts, (pardon the non-zero waste prepackaging)- we use no-boil lasagna sheet noodles, prepared tomato sauce, ricotta, cottage cheese, and prepackaged shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. All the ingredients go straight into the baking pan.
Ingredients:
• 1 (16 oz) box No Boil Lasagna Noodles
• 1 jar Tomato or Marinara Sauce (26 oz.)
• 1/2 head of broccoli, steamed, drained and chopped -or-
• 1 (16 oz) bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed or fresh, lightly chopped
• 2 small green zucchinis steamed, drained and sliced
• 16 oz shredded mozzarella
• 1 (16 oz) container Fresh Whole Milk Ricotta
• 1 (16 oz) container Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• 1 (12 oz bag) of shredded Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of grated.
• Fresh Basil garnish or dried Italian seasoning (optional)
Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F.
• Steam and chop the broccoli, and slice and steam the zucchini.
• Blend the steamed broccoli (or fresh or frozen thawed and drained spinach) and a blender or food processor.
• Stir broccoli or spinach into ricotta in a bowl with 1/4 t salt.
• Cover the bottom of an 8×12-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish with 1/2 cup tomato sauce or marinara.
• Put down one layer of noodles (I use 3 and 1/2 noodles for each layer).
• Spread the ricotta and broccoli on the noodles.
• Place another layer of noodles and sauce and mozzarella cheese.
• Spread container of ricotta cheese.
• Top with another layer of zucchini and Parmesan then a top layer of noodles, remaining sauce, and a dense layer of remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake for about 50 minutes, until top is bubbling and melted. Top with basil or Italian seasoning. Let lasagna cool for a few minutes before serving.
Garnish with basil, and enjoy! Serves 6.
Photo by Anna Guerrero from Pexels