I wanted a lasagna dish that I could eat without concern over calories and feeling too full. This recipe is tasty and filling without the pasta. All other things in the recipe is typical of an Italian Lasagna, I just switched zucchini for the pasta. Although I thought of this myself, I doubt I am the first to consider this switch. Give it a try and you might be surprised.
[x] Flexitarian + Omnivore
[x] Vegetarian + Pescatarian
[x] Vegan: use vegan Béchamel, egg replacement, + vegan mozzarella
[x] Gluten Free
[x] Weight Maint: portion control
[x] Mediterranean Diet
[O] Keto: Add ground beef
[x] Purine Avoidance
[O] Lectin Avoidance: avoid egg and use vegan mozzarella cheese
[O] Oxalate Avoidance: avoid spinach + add ground beef
All Veggie Lasagna
A Lasagna without any pasta that still provides the comfy feelings and rich taste this pasta dish can provide.
- 6 medium Zucchini (Sliced, lengthwise)
- 2 T Oregano (Dried)
- 1 t Kosher salt
- 1 t Pepper (Freshly grated)
- 2t t Basil leaves (dried)
- 2 T Garlic (minced)
- 4 C Mushrooms (mixed, sliced)
- 1 T Butter (European, salted)
- 6 C Spinach (Shredded)
- 16 oz low fat ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 C Basil leaves (Fresh, chopped)
- 2 t Oregano (Dried)
- 1 C Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (Grated)
- 1 # Mozzarella (Fresh, thinly slice)
- 28 oz Marinara Sauce (I prefer Pomi)
- 1 squirt Spray olive oil (1 second spray)
- First: wash the zucchini well as it will not be peeled. Brush off the mushrooms to remove any dirt (do not wash mushrooms). Preheat the oven to 375F.
Cut the ends of the zucchini, then slice then to the thickness you want for your "noodles." I used a mandolin, but be careful for I have seen terrible cuts from people being too casual with this tool.
THICK SLICES: If you make thick slices pre-bake the zucchini to help infuse the herbs and leach some of the water. To do that first sprinkle the zucchini with salt, place slices on a baking sheet, oil, and add crushed dried basil, garlic, and pepper on each side. Bake ~10 minutes a side. Drain the water away and place the zucchini on a drying rack to drip away any additional moisture. (I put the drying rack in the pan so there is no mess.) Allow to cool then use them as you would noodles.
THIN SLICES: If you are not a fan of zucchini, make the strips thin. Do not bake them, just sprinkle with salt, wait a bit and dry off with a paper towel. Then mix them with oil, crushed dried basil, garlic, and pepper. You will be layering them in the dish like pasta.
Slice the fresh mozzarella cheese into thin slices (hard to do "thin" with mozzarella, see my attempt below). Then in a bowl (see below), combine ricotta, Parmesan Reggiano, 2 eggs, julienne'd fresh basil, salt and pepper, and dried oregano. Set aside.
- Slice the mushrooms removing the stems (put mushroom stems on a paper towel near a kitchen window to dry for future use as a veggie or mushroom stock item.) Saute in a pan with butter until they reduce in size and shed their liquid. Set aside. Then cook the spinach in the same pan by adding some water to the skillet and wilt the spinach, then drain the water away by squeezing the spinach after cooking.
Serve: Divide the pan into 12 servings, about 4" x 3" in size. Serve hot, there is lots of cheese and it is better hot than cold.
Source: I created my own recipe, but checked out Ina Garten’s Roasted Vegetable Lasagna recipe to make sure I was not missing anything before I put everything together. (I have all her cookbooks – she is great.)
Since I am using a veggie for the noodle, and veggies vary with size, you may need more or less zucchini than I specify in the recipe. You can always buy more and then slice them in with the mushrooms to use up if you have too many. Or place them wider apart if you have too few. This recipe is very forgiving.