The Perfect Roasted Veggie Lasagna

This lasagna is so delicious and nutritious, it's the perfect meal to bring to a new mom.

My mom is a life coach, and she hosts a women's retreat in the mountains every fall. I assist in these yearly retreats, and one of my favorite parts is... the food. She hires a local caterer and some of the stuff is just unBEATABLE. I found myself 6 months out from the retreat desperately craving that roasted vegetable lasagna. But I couldn't find a recipe like it anywhere online! So I learned the basics of a good lasagna and designed my own. And I am so proud of it.

It's full of zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and spinach, along with the classic lasagna ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella. All of that makes it delicious and very filling! I've brought it to sick friends and friends in need of comfort– and it would be perfect for a new family. Your postpartum friends will thank you!

Roasted Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients

For the roasted veggies:

• 2 large zucchini, chopped

• 2 large yellow squash, chopped

• 8 oz bella mushrooms, sliced

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

• salt and pepper

For the ricotta layer:

• 15 oz part skim ricotta cheese

• 1-2 cups baby spinach, doesn't need to be exact; roughly two handfuls, chopped

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

• 2 eggs

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3/4 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped; or double the dried herbs instead

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Other ingredients:

• 1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles

• 2 jars marinara sauce, 24oz jars

• 2-3 cups low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

This recipe makes one 9x13 lasagna or two smaller ones (that's my favorite way to go when baking for couples instead of large families! Two fresh meals instead of leftovers for a week)

1. First, roast the vegetables: toss the zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms in the olive oil on a baking sheet. (ANOTHER OPTION: leave out the mushrooms and cook them in on the stove instead. Toss in a little red wine for taste). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 425˚F for 40-50 minutes, until fully roasted and starting to brown. I like to start with 30 minutes and add time as needed– depending on how small you slice this step can happen quicker than you expect.

2. While the vegetables are roasting, prep the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, chopped spinach, parmesan, 2 eggs, garlic, herbs, and salt. Stir until smooth. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

After veggies are roasted, it's time to assemble your lasagna! The layers for one 9x13 lasagna are as follows:

1. 1/2 bottle of marinara sauce, spread out to cover bottom of the baking dish

2. Sheets of noodles, laid out on top of the sauce

3. 1/2 of the roasted vegetables, topped with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/2 bottle marinara sauce

4. Noodles again

5. Ricotta mixture, spread evenly to the edges

6. Noodles

7. The remaining veggies, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 jar marinara sauce

8. More noodles

9. 1/2 jar sauce, spread over the noodles, with the remaining mozzarella sprinkled on top

10. If you're taking this to a friend, you're done! Cover with foil and refrigerate or freeze until delivery.

To Cook

Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes at 350˚, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown just a little. Let cool 15 minutes before cutting/serving.

If frozen, I recommend defrosting overnight in the fridge. It may still take a little more time to bake, so you'll want to cover with foil when the cheese on top starts to brown.