It's Wednesday, time for the middle-of-the-week blahs. What better to perk things up just right than with yummy homemade Lasagna. Check out the Simple Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna, the Lasagna Primavera, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. Also, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you might want to consider doing so.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“
Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
TORTILLA LASAGNA
This is from the January/February 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This easy, crowd-pleasing dish is also a kid favorite. Toasting the tortillas before building the lasagna keeps them from getting soggy as the dish bakes. Feel free to mix things up with different beans, cheeses, or vegetables between the layers." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 cups strained tomatoes, such as Pomì, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium chayote, peeled and diced, or 2 medium zucchini, diced (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas on 2 baking sheets in oven 5 minutes, or until light brown, turning once.
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in chili powder, ancho chile powder, and garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add 1-1/2 cups strained tomatoes, beans, chayote, corn, and 1/2 cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until chayote is tender.
Coat 2-inch-deep x 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup strained tomatoes in bottom of pan. Set 1 toasted tortilla in pan; top with 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with last tortilla, and spread remaining 1/4 cup strained tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges.
nutritional information Per Wedge: Calories: 226; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Sodium: 506 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g
LASAGNA PRIMAVERA
This recipe is from FamilyTime's newsletter. It starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Prep. time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Source: Campbell's Recipes To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons light butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, sliced (about 3-3/4 cups)
1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)
3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, (no boil)
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
TOFU-SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from PETA's website. Whether you like PETA or not, they do have good vegetarian recipes. This one makes 6 to 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.peta.org/recipes/tofu-spinach-lasagne/.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. soft tofu
1 lb. firm tofu
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 tsp. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. salt
4 cups tomato sauce
Instructions
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible and set aside.
Place the tofu, sugar, soy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the spinach.
Cover the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of the noodles). Follow with half of the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half of the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and all of the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by the remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
WHITE LASAGNA
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "Made without any Bolognese or tomato sauce, a white lasagna is a celebration of pasta and vegetables bound together by a creamy béchamel. This version, brimming with herbs, spinach, asparagus and peas, is an ode to spring, like a baked pasta primavera in its richest form. Serve it in small squares as a first or pasta course, as it’s served in Italy, or in more substantial slabs as a meatless main course. It’s a bit of a project, so if you want to work ahead, you can make the béchamel up to a week in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The baked lasagna can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days. Reheat, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes."
Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 main course or 12 appetizer or side-dish servings
This was featured in "Turn Your Pasta Primavera Into a Lasagna," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024166-white-lasagna. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Besides not having to run into any paywalls, you'll have access to great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
For the Béchamel
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
For the Filling
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Fine sea or table salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
1 cup combination of soft herbs (parsley, chives, basil, dill), finely chopped, plus more for garnish
2 leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
8 ounces baby spinach or baby greens, like kale or arugula (about 8 cups), chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
32 ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 4 cups)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
12 ounces dried lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles), or substitute the same amount of no-boil, oven-ready or fresh noodles; all will work
8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, thinly sliced
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little butter.
Prepare the béchamel: In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until pale golden. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, so that the sauce does not clump. Add the salt, nutmeg and bay leaf. Gently bring to a simmer and let cook for 9 to 12 minutes, whisking often, until the béchamel is thick but still pourable. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and grated garlic, and taste, adding more salt if needed.
While the béchamel is cooking, start preparing the filling: Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let it heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the asparagus and sauté, shaking the pan, until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the frozen peas and 2 tablespoons herbs.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and heat until the oil thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the leeks, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté leeks until tender and golden at the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the spinach and remaining herbs, working in batches if needed, and sauté until the greens are very tender and the pan is very dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. It should be well seasoned.
Add mixture to a large bowl. Stir in ricotta and 3/4 cup each Parmesan and pecorino (save remaining Parmesan for the top). Taste and add more salt if needed.
Remove bay leaf from béchamel, then ladle some of the sauce into the bottom of the baking pan until just covered. Place as many noodles as will fit on top of the béchamel, breaking or cutting them to fit in one layer. Ladle a little more béchamel on top of the noodles, covering the surface. Add half of the ricotta mixture, spreading evenly, then sprinkle half of the asparagus-pea mixture on top. Add another layer of noodles, then béchamel, then the remaining ricotta mixture, then the remaining asparagus-pea mixture. Top with the sliced mozzarella. Add a third and final layer of noodles (don’t worry if you don’t end up using all of the noodles) and cover with remaining béchamel. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Cover the pan with foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil. Bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling on top. (If the top is still pale, you can run the lasagna under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes.) Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Showing posts with label Weeknight Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weeknight Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Lasagna
If you love Lasagna as much as I do, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Weeknight Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna, the Quick and Easy Lasagna, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians.
Case in point: Years ago, a male co-worker, learning that I made a mean lasagna, kept trying to finagle an invite to dinner. One afternoon, learning that I'd just started baking this recipe, stated, "I'll be right over."
The next day at work, he mentioned that this was the best lasagna he'd ever eaten.
"What kind of meat was in it?" he asked.
"No meat."
"Okay, not ground beef. Chicken? Turkey?"
"Nope, tofu crumbles."
"What's that?" he asked, looking a tad bit baffled, so I explained.
"Well, you start off with soybeans..."
At that point, he looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again, which didn't exactly upset me.
Ingredients
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 – 12 oz. package tofu crumbles
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles
Make cheese layer:
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
Ingredients
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Directions
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles or Gardein crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
SAAG PANEER LASAGNA
This is from Khushbu Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Khushbu wrote, "While writing her cookbook “Amrikan” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), Khushbu Shah became convinced that a spinach lasagna could be greatly improved by swapping in the flavors of saag paneer for the filling. It’s a dish she jokingly refers to as “lasaagna.” Ms. Shah uses a saag base made with warm spices, spinach, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves (which are optional but highly encouraged, and add a beautiful earthy note to the sauce), and then adds fistfuls of grated paneer for an extra punch of cheese. Many of the lasagna’s components may be made ahead (see Tips), making assembly a breeze, especially when making this dish for a dinner party or as a vegetarian meal during the holidays."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2-1/4 hours; Total Time: 2-3/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026104-saag-paneer-lasagna. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
For the Saag
16 ounces baby spinach
2 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 green serrano chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
Salt
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic paste or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger paste or 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Sauce
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
For Assembly
Olive oil, for greasing
2 (8-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (24 sheets), for assembly
1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of paneer, coarsely grated
Preparaion
Prepare the saag filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil then add the spinach. As soon as the greens fully wilt (about 2 minutes), strain through a colander and run cold water over the spinach to cool; wipe out and reserve the pot. Let the spinach drain before transferring to a blender. (There’s no need to squeeze any water out!)
Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, kasoori methi (if using) and 3/4 cup water to the blender with the drained spinach and blitz 30 seconds to 1 minute until puréed. Season to taste with salt; set the saag aside. (The filling may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.)
In the same pot used for the spinach, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent any scorching.
Add the chile powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and season with salt. Give it a good stir before adding the saag. Gently simmer and continue to stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary if the mixture begins to sputter and splatter, until the saag is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the roux is golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the milk, adjust heat to medium and continuously stir until the béchamel thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, season with salt and set aside. (The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It might need to be loosened a little by adding some milk or water to the sauce before layering in the lasagna, as the sauce gets quite thick as it sits.)
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in and spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer noodle sheets on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. (You may need 4 to 6 noodles per layer, depending on the size of the dish and the noodles you’re working with; you’ll need about 24 total.) Spread 1/3 of the saag over the noodles, then layer on 1/3 of the paneer shreds, followed by 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat this process 2 more times, starting with another layer of noodles (You will use all the saag and paneer.). To top the lasagna, add a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining sauce on the noodles and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with foil, lightly greasing one side so the foil doesn’t stick, and bake for 40 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked through and is light golden on top. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. (Any leftover lasagna may be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.)
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Vicki Shata Retelny, RDN, at VeryWellFit. She wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium, for a total body wellness boost.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/vegetarian-spinach-lasagna-4144632.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
ENCHILADA 'LASAGNA'
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Do you like enchiladas? Do you like lasagna? We’re going to assume you’re not a monster and thus said yes to both. Ergo, you will probably like this fun casserole that takes some inspiration from both. Tortillas are used instead of pasta, but you still get the gorgeous striations of cheese, tomato, and carb. Want to make this enchilada dish plant-based? Swap in your favorite vegan egg and shredded mozzarella, and whip up a batch of tofu ricotta for the filling."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings 8
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/enchilada-lasagna-combines-two-family-favorites-in-one/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 pinches ground black pepper, divided
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 24-oz jar unsalted pureed strained tomatoes (aka passata)
3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
15-oz tub whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
15 6-inch corn tortillas, divided
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. In a large skillet on medium, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onion, zucchini, bell pepper and pinch black pepper and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a small saucepan on medium-low, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add strained tomatoes, broth, cumin, chile powder, chipotle chile powder, salt and remaining pinch black pepper. Bring to a simmer: cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together ricotta and egg. Into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, pour 1/2 cup sauce. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top of sauce, overlapping slightly to fit. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over top, spreading gently.
Spoon half of the vegetable mixture evenly over ricotta and spread 3/4 cup sauce over top. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Repeat layers with remaining ricotta mixture and vegetable mixture, then 3/4 cup sauce over top.
Arrange remaining 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Spread remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese blend. Bake until bubble and cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.
I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians.
Case in point: Years ago, a male co-worker, learning that I made a mean lasagna, kept trying to finagle an invite to dinner. One afternoon, learning that I'd just started baking this recipe, stated, "I'll be right over."
The next day at work, he mentioned that this was the best lasagna he'd ever eaten.
"What kind of meat was in it?" he asked.
"No meat."
"Okay, not ground beef. Chicken? Turkey?"
"Nope, tofu crumbles."
"What's that?" he asked, looking a tad bit baffled, so I explained.
"Well, you start off with soybeans..."
At that point, he looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again, which didn't exactly upset me.
Ingredients
Tomato sauce:
2 – 3 onions, chopped
3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
1 or 2 – 12 oz. package tofu crumbles
Cheese layer:
2 C sour cream
2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 C mozzarella, grated
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 C Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles
Make cheese layer:
Mix ingredients together in large bowl.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.
QUICK AND EASY LASAGNA
Okay, you've just gotten home from work or a day of running errands. You're hungry and want dinner as quick and easy as possible, but at the same time, something a little more filling than sandwiches. This lasagna fills the bill, as well as your family.
My youngest son came up with this a while back. He wanted lasagna, but without the long wait time that my full-fledged Vegetarian Lasagna takes, as well as without the onions. (He's not big into onions. But we all have our food preferences!) His version of lasagna if quick, fast, and very satisfying.
Ingredients
16 ounce box of lasagna noodles
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (1 45-ounce jar or 2 23.5 ounce jars; see note)
12-ounce package of Veggie Ground Crumbles (see note)
8-ounce package of Shredded Cheese (see note)
Taco seasoning pack (optional)
15-ounce can Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce (optional)
Directions
Start a pot of water for the lasagna noodles. Once the water starts to boil, add the lasagna noodles and back the heat down just a little so that the water doesn't boil over. (If you drop it to medium heat, you've gone too far.) Cook according to the package instructions.
While the water starts to heat, take another large pot and add the jarred spaghetti sauce, veggie ground crumbles, and the taco seasonings (if adding) and sloppy joe sauce (if adding). Stir together, then start heating on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. If this starts bubbling, stir and back the heat down a little.
As soon as the noodles are done cooking, carefully drain through a colander and rinse the noodles in cool water.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked noodles length-wise. You should have three layers across, and use 9 noodles (3 noodles high). Add half of the spaghetti sauce mixture over the noodles, spreading this fairly evenly. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest for a minute or two.
Dig in!
Note: With the spaghetti sauce, we tend to use either Prego Heart Smart Traditional or Ragu Traditional, whichever is on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like. Also, we usually put in the larger 45-ounce size sauce, but if you have two of the 23 – 24-ounce size jars (or they're on sale), use them.
With the veggie crumbles, we lean towards Boca's Veggie Ground Crumbles or Gardein crumbles, but you can go with your favorite 12-ounce bag of frozen veggie ground crumbles.
With the shredded cheese, we tend to use shredded cheddar, but have used several other blends of shredded cheese. You can also shred a block of cheddar cheese, if that's your preference, but the bagged shredded cheese saves a little time.
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
SAAG PANEER LASAGNA
This is from Khushbu Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Khushbu wrote, "While writing her cookbook “Amrikan” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), Khushbu Shah became convinced that a spinach lasagna could be greatly improved by swapping in the flavors of saag paneer for the filling. It’s a dish she jokingly refers to as “lasaagna.” Ms. Shah uses a saag base made with warm spices, spinach, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves (which are optional but highly encouraged, and add a beautiful earthy note to the sauce), and then adds fistfuls of grated paneer for an extra punch of cheese. Many of the lasagna’s components may be made ahead (see Tips), making assembly a breeze, especially when making this dish for a dinner party or as a vegetarian meal during the holidays."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2-1/4 hours; Total Time: 2-3/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026104-saag-paneer-lasagna. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
For the Saag
16 ounces baby spinach
2 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 green serrano chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
Salt
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic paste or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger paste or 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Sauce
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
For Assembly
Olive oil, for greasing
2 (8-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (24 sheets), for assembly
1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of paneer, coarsely grated
Preparaion
Prepare the saag filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil then add the spinach. As soon as the greens fully wilt (about 2 minutes), strain through a colander and run cold water over the spinach to cool; wipe out and reserve the pot. Let the spinach drain before transferring to a blender. (There’s no need to squeeze any water out!)
Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, kasoori methi (if using) and 3/4 cup water to the blender with the drained spinach and blitz 30 seconds to 1 minute until puréed. Season to taste with salt; set the saag aside. (The filling may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.)
In the same pot used for the spinach, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent any scorching.
Add the chile powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and season with salt. Give it a good stir before adding the saag. Gently simmer and continue to stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary if the mixture begins to sputter and splatter, until the saag is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the roux is golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the milk, adjust heat to medium and continuously stir until the béchamel thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, season with salt and set aside. (The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It might need to be loosened a little by adding some milk or water to the sauce before layering in the lasagna, as the sauce gets quite thick as it sits.)
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in and spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer noodle sheets on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. (You may need 4 to 6 noodles per layer, depending on the size of the dish and the noodles you’re working with; you’ll need about 24 total.) Spread 1/3 of the saag over the noodles, then layer on 1/3 of the paneer shreds, followed by 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat this process 2 more times, starting with another layer of noodles (You will use all the saag and paneer.). To top the lasagna, add a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining sauce on the noodles and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with foil, lightly greasing one side so the foil doesn’t stick, and bake for 40 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked through and is light golden on top. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. (Any leftover lasagna may be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.)
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Vicki Shata Retelny, RDN, at VeryWellFit. She wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium, for a total body wellness boost.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings: 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/vegetarian-spinach-lasagna-4144632.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
ENCHILADA 'LASAGNA'
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Do you like enchiladas? Do you like lasagna? We’re going to assume you’re not a monster and thus said yes to both. Ergo, you will probably like this fun casserole that takes some inspiration from both. Tortillas are used instead of pasta, but you still get the gorgeous striations of cheese, tomato, and carb. Want to make this enchilada dish plant-based? Swap in your favorite vegan egg and shredded mozzarella, and whip up a batch of tofu ricotta for the filling."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Servings 8
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/enchilada-lasagna-combines-two-family-favorites-in-one/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 pinches ground black pepper, divided
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 24-oz jar unsalted pureed strained tomatoes (aka passata)
3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
15-oz tub whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
15 6-inch corn tortillas, divided
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. In a large skillet on medium, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onion, zucchini, bell pepper and pinch black pepper and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a small saucepan on medium-low, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add strained tomatoes, broth, cumin, chile powder, chipotle chile powder, salt and remaining pinch black pepper. Bring to a simmer: cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together ricotta and egg. Into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, pour 1/2 cup sauce. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top of sauce, overlapping slightly to fit. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over top, spreading gently.
Spoon half of the vegetable mixture evenly over ricotta and spread 3/4 cup sauce over top. Arrange 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Repeat layers with remaining ricotta mixture and vegetable mixture, then 3/4 cup sauce over top.
Arrange remaining 5 tortillas in a single layer over top, overlapping slightly. Spread remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese blend. Bake until bubble and cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.
Monday, September 8, 2025
Lasagna
It's Monday, time to get the week started. What better to start the week off just right than with yummy homemade Lasagna. Check out the Simple Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna, the Lasagna Primavera, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. Also, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you might want to consider doing so.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“
Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
TORTILLA LASAGNA
This is from the January/February 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This easy, crowd-pleasing dish is also a kid favorite. Toasting the tortillas before building the lasagna keeps them from getting soggy as the dish bakes. Feel free to mix things up with different beans, cheeses, or vegetables between the layers." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 cups strained tomatoes, such as Pomì, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium chayote, peeled and diced, or 2 medium zucchini, diced (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas on 2 baking sheets in oven 5 minutes, or until light brown, turning once.
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in chili powder, ancho chile powder, and garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add 1-1/2 cups strained tomatoes, beans, chayote, corn, and 1/2 cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until chayote is tender.
Coat 2-inch-deep x 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup strained tomatoes in bottom of pan. Set 1 toasted tortilla in pan; top with 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with last tortilla, and spread remaining 1/4 cup strained tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges.
nutritional information Per Wedge: Calories: 226; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Sodium: 506 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g
LASAGNA PRIMAVERA
This recipe is from FamilyTime's newsletter. It starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Prep. time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Source: Campbell's Recipes To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons light butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, sliced (about 3-3/4 cups)
1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)
3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, (no boil)
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
TOFU-SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from PETA's website. Whether you like PETA or not, they do have good vegetarian recipes. This one makes 6 to 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.peta.org/recipes/tofu-spinach-lasagne/.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. soft tofu
1 lb. firm tofu
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 tsp. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. salt
4 cups tomato sauce
Instructions
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible and set aside.
Place the tofu, sugar, soy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the spinach.
Cover the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of the noodles). Follow with half of the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half of the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and all of the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by the remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
WHITE LASAGNA
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "Made without any Bolognese or tomato sauce, a white lasagna is a celebration of pasta and vegetables bound together by a creamy béchamel. This version, brimming with herbs, spinach, asparagus and peas, is an ode to spring, like a baked pasta primavera in its richest form. Serve it in small squares as a first or pasta course, as it’s served in Italy, or in more substantial slabs as a meatless main course. It’s a bit of a project, so if you want to work ahead, you can make the béchamel up to a week in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The baked lasagna can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days. Reheat, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes."
Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 main course or 12 appetizer or side-dish servings
This was featured in "Turn Your Pasta Primavera Into a Lasagna," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024166-white-lasagna. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Besides not having to run into any paywalls, you'll have access to great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
For the Béchamel
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
For the Filling
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Fine sea or table salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
1 cup combination of soft herbs (parsley, chives, basil, dill), finely chopped, plus more for garnish
2 leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
8 ounces baby spinach or baby greens, like kale or arugula (about 8 cups), chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
32 ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 4 cups)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
12 ounces dried lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles), or substitute the same amount of no-boil, oven-ready or fresh noodles; all will work
8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, thinly sliced
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little butter.
Prepare the béchamel: In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until pale golden. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, so that the sauce does not clump. Add the salt, nutmeg and bay leaf. Gently bring to a simmer and let cook for 9 to 12 minutes, whisking often, until the béchamel is thick but still pourable. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and grated garlic, and taste, adding more salt if needed.
While the béchamel is cooking, start preparing the filling: Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let it heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the asparagus and sauté, shaking the pan, until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the frozen peas and 2 tablespoons herbs.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and heat until the oil thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the leeks, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté leeks until tender and golden at the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the spinach and remaining herbs, working in batches if needed, and sauté until the greens are very tender and the pan is very dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. It should be well seasoned.
Add mixture to a large bowl. Stir in ricotta and 3/4 cup each Parmesan and pecorino (save remaining Parmesan for the top). Taste and add more salt if needed.
Remove bay leaf from béchamel, then ladle some of the sauce into the bottom of the baking pan until just covered. Place as many noodles as will fit on top of the béchamel, breaking or cutting them to fit in one layer. Ladle a little more béchamel on top of the noodles, covering the surface. Add half of the ricotta mixture, spreading evenly, then sprinkle half of the asparagus-pea mixture on top. Add another layer of noodles, then béchamel, then the remaining ricotta mixture, then the remaining asparagus-pea mixture. Top with the sliced mozzarella. Add a third and final layer of noodles (don’t worry if you don’t end up using all of the noodles) and cover with remaining béchamel. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Cover the pan with foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil. Bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling on top. (If the top is still pale, you can run the lasagna under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes.) Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. Also, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you might want to consider doing so.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“
Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
TORTILLA LASAGNA
This is from the January/February 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This easy, crowd-pleasing dish is also a kid favorite. Toasting the tortillas before building the lasagna keeps them from getting soggy as the dish bakes. Feel free to mix things up with different beans, cheeses, or vegetables between the layers." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 cups strained tomatoes, such as Pomì, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium chayote, peeled and diced, or 2 medium zucchini, diced (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas on 2 baking sheets in oven 5 minutes, or until light brown, turning once.
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in chili powder, ancho chile powder, and garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add 1-1/2 cups strained tomatoes, beans, chayote, corn, and 1/2 cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until chayote is tender.
Coat 2-inch-deep x 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup strained tomatoes in bottom of pan. Set 1 toasted tortilla in pan; top with 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with last tortilla, and spread remaining 1/4 cup strained tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges.
nutritional information Per Wedge: Calories: 226; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Sodium: 506 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g
LASAGNA PRIMAVERA
This recipe is from FamilyTime's newsletter. It starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Prep. time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Source: Campbell's Recipes To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons light butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, sliced (about 3-3/4 cups)
1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)
3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, (no boil)
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
TOFU-SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from PETA's website. Whether you like PETA or not, they do have good vegetarian recipes. This one makes 6 to 8 servings, and can be viewed online at https://www.peta.org/recipes/tofu-spinach-lasagne/.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. soft tofu
1 lb. firm tofu
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 tsp. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. salt
4 cups tomato sauce
Instructions
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible and set aside.
Place the tofu, sugar, soy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the spinach.
Cover the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of the noodles). Follow with half of the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half of the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and all of the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by the remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
WHITE LASAGNA
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "Made without any Bolognese or tomato sauce, a white lasagna is a celebration of pasta and vegetables bound together by a creamy béchamel. This version, brimming with herbs, spinach, asparagus and peas, is an ode to spring, like a baked pasta primavera in its richest form. Serve it in small squares as a first or pasta course, as it’s served in Italy, or in more substantial slabs as a meatless main course. It’s a bit of a project, so if you want to work ahead, you can make the béchamel up to a week in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The baked lasagna can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days. Reheat, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes."
Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 main course or 12 appetizer or side-dish servings
This was featured in "Turn Your Pasta Primavera Into a Lasagna," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024166-white-lasagna. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Besides not having to run into any paywalls, you'll have access to great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
For the Béchamel
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
For the Filling
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Fine sea or table salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
1 cup combination of soft herbs (parsley, chives, basil, dill), finely chopped, plus more for garnish
2 leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
8 ounces baby spinach or baby greens, like kale or arugula (about 8 cups), chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
32 ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 4 cups)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
12 ounces dried lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles), or substitute the same amount of no-boil, oven-ready or fresh noodles; all will work
8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, thinly sliced
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little butter.
Prepare the béchamel: In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until pale golden. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, so that the sauce does not clump. Add the salt, nutmeg and bay leaf. Gently bring to a simmer and let cook for 9 to 12 minutes, whisking often, until the béchamel is thick but still pourable. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and grated garlic, and taste, adding more salt if needed.
While the béchamel is cooking, start preparing the filling: Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let it heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the asparagus and sauté, shaking the pan, until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the frozen peas and 2 tablespoons herbs.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and heat until the oil thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the leeks, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté leeks until tender and golden at the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the spinach and remaining herbs, working in batches if needed, and sauté until the greens are very tender and the pan is very dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. It should be well seasoned.
Add mixture to a large bowl. Stir in ricotta and 3/4 cup each Parmesan and pecorino (save remaining Parmesan for the top). Taste and add more salt if needed.
Remove bay leaf from béchamel, then ladle some of the sauce into the bottom of the baking pan until just covered. Place as many noodles as will fit on top of the béchamel, breaking or cutting them to fit in one layer. Ladle a little more béchamel on top of the noodles, covering the surface. Add half of the ricotta mixture, spreading evenly, then sprinkle half of the asparagus-pea mixture on top. Add another layer of noodles, then béchamel, then the remaining ricotta mixture, then the remaining asparagus-pea mixture. Top with the sliced mozzarella. Add a third and final layer of noodles (don’t worry if you don’t end up using all of the noodles) and cover with remaining béchamel. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Cover the pan with foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil. Bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling on top. (If the top is still pale, you can run the lasagna under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes.) Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Lasagna
I absolutely love Lasagna. There's just something about it that gets my attention almost every time.
To that end, here are six lasagna recipes to help you through the day, including Easy Whole Wheat Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna and Portobello Lasagna Rollups. Enjoy!
SAAG PANEER LASAGNA
This is from Khushbu Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Khushbu wrote, "While writing her cookbook “Amrikan” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), Khushbu Shah became convinced that a spinach lasagna could be greatly improved by swapping in the flavors of saag paneer for the filling. It’s a dish she jokingly refers to as “lasaagna.” Ms. Shah uses a saag base made with warm spices, spinach, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves (which are optional but highly encouraged, and add a beautiful earthy note to the sauce), and then adds fistfuls of grated paneer for an extra punch of cheese. Many of the lasagna’s components may be made ahead (see Tips), making assembly a breeze, especially when making this dish for a dinner party or as a vegetarian meal during the holidays."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2-1/4 hours; Total Time: 2-3/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026104-saag-paneer-lasagna. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
For the Saag
16 ounces baby spinach
2 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 green serrano chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
Salt
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic paste or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger paste or 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Sauce
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
For Assembly
Olive oil, for greasing
2 (8-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (24 sheets), for assembly
1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of paneer, coarsely grated
Preparaion
Prepare the saag filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil then add the spinach. As soon as the greens fully wilt (about 2 minutes), strain through a colander and run cold water over the spinach to cool; wipe out and reserve the pot. Let the spinach drain before transferring to a blender. (There’s no need to squeeze any water out!)
Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, kasoori methi (if using) and 3/4 cup water to the blender with the drained spinach and blitz 30 seconds to 1 minute until puréed. Season to taste with salt; set the saag aside. (The filling may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.)
In the same pot used for the spinach, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent any scorching.
Add the chile powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and season with salt. Give it a good stir before adding the saag. Gently simmer and continue to stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary if the mixture begins to sputter and splatter, until the saag is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the roux is golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the milk, adjust heat to medium and continuously stir until the béchamel thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, season with salt and set aside. (The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It might need to be loosened a little by adding some milk or water to the sauce before layering in the lasagna, as the sauce gets quite thick as it sits.)
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in and spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer noodle sheets on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. (You may need 4 to 6 noodles per layer, depending on the size of the dish and the noodles you’re working with; you’ll need about 24 total.) Spread 1/3 of the saag over the noodles, then layer on 1/3 of the paneer shreds, followed by 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat this process 2 more times, starting with another layer of noodles (You will use all the saag and paneer.). To top the lasagna, add a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining sauce on the noodles and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with foil, lightly greasing one side so the foil doesn’t stick, and bake for 40 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked through and is light golden on top. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. (Any leftover lasagna may be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.)
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
PORTOBELLO LASAGNA ROLLUPS
This comes from Ellie Krieger of The Food Network’s Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. This begins, “Part-skim ricotta and mozzarella keep the fat count low in these cheesy roll-ups, while a little bold-flavored Parmesan goes a long way flavor-wise.”
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/portobello-lasagna-rollups-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Total Time: 1 hr 30 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 10 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
Ingredients
12 whole wheat lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
2 teaspoons olive oil 12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped (about 3 medium)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups Easy Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce
One 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Easy Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained, chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the noodles to al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper and nutmeg.
Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9- by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1-1/2 cups sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with the grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano, whole tomatoes and bay leaf, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“
Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
EASY WHOLE WHEAT VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Easy whole wheat vegetarian lasagna with spinach baked in the oven with three kinds of cheeses. What's not to love? This is the perfect classic spinach lasagna recipe for the whole family!
“Make your vegetarian lasagna just a bit healthier by using this recipe, which calls for whole wheat lasagna noodles and spinach. Even though it uses whole wheat noodles, this Italian spinach lasagna is incredibly rich and creamy as it uses plenty of mozzarella, Parmesan, and low-fat cottage cheese. Of course, you don't have to use whole wheat lasagna noodles if you prefer the regular kind.
“This spinach lasagna recipe is courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 90 minutes; Yield: 10 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 8-ounce package whole wheat lasagne noodles, cooked slightly (al dente)
1 9-ounce package frozen raw spinach (well thawed and drained)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
3 cups pre-made or store-bought pasta sauce
3 cups grated low-moisture part skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs then add the cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or a homemade olive oil spray.
Put one layer of the slightly cooked lasagna noodles flat across the bottom of the baking dish. Add about half of the spinach, pressing down lightly and evenly over the noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top this layer of noodles with the cottage cheese mixture then add the remaining spinach. Then add the last of the lasagna noodles laid evenly on top of spinach.
Once you've layered everything, spread the pasta sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle the whole thing with mozzarella cheese. Press down lightly.
Cover baking dish with foil, using foil sprayed with cooking spray and keeping foil off the center of the lasagna. Secure sides tightly over baking dish.
Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes in oven. To lightly brown the top, remove foil for a few minutes at the end of baking time.
Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving): 282 Calories; 12g Fat; 23g Carbs; 19g Protein
SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from the January 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "'Many people don't know that the crock inside a slow cooker is ovenproof and you can transfer a dish like lasagna into the oven (up to 400°F) for 10 minutes to brown the top,' says Golino. Just be sure the pot is hot, to avoid drastic temperature changes that can cause it to crack." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, quartered
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled, plus 1 clove minced (1 tsp.), divided
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into chunks
1 28-oz. can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for oiling slow cooker
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 16-oz. jar roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
1 16-oz. container low-fat ricotta cheese, divided
1 cup grated Swiss cheese, divided
Directions
Place onion, basil, oregano, and 2 whole garlic cloves in food processor; pulse 6 times, or until onion and garlic are chopped. Add tempeh, and pulse until tempeh is ground. Add tomatoes, oil, salt, and pepper; pulse until chunky sauce forms.
Combine spinach and minced garlic in bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
Coat bottom and sides of 4-quart slow cooker with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over bottom, and cover with layer of lasagna noodles, breaking them in pieces to fit around edges. Spread 3/4 cup spinach mixture over top. Place 1 layer roasted red peppers over spinach, and top with 3/4 cup ricotta. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over ricotta. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Swiss cheese. Repeat, layering noodles, spinach, peppers, ricotta, Swiss cheese, and tomato sauce. Top with 1 more layer noodles and remaining spinach, tomato sauce, ricotta, and Swiss cheese.
Cook 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Let stand uncovered 10 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 322; Protein: 22 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 5.5 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 762 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 8 g
To that end, here are six lasagna recipes to help you through the day, including Easy Whole Wheat Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna and Portobello Lasagna Rollups. Enjoy!
SAAG PANEER LASAGNA
This is from Khushbu Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Khushbu wrote, "While writing her cookbook “Amrikan” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), Khushbu Shah became convinced that a spinach lasagna could be greatly improved by swapping in the flavors of saag paneer for the filling. It’s a dish she jokingly refers to as “lasaagna.” Ms. Shah uses a saag base made with warm spices, spinach, cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves (which are optional but highly encouraged, and add a beautiful earthy note to the sauce), and then adds fistfuls of grated paneer for an extra punch of cheese. Many of the lasagna’s components may be made ahead (see Tips), making assembly a breeze, especially when making this dish for a dinner party or as a vegetarian meal during the holidays."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 2-1/4 hours; Total Time: 2-3/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026104-saag-paneer-lasagna. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
For the Saag
16 ounces baby spinach
2 small Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 green serrano chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
Salt
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic paste or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger paste or 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Sauce
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
For Assembly
Olive oil, for greasing
2 (8-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (24 sheets), for assembly
1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of paneer, coarsely grated
Preparaion
Prepare the saag filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil then add the spinach. As soon as the greens fully wilt (about 2 minutes), strain through a colander and run cold water over the spinach to cool; wipe out and reserve the pot. Let the spinach drain before transferring to a blender. (There’s no need to squeeze any water out!)
Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, cilantro, kasoori methi (if using) and 3/4 cup water to the blender with the drained spinach and blitz 30 seconds to 1 minute until puréed. Season to taste with salt; set the saag aside. (The filling may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.)
In the same pot used for the spinach, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and somewhat golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent any scorching.
Add the chile powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and season with salt. Give it a good stir before adding the saag. Gently simmer and continue to stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as necessary if the mixture begins to sputter and splatter, until the saag is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the roux is golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the milk, adjust heat to medium and continuously stir until the béchamel thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until smooth, season with salt and set aside. (The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It might need to be loosened a little by adding some milk or water to the sauce before layering in the lasagna, as the sauce gets quite thick as it sits.)
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in and spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Layer noodle sheets on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. (You may need 4 to 6 noodles per layer, depending on the size of the dish and the noodles you’re working with; you’ll need about 24 total.) Spread 1/3 of the saag over the noodles, then layer on 1/3 of the paneer shreds, followed by 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat this process 2 more times, starting with another layer of noodles (You will use all the saag and paneer.). To top the lasagna, add a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining sauce on the noodles and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Cover the lasagna with foil, lightly greasing one side so the foil doesn’t stick, and bake for 40 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked through and is light golden on top. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. (Any leftover lasagna may be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.)
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
PORTOBELLO LASAGNA ROLLUPS
This comes from Ellie Krieger of The Food Network’s Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. This begins, “Part-skim ricotta and mozzarella keep the fat count low in these cheesy roll-ups, while a little bold-flavored Parmesan goes a long way flavor-wise.”
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/portobello-lasagna-rollups-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Total Time: 1 hr 30 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 10 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
Ingredients
12 whole wheat lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
2 teaspoons olive oil 12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped (about 3 medium)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups Easy Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce
One 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Easy Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained, chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the noodles to al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper and nutmeg.
Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9- by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1-1/2 cups sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with the grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano, whole tomatoes and bay leaf, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.
“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“
Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven the 350F.
On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.
If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Cooking and Serving Tips
To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.
This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
EASY WHOLE WHEAT VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Easy whole wheat vegetarian lasagna with spinach baked in the oven with three kinds of cheeses. What's not to love? This is the perfect classic spinach lasagna recipe for the whole family!
“Make your vegetarian lasagna just a bit healthier by using this recipe, which calls for whole wheat lasagna noodles and spinach. Even though it uses whole wheat noodles, this Italian spinach lasagna is incredibly rich and creamy as it uses plenty of mozzarella, Parmesan, and low-fat cottage cheese. Of course, you don't have to use whole wheat lasagna noodles if you prefer the regular kind.
“This spinach lasagna recipe is courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 90 minutes; Yield: 10 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 8-ounce package whole wheat lasagne noodles, cooked slightly (al dente)
1 9-ounce package frozen raw spinach (well thawed and drained)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
3 cups pre-made or store-bought pasta sauce
3 cups grated low-moisture part skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs then add the cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or a homemade olive oil spray.
Put one layer of the slightly cooked lasagna noodles flat across the bottom of the baking dish. Add about half of the spinach, pressing down lightly and evenly over the noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top this layer of noodles with the cottage cheese mixture then add the remaining spinach. Then add the last of the lasagna noodles laid evenly on top of spinach.
Once you've layered everything, spread the pasta sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle the whole thing with mozzarella cheese. Press down lightly.
Cover baking dish with foil, using foil sprayed with cooking spray and keeping foil off the center of the lasagna. Secure sides tightly over baking dish.
Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes in oven. To lightly brown the top, remove foil for a few minutes at the end of baking time.
Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving): 282 Calories; 12g Fat; 23g Carbs; 19g Protein
SPINACH LASAGNA
This comes from the January 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "'Many people don't know that the crock inside a slow cooker is ovenproof and you can transfer a dish like lasagna into the oven (up to 400°F) for 10 minutes to brown the top,' says Golino. Just be sure the pot is hot, to avoid drastic temperature changes that can cause it to crack." Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, quartered
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled, plus 1 clove minced (1 tsp.), divided
1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into chunks
1 28-oz. can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for oiling slow cooker
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 16-oz. jar roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
1 16-oz. container low-fat ricotta cheese, divided
1 cup grated Swiss cheese, divided
Directions
Place onion, basil, oregano, and 2 whole garlic cloves in food processor; pulse 6 times, or until onion and garlic are chopped. Add tempeh, and pulse until tempeh is ground. Add tomatoes, oil, salt, and pepper; pulse until chunky sauce forms.
Combine spinach and minced garlic in bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
Coat bottom and sides of 4-quart slow cooker with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over bottom, and cover with layer of lasagna noodles, breaking them in pieces to fit around edges. Spread 3/4 cup spinach mixture over top. Place 1 layer roasted red peppers over spinach, and top with 3/4 cup ricotta. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over ricotta. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Swiss cheese. Repeat, layering noodles, spinach, peppers, ricotta, Swiss cheese, and tomato sauce. Top with 1 more layer noodles and remaining spinach, tomato sauce, ricotta, and Swiss cheese.
Cook 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Let stand uncovered 10 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 322; Protein: 22 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 5.5 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 762 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 8 g
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Weeknight Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna and Three-Bean Soup. Enjoy!
EASY SWEET POTATO ENCHILADAS
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Enchilada dinners are a great way to use up fillings and try out new flavors—take our Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas, for example. Full of roasted sweet potatoes, spinach and chickpeas and spiced with chili powder, these vegetarian enchiladas with sweet potato are a game-changer when you want to introduce a vegetarian dish into your weekday lineup. You'll love that it takes just 30 minutes of prep time to get tasty vegetarian sweet potato enchiladas wrapped up and in the oven. Make them saucy with Old El Paso™ Mild Red Enchilada Sauce, and don't forget the cheese!"
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 5 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-sweet-potato-enchiladas.
Ingredients
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed
2 cups Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican 4 Cheese Blend (8 oz)
1 package (8.2 oz) Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas for Soft Tacos & Fajitas (6 inch)
2 cans (10 oz each) Old El Paso™ Mild Red Enchilada Sauce
Fresh chopped cilantro and Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana, if desired
Preparation
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish or pan with cooking spray.
Place sweet potatoes on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 to 60 seconds, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in chili powder and spinach; cook 30 to 60 seconds to wilt.
Remove from heat; pour into medium bowl. Stir in chickpeas and roasted potatoes. Let cool 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
Place tortillas on work surface. Spread heaping 1/3 cup vegetable mixture down center of each tortilla. Wrap tortillas around filling; placing seam side down in sprayed baking dish. Top enchiladas with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Top with remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
Want a little more heat? Try Old El Paso™ Medium Red Enchilada Sauce in your Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas.
For this Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas recipe, look for sweet potatoes with red skin and orange flesh.
Cooking vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.
Add a fresh squeeze of lime to your vegetarian sweet potato enchiladas, if desired.
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon at The New York Times cooking enewletter. For this yummy recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE
This yumminess is from Christine Gallary at TheKitchn. This recipe begins, "Chile relleno casserole is made up of layers of poblano peppers, Monterey Jack cheese, and cooked chorizo sausage baked in a batter of egg, flour, and milk. Instead of stuffing individual peppers, the poblanos are cut open and layered into the baking dish, guaranteeing each bite has everything in it. Some chile relleno casseroles include a tomato sauce. But for crispier edges reminiscent of the fried chile relleno batter, I skip it and serve the casserole with tomato salsa or hot sauce instead."
Prep Time: 30 to 40 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes to 1 hour; Serves: 6 to 8
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/chile-relleno-casserole-recipe-23392104.
Ingredients
8 medium poblano peppers (about 2 pounds total)
Cooking spray
12 ounces to 1 pound uncooked Mexican or soy chorizo
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (about 3 cups pre-shredded)
8 large eggs
1 cup whole or 2% milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Hot sauce or blended tomato salsa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Trim the stems from 8 medium poblano peppers and halve lengthwise. Remove the core, ribs, and seeds. Place the peppers skin-side up on the baking sheet in a single layer (they can be touching) and press down on them as needed so they sit fairly flat. If they don’t all fit on the baking sheet, broil in 2 batches.
Broil until the skin on the peppers is almost completely blackened and blistered, 5 to 12 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet as needed so they evenly blacken. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Remove the casings from 12 ounces to 1 pound uncooked Mexican chorizo and add to the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces, until browned and cooked through (add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan if it is dry), 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
When the peppers are ready, transfer to a large heatproof bowl and cover with the aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to steam.
Meanwhile, reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Shred 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 4 cups, or use 3 cups pre-shredded). Place 8 large eggs, 1 cup whole or 2% milk, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender halfway through, 45 to 60 seconds total.
Peel off and discard the skin from the peppers, using a paper towel to rub off any skin that doesn’t come off easily (do the best you can, it doesn’t all have to come off); it’s okay if the peppers tear.
Pour enough of the egg mixture into the baking dish to just cover the bottom. Arrange half of the peppers in an even layer over the egg mixture. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo over the peppers in an even layer. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Arrange the remaining peppers evenly over the cheese. Pour the remaining egg mixture evenly over the peppers, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake on the upper third rack until puffed, the center is set, and the edges are golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with salsa or hot sauce if desired.
Recipe Notes
Poblano substitute: 4 (10-ounce) cans fire-roasted whole green chiles can be substituted for the poblanos. Drain, and gently tear open any whole chiles so they sit flat. Pat dry with paper towels before assembling in the casserole (no need to broil first).
Make ahead: The peppers can be broiled and peeled and the chorizo cooked up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate in separate airtight containers. Alternatively, the casserole can be assembled without the top layer of cheese, covered, and refrigerated overnight. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Uncover and sprinkle with the cheese right before baking, and add 5 minutes to the bake time.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The baked casserole can also be cooled, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, covered, in a 325ºF oven until warmed through.
ONE-POT VEGETABLE BIRYANI
This is from Zainab Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Zainab wrote, "Vegetable biryani may be the underdog of biryanis since it's often overshadowed by meatier varieties. But like other formidable yet unsung dishes, this one’s adaptability helps it hold its own. Recipes vary across South Asia: Hyderabadi versions are known for their fieriness, while milder, nuttier variations dominate northern regions. This one falls somewhere in the middle. Use any vegetables you have, such as nutty cauliflower, sweet peas and crunchy carrots. Nuts and fresh or dried fruits add a confetti of flavors and textures. This recipe skips the layering typically called for in favor of conveniently stirring everything together. Luckily, using fewer dishes doesn’t compromise flavor."
Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022758-one-pot-vegetable-biryani. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, loads of guides, great ideas for your next meal.
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
1/4 cup ghee or any neutral oil
1 dried bay leaf
2 whole star anise (optional)
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods
4 fresh Thai green chiles or green finger chiles, stems removed
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chile powder or other ground red chile
1 plum tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small potato, peeled and finely diced
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup cut green beans (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
2-1/2 cups unsalted vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus 3 lemon slices
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (optional)
1/4 cup toasted or fried cashews, halved (optional)
Preparation
Rinse the rice, cover with cold water in a bowl and soak for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a large pot over medium until it melts, 30 to 45 seconds. Add bay leaf, star anise, cloves, cardamom and green chiles and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and fry, stirring often, until they start turning golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add ginger and garlic and continue frying and stirring until the raw smell dissipates, about 1 minute. Add turmeric and red chile powder and stir for 30 seconds to toast (don’t let them burn). Add tomato and 2 tablespoons water. Add half of cilantro and mint. Continue stirring until the tomato starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrot, potato, cauliflower, green peas, green beans, yogurt and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the ingredients are incorporated.
Drain the rice and add to the pot, along with the lemon juice and garam masala. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Add the vegetable stock and stir. Cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
Uncover and stir. Add the rest of the cilantro and mint and the lemon slices. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the pot stand for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and cashews if you like.
THREE-BEAN SOUP
This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”
Ingredients
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.
Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.
Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.
Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars
BAKED VEGETABLE MEDLEY
This is from the January 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 22. It begins, “The crust for this vegetable-filled pie may be made from ready-made, store-bought dough that you roll out and fit into a pie plate. Or, for a no-fuss meal, start with a premade frozen pie crust. This is a meal-in-a-slice, calling only for a light dessert of fruit and nuts.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/baked-vegetable-medley/.
Ingredients
One 9-inch unbaked frozen pie shell
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch kale, shredded
2/3 cup chunky seasoned tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained
6 oz. smoked tofu, cut into thin strips
1 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Reserve strips of leek for garnish.
Bake pie shell until golden, about 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove from oven, and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450F.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-ium heat. When hot, sauté leek and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add kale and tomato sauce, stirring often, and cook until kale wilts and leeks are translucent. Add artichoke hearts.
Fill baked pie shell, and arrange tofu pieces decoratively on top. Sprinkle grated cheese over top, and bake 5 minutes more. Increase oven temperature to broil, and heat until cheese browns, about 1 minute.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 420; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 510 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 3 g
EASY SWEET POTATO ENCHILADAS
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Enchilada dinners are a great way to use up fillings and try out new flavors—take our Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas, for example. Full of roasted sweet potatoes, spinach and chickpeas and spiced with chili powder, these vegetarian enchiladas with sweet potato are a game-changer when you want to introduce a vegetarian dish into your weekday lineup. You'll love that it takes just 30 minutes of prep time to get tasty vegetarian sweet potato enchiladas wrapped up and in the oven. Make them saucy with Old El Paso™ Mild Red Enchilada Sauce, and don't forget the cheese!"
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 5 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-sweet-potato-enchiladas.
Ingredients
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed
2 cups Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican 4 Cheese Blend (8 oz)
1 package (8.2 oz) Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas for Soft Tacos & Fajitas (6 inch)
2 cans (10 oz each) Old El Paso™ Mild Red Enchilada Sauce
Fresh chopped cilantro and Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana, if desired
Preparation
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish or pan with cooking spray.
Place sweet potatoes on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 to 60 seconds, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in chili powder and spinach; cook 30 to 60 seconds to wilt.
Remove from heat; pour into medium bowl. Stir in chickpeas and roasted potatoes. Let cool 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
Place tortillas on work surface. Spread heaping 1/3 cup vegetable mixture down center of each tortilla. Wrap tortillas around filling; placing seam side down in sprayed baking dish. Top enchiladas with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Top with remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
Want a little more heat? Try Old El Paso™ Medium Red Enchilada Sauce in your Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas.
For this Easy Sweet Potato Enchiladas recipe, look for sweet potatoes with red skin and orange flesh.
Cooking vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.
Add a fresh squeeze of lime to your vegetarian sweet potato enchiladas, if desired.
WEEKNIGHT SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNA
This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon at The New York Times cooking enewletter. For this yummy recipe, Hetty wrote, "While it is hard to beat the perfection of a meticulously layered lasagna, this cheater’s version delivers all the comforting vibes with minimal effort. This weeknight dish requires no chopping; just mixing and baking. Choose ease, with oven-ready lasagna sheets, as they don’t require preboiling and will cook quicker than the regular ones. (Fresh lasagna sheets will certainly work, too, with the same cooking time.) Don’t drain the thawed spinach, as the extra moisture will help keep this dish moist and saucy. The easiest way to thaw spinach is to leave it overnight in the fridge; it can also be defrosted quickly in the microwave."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025023-weeknight-spinach-and-ricotta-lasagna. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
9 ounces (dry) no-boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (undrained)
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce, such as vodka or marinara
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of torn soft herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley, to serve
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Break up each lasagna sheet into 5 to 6 pieces and place them in a large bowl. (They can be a mixture of large and small; you can expect irregularity.) Add the spinach and half the ricotta, and fold through to coat the broken pasta sheets. Add the pasta sauce, stock and crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large, 8-by-12-inch baking dish, distributing the pasta evenly and pressing it down until submerged in the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with foil, tenting it to prevent it from sticking to the top, place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, increase heat to 425 degrees and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the cheesy top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Top with remaining ricotta and drizzle with olive oil. Like traditional lasagna, this dish is best rested for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait!). When ready to serve, top with soft herbs.
CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE
This yumminess is from Christine Gallary at TheKitchn. This recipe begins, "Chile relleno casserole is made up of layers of poblano peppers, Monterey Jack cheese, and cooked chorizo sausage baked in a batter of egg, flour, and milk. Instead of stuffing individual peppers, the poblanos are cut open and layered into the baking dish, guaranteeing each bite has everything in it. Some chile relleno casseroles include a tomato sauce. But for crispier edges reminiscent of the fried chile relleno batter, I skip it and serve the casserole with tomato salsa or hot sauce instead."
Prep Time: 30 to 40 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes to 1 hour; Serves: 6 to 8
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/chile-relleno-casserole-recipe-23392104.
Ingredients
8 medium poblano peppers (about 2 pounds total)
Cooking spray
12 ounces to 1 pound uncooked Mexican or soy chorizo
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (about 3 cups pre-shredded)
8 large eggs
1 cup whole or 2% milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Hot sauce or blended tomato salsa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Trim the stems from 8 medium poblano peppers and halve lengthwise. Remove the core, ribs, and seeds. Place the peppers skin-side up on the baking sheet in a single layer (they can be touching) and press down on them as needed so they sit fairly flat. If they don’t all fit on the baking sheet, broil in 2 batches.
Broil until the skin on the peppers is almost completely blackened and blistered, 5 to 12 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet as needed so they evenly blacken. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Remove the casings from 12 ounces to 1 pound uncooked Mexican chorizo and add to the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces, until browned and cooked through (add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan if it is dry), 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
When the peppers are ready, transfer to a large heatproof bowl and cover with the aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to steam.
Meanwhile, reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Shred 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 4 cups, or use 3 cups pre-shredded). Place 8 large eggs, 1 cup whole or 2% milk, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender halfway through, 45 to 60 seconds total.
Peel off and discard the skin from the peppers, using a paper towel to rub off any skin that doesn’t come off easily (do the best you can, it doesn’t all have to come off); it’s okay if the peppers tear.
Pour enough of the egg mixture into the baking dish to just cover the bottom. Arrange half of the peppers in an even layer over the egg mixture. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo over the peppers in an even layer. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Arrange the remaining peppers evenly over the cheese. Pour the remaining egg mixture evenly over the peppers, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake on the upper third rack until puffed, the center is set, and the edges are golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with salsa or hot sauce if desired.
Recipe Notes
Poblano substitute: 4 (10-ounce) cans fire-roasted whole green chiles can be substituted for the poblanos. Drain, and gently tear open any whole chiles so they sit flat. Pat dry with paper towels before assembling in the casserole (no need to broil first).
Make ahead: The peppers can be broiled and peeled and the chorizo cooked up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate in separate airtight containers. Alternatively, the casserole can be assembled without the top layer of cheese, covered, and refrigerated overnight. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Uncover and sprinkle with the cheese right before baking, and add 5 minutes to the bake time.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The baked casserole can also be cooled, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, covered, in a 325ºF oven until warmed through.
ONE-POT VEGETABLE BIRYANI
This is from Zainab Shah in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Zainab wrote, "Vegetable biryani may be the underdog of biryanis since it's often overshadowed by meatier varieties. But like other formidable yet unsung dishes, this one’s adaptability helps it hold its own. Recipes vary across South Asia: Hyderabadi versions are known for their fieriness, while milder, nuttier variations dominate northern regions. This one falls somewhere in the middle. Use any vegetables you have, such as nutty cauliflower, sweet peas and crunchy carrots. Nuts and fresh or dried fruits add a confetti of flavors and textures. This recipe skips the layering typically called for in favor of conveniently stirring everything together. Luckily, using fewer dishes doesn’t compromise flavor."
Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022758-one-pot-vegetable-biryani. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, loads of guides, great ideas for your next meal.
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
1/4 cup ghee or any neutral oil
1 dried bay leaf
2 whole star anise (optional)
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods
4 fresh Thai green chiles or green finger chiles, stems removed
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chile powder or other ground red chile
1 plum tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small potato, peeled and finely diced
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup cut green beans (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
2-1/2 cups unsalted vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus 3 lemon slices
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (optional)
1/4 cup toasted or fried cashews, halved (optional)
Preparation
Rinse the rice, cover with cold water in a bowl and soak for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a large pot over medium until it melts, 30 to 45 seconds. Add bay leaf, star anise, cloves, cardamom and green chiles and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and fry, stirring often, until they start turning golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add ginger and garlic and continue frying and stirring until the raw smell dissipates, about 1 minute. Add turmeric and red chile powder and stir for 30 seconds to toast (don’t let them burn). Add tomato and 2 tablespoons water. Add half of cilantro and mint. Continue stirring until the tomato starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrot, potato, cauliflower, green peas, green beans, yogurt and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the ingredients are incorporated.
Drain the rice and add to the pot, along with the lemon juice and garam masala. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Add the vegetable stock and stir. Cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
Uncover and stir. Add the rest of the cilantro and mint and the lemon slices. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the pot stand for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and cashews if you like.
THREE-BEAN SOUP
This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”
Ingredients
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.
Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.
Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.
Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars
BAKED VEGETABLE MEDLEY
This is from the January 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 22. It begins, “The crust for this vegetable-filled pie may be made from ready-made, store-bought dough that you roll out and fit into a pie plate. Or, for a no-fuss meal, start with a premade frozen pie crust. This is a meal-in-a-slice, calling only for a light dessert of fruit and nuts.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/baked-vegetable-medley/.
Ingredients
One 9-inch unbaked frozen pie shell
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch kale, shredded
2/3 cup chunky seasoned tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained
6 oz. smoked tofu, cut into thin strips
1 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Reserve strips of leek for garnish.
Bake pie shell until golden, about 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove from oven, and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450F.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-ium heat. When hot, sauté leek and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add kale and tomato sauce, stirring often, and cook until kale wilts and leeks are translucent. Add artichoke hearts.
Fill baked pie shell, and arrange tofu pieces decoratively on top. Sprinkle grated cheese over top, and bake 5 minutes more. Increase oven temperature to broil, and heat until cheese browns, about 1 minute.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 420; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 510 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 3 g
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