I’m a big fan of cooking things that can last pretty much the entire week and this lasagna is one of those things that just tastes and makes you feel good. I randomly came across this recipe for lasagna when I was tired of the same old cheese and sauce get up. I have tweaked this recipe for my liking including different veggies and adding different herbs each time. My friends and family have tried this recipe and have even requested it occasionally. Trust me. It’s that good. Feel free to tweak this to your taste buds and experiment. Experiment with veggies you like. I’m partial to zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and spinach. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
What you need:
1 box of no-boil lasagna sheets (this is MUCH easier and cuts cooking time. It still tastes phenomenal)
1 Jar of your favorite Marinara sauce (mine is Victoria Marinara- if you’re on a budget don’t buy this sauce. You can easily season a jar of Ragu or Prego to suit you. I recommend Victoria because the flavor is just incomparable)
1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese (I opt for part-skim)
1 tablespoon of freshly chopped basil
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of fresh/dried rosemary (if you can find fresh please get it! It’s worth it!)
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 bag of baby spinach, washed and set aside
1 zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
1 package of cremini or baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small bag of pre-shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano- equally as yummy)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
How you make it:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine 3/4 of the jar of marinara sauce with the container of ricotta cheese. It is important that all ingredients are room temperature in order to ensure everything is evenly incorporated. Add fresh and dry herbs, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic. Once fragrant add zucchini and yellow squash. Sautee for about 3 minutes and toss in the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. After 2 minutes of sauteing the mushrooms toss in the baby spinach and stir until slightly wilted. Once wilted, add the can of cream of mushroom soup and stir until all veggies are coated. Feel free to season once more.
3. Take a deep lasagna pan (you can get the reusable kind) and layer the bottom with some of your marinara mixture. Add 3 lasagna sheets (they MUST not touch) and top sheets with vegetable mixture. Add another layer of lasagna sheets then proceed with the same process (marinara mixture, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, then veggies, lasagna sheets, etc).
Tip: It doesn’t matter if the marinara and the veggies touch- just keep layering until you feel content
4. Once you reach the last layer, take the reserved 1/4 marinara sauce and spread over the top of the lasagna. Sprinkle with mozzarella, parmesan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes with foil on. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Feel free to add some panko breadcrumbs for added crunch to the top layer.
5. Enjoy it while it’s warm and serve with a salad on the side or a nice warm slice of garlic bread. 🙂