Meatless Monday: Veggie Lasagna

For this week’s Meatless Monday, I thought I’d post the lasagna recipe I used for the Christmas party last week! This is a great recipe (adapted from a Cooking Light recipe) if you’re entertaining vegetarians, but don’t be intimidated…it’s perfectly simple to make on a weeknight! It’s packed with veggies, antioxidants, and is very filling.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 (26-ounce) bottle tomato basil pasta sauce

10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained (seriously, squeeze that water out)

2 tablespoons pesto

1 (15-ounce) container part-skim or fat-free ricotta cheese

6 hot cooked lasagna noodles, cut in half

3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

This is How We Do It

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, and onion, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Combine pesto, spinach, and ricotta in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in the bottom of a 8-inch square baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange four noodle halves over tomato mixture. Top noodles with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup of the tomato mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles; sprinkle with mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Grate Parmesan cheese on top of lasagna.

So good! I made a double version for the party, but if you make the recipe as it is, it makes a nice little lasagna. If you’re cooking for one or two, separate the leftovers into individual portions and freeze them if you want to. So good to pack for lunch on a cold winter day! I warmed up leftovers after my 18-mile run and it was perfect.