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VEGETABLE LASAGNA

mayurisjikoni
Vegetable Lasagna, loaded with vegetables and home made sauces is satisfying, delicious and a filling dish. Pretty easy to make once you have all the ingredients at hand. ideal for dinner parties, pot luck.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 7 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 50 minutes
Course dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

FOR BECHAMEL SAUCE/ WHITE SAUCE

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all purpose or wheat flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg powder

FOR VEGETABLE TOMATO SAUCE/ FILLING

  • 1 large zucchini finely chopped
  • 1 cup carrot peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 cup french beans finely chopped
  • 1 cup bell pepper finely chopped
  • 1 large onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 cups mushrooms finely chopped
  • 3 cups tomato puree/sauce thick
  • 2 tbsp garlic minced or finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1¼ -1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar optional
  • a handful fresh basil chop it up roughly
  • ¼ -½ cup water, stock or wine
  • ½ tsp black pepper powder

OTHER INGREDIENTS

  • 9-12 Lasagna sheets oven ready
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 2½ cups grated cheese cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan

Instructions
 

PREPARATION OF BECHAMEL SAUCE/ WHITE SAUCE

  • Heat oil and butter in a pan over medium heat.
  • Add flour, lower the heat.
  • Roast the flour till it becomes light pinkish in colour. Make sure to roast the flour well.
  • Add milk, little by little stirring the flour mixture all the time.
  • Increase the heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly till it becomes thick.
  • When you insert a spoon in the sauce, the sauce should coat the back of the spoon.
  • Add salt and nutmeg powder. Mix well.
  • Keep the sauce on the side till required. Remember on cooling the sauce will become a bit thicker.

PREPARATION OF THE VEGETABLE TOMATO SAUCE/FILLING

  • Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
  • Add chopped onion and stir fry till it becomes soft.
  • Add garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.
  • Add chopped bell pepper, carrot and french beans. Mix well.
  • Cover the pan the allow the vegetables to cook for 1-2 minutes. You don't want to over cook the vegetables. Remember they will still cook further in the sauce and during the baking process.
  • Add chopped zucchini and mushrooms. Add salt. Mix well.
  • Cover the pan and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the tomato puree, water, sugar if using any and herbs.
  • Mix well. Cover the pan and allow the sauce to cook over low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

PREPARE THE LAYERS

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  • Take a big oven proof baking dish. Usually a 9"X13" is ideal for this recipe.
  • First of all keep 1 cup of white sauce and ½ cup vegetable tomato sauce on the side for the topping.
  • Smear some white sauce and the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking tray.
  • Arrange the lasagna pasta sheets over it.
  • Add half of the vegetable tomato sauce over the sheets. Spread it out evenly.
  • Add half of the white sauce and spread it out.
  • Sprinkle some cheese over it if you want to.
  • Arrange lasagna pasta sheets over the sauce layers.
  • Add the vegetable sauce over the sheets. Spread it out evenly.
  • Add white sauce and spread it out.
  • Arrange the lasagna sheets over the sauces.
  • Remember the white sauce and the vegetable tomato sauce you saved, time to use that up.
  • Smear the white sauce over the pasta sheet.
  • Add the tomato sauce and spread it out.
  • Sprinkle grated cheese over it.
  • Sprinkle some chilli flakes, optional.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the preheat oven for 20-25 minutes.
  • Insert a knife in the middle. If it goes in quite easily the lasagna is nearly done.
  • Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes or till the cheese melts completely.
  • If you like a golden crusty cheese layer, then broil it for 3-4 minutes on high.
  • Remove the lasagna from the oven. Allow it to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
  • Makes it easier to cut the lasagna into serving portions.

Notes

  • Add vegetables of your choice.
  • Use cheese of your choice. I have used a mixture of cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan.
  • Use ready oven lasagna. If you don't have any, boil the lasagna sheets before layering them. You boil them for 8-10 minutes.
  • Use ricotta or paneer as filling along with the vegetables.
  • Have at least 3 layers.
  • Don't bake the lasagna without covering it. It will become dry.
  • Remove the foil after baking the lasagna for 20-25 minutes so that the cheese can melt well and the top becomes brown.
  • For that extra golden brown top, broil for 2-3 minutes on high.
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