Veggie Lasagna

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Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients

For the vegetable layers:

  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 large zucchinis, diced
  • 2 large yellow squash, diced
  • 6 cups baby spinach, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the herbed bechamel:

  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • ½ all-purpose flour
  • 3½ cups whole milk, brought to room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

For the pasta layers:

  • 9 - 12 dry lasagna noodles, parcooked per package directions

For the cheese layers:

  • 1 cup white cheddar, shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan, shredded
  • ½ cup Mozzarella, shredded
  • 1½ cups full fat cottage cheese, blended smooth
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup Parmesan, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley 
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Parcook noodles to package instructions. Dry lasagna noodles only need to boil half the time indicated in package instructions for al dente noodles (about 4 minutes). Bring a pot of water to boil, and add salt just before cooking the noodles. Work in batches, and place par-cooked noodles on a clean towel. Cook 9 – 12 lasagna noodles (enough for three layers in a 9 x 13” baking dish).

Add the olive oil to a large, straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions start to get translucent. Add the garlic and zucchini and sauté 10 – 15 minutes or until tender and most of the liquid from the zucchini cooks off. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and spinach. Stir well and cook just until spinach is soft. Using a slotted spoon, move cooked vegetables from the skillet to a large bowl, straining off any excess liquid.

In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Add milk a little at a time, whisking continuously. Add seasonings and dried herbs and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue whisking until sauce is smooth and velvety and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in ½ cup Parmesan. Cover until ready to use.

Add the cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan, dried parsley, and black pepper to a bowl. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, blender, or food processor. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the shredded cheeses and set aside.

To assemble the lasagna:

  • Spread about ½ cup of the Herbed Bechamel on the bottom of a 9 x 13” baking dish.
  • Add 3 lasagna noodles (or more if needed).
  • Spoon on about ¾ cup of cottage cheese mixture, and spread evenly.
  • Next, spoon on half of the cooked zucchini mixture (about 3 cups), and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheeses over the zucchini.
  • Spread about 1 cup of the Herbed Bechamel Sauce after that.
  • Repeat the layers: Lasagna noodles, ¾ cup cottage cheese mixture, 3 more cups of the zucchini mixture (reserve about 1 cup for topping), 1 cup freshly shredded cheeses, 1 cup Herbed Bechamel Sauce.
  • Last Layer: Lasagna noodles, 1 cup zucchini, ½ cup shredded cheeses + more to taste.

Place the assembled lasagna in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and lightly browned to your liking. Cover the pan with foil toward the end of the baking time to avoid over-browning if you wish.

Allow the baked lasagna “set” at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting and serving.