Zucchini Lasagna

I have always had kind of a conundrum with lasagna. Since I don’t eat ground beef and I don’t really care for the creamy white veggie lasagna recipes, I had to get creative and combine my favorite parts of both types. I like the marinara sauce from the traditional lasagna but I also love the flavors that come with the vegetables in the other lasagna. If you are like me–a weirdo who shuns ground beef and cream sauces then this is the lasagna for you. I love zucchini and I thought it would make a tasty layer. I chopped the zucchini in small triangles even though its more “correct” to slice them in long pieces and boil. John frowned at my unorthodox zucchini preparation but I thought it turned out very well. The cheese layers were excellent–a mix of melted ricotta and mozzarella. I really liked this recipe, which is good because I will be eating a lot of leftovers this week. Oh, and happy New Year everybody!

Zucchini Lasagna
(Makes 10+ Servings)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. lasagna noodles
• 3 zucchini, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp basil
• 5 cups tomato sauce
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

Directions:

1. Saute the zucchini in a pan with the olive oil, oregano and basil until soft and set aside.
2. Boil the noodles as directed on the package.
3. Mix the milk and ricotta cheese in a bowl until its soft and fluffy.
4. Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
5. Place a layer of noodles on top.
6. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture on top. Place several slices of mozzarella on top of the ricotta.
7. Cover the cheese with the sauce and add a layer of zucchini. Place a layer of noodles on top.
8. Continue this process until you have 4 or 5 layers of noodles. Top the last noodle layer with the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
9. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until bubbling and browned, about 30-45 minutes.