Vegetarian Lasagna with Zucchini, Eggplants and Peppers

Elevate your family dinner with this one-dish, wholesome, vegetarian lasagna

Weeknight mealtime just got a little better

It's time I share some savory Italian recipes. Lately, I've been exploring my sweet tooth with a whole lot of desserts.

Today I will focus on a satisfying and flavorful, vegetarian  and wholesome lasagna. It's filled with lots of springtime veggies. It's healthy and scrumptious all at the same time.

And as in any lasagna I make, there's lots of besciamella sauce in here. You know, the white sauce that's delicate and rich, velvety and oh-soooo good, without which no lasagna would be complete?!?

Yes, that sauce! A necessary tier of indulgence, mixed in with mozzarella cheese and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, layered with oven-ready lasagna pasta and saute' zucchinis, eggplants and peppers. 

Just look at this. To die for!

This recipe is easy enough that you can bring it to your table any weeknight. But it's also so delicious and elegant that makes an amazing entree' for the upcoming holiday. 

Easter is sneaking up quickly, and this lasagna would look really good on your menu. Trust me :)

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 13 x 9 inch lasagna - serving 6 to 8

1. • 1 onion
   • 1 large eggplant
   • 2 peppers (yellow and red)
   • 2 large zucchini
   • 4-5 leaves of fresh basil
   • 1 box of oven-ready lasagna pasta (I use Barilla)
   • 10 oz (285 gr) of mozzarella cheese, shredded
   • 1/2 cup (30 gr) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
   • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
   • olive oil
   • salt and pepper
2. For the besciamella sauce (white sauce):
3. • 6 cups (1.4 l) of milk
   • 3 oz (85 gr) of unsalted butter 
   • 1 ¼ cup (180 gr) of all-purpose flour
   • salt to taste, about 1 teaspoon
   • ½ teaspoon of grated nutmeg (optional)

PREPARATION:

TIME: 40 minutes to prepare, plus 40 minutes to bake

Slice the onion and saute' in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Wash and cut the eggplant, zucchini and peppers in small, same-sized cubes.

Add to the skillet when cut and cook until tender fork. Salt to taste.

Remove from the stove, add the chopped basil and mix.

While the veggies are cooking, let's make the besciamella sauce with the ingredients above, and following this recipe here.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190° C) and start assembling the lasagna.
In a 13 x 9 in oven pan, add a couple of tablespoons of besciamella for the bottom.

Add a layer of pasta, topped with 1/3 of the veggies.

Add about 1/4 of the mozzarella, and some more besciamella.

Continue to layer the ingredients (pasta, veggies, cheese, besciamella) until you finish all the ingredients. You should be able to do 3 whole layers.

Finish with pasta, besciamella, mozzarella and  sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a few slivers of butter.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F (190° C) for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes at 400°F (205°C) in the upper part of the oven so that the Parmesan cheese melts and forms a nice golden layer.
Let cool down for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving. This will allow the besciamella sauce to set a little, and not run off the plate making the lasagne too soft.
You can also prepare the lasagna ahead of time, and warm it up (really hot!!) before serving. In this case you don't need to wait before cutting and serving.

Buon appetito!