Let the vegetables do the talking with this wholesome vegetarian lasagna and even your meat-loving guests will be fighting for seconds after tasting these mouthwatering layers of comforting goodness.
Turn this traditional Italian casserole into a veggie-packed taste sensation by layering sheets of lentil lasagna, homemade tomato sauce (marinara), cheese and creamy white sauce with broccoli and mushroom filling. The tomato sauce is made from scratch with basic ingredients and only takes a few minutes.
And feel free to play around with your vegetables. You can mix it up and modify the recipe to include any of your family’s favourites: Corn, butternut, spinach, diced zucchini and red bell peppers make for tasty alternatives. The “meaty” flavour of baby portabello mushrooms will lend a hearty texture to this vegetarian lasagna although any variety of mushroom can be used.
If you really want, you can add beef mince and make it a more traditional lasagna with the added veg. However, to be quite frank it is an overkill and unnecessary.
To get the best results, you must talk to your vegetables. — Prince Charles
CHEF’S TIP:
- Lasagna makes great leftovers. You can keep this lasagna in the refrigerator for at most five days. Warm-up slices in the microwave, or reheat the entire lasagna (covered with foil) in the oven until the cheese is bubbly.
Vegetarian Lasagna
Ingredients
- 300 gram broccoli diced
- 250 grams mushrooms chopped
- large Onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 tbs olive oil
- 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 packet tomato paste
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 1 box lentil lasagne sheets regular lasagne sheets will work fine
FOR THE WHITE SAUCE
- 3 cups grated cheese (whatever you prefer)
- 2 cups milk
- 5 tbsp butter
- 3 tbs flour
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees
- In a frying pan, add your diced onions and garlic – fry until golden on high heat
- Add the mushrooms (diced) and the broccoli (crumbled) into the pan on medium heat for 10 minutes
- Add the whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste
- In a cooking dish, place the lasagne sheets first layer
- Once the frying pan contents is cooked through set aside
- Add a layer of the lasagne content to the cooking dish, layering the lasagne sheets and the lasagne content
- Once you have added all of the layers, add a final layer of lasagne sheets
- Pour over the white sauce until it is properly absorbed into the dish
- Add the final cup of grated cheese
- Put into the oven for 35 minutes
For the White Sauce
- In a smaller pot add the butter and cook until melted
- Add the flour and stir continuously
- Add the milk slowly, continuing to stir
- Add the cheese in slowly, continuing to stir
- Stir until it forms a sauce
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