Better Vegetable Lasagna

To avoid soggy vegetable lasagna, sauté the veggies before you bake the lasagna and substitute cottage cheese for the traditional ricotta cheese. The result is a rich, colorful, and slightly tangy entree that will become a family favorite.

Pasta

Prep: 1 hour 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 1 hour 50 min
Serves 10 to 12

Tomato Sauce
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves , minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.
Zesty Cream Sauce
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup whole-milk cottage cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 garlic cloves , minced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover and reserve in refrigerator.
Vegetable Filling
Preheat the over to 375°F and adjust rack to middle position.
1 ½ pounds eggplant
Peel eggplant with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl.
Place three paper towels on a large plate and place eggplant on top of paper towels. Microwave eggplant on high for 5 minutes. Toss eggplant and microwave on high again until dried out and slightly shriveled, about 5 additional minutes (about 10 minutes total).
Return eggplant to bowl used to toss salt and allow to cool.
1 pound zucchini (about 2 to 3 medium sized)
1 pound yellow squash (about 2 to 3 medium sized)
Cut zucchini and squash length wise into quarters so that you have four long pieces. Chop these into ¼ inch thick pieces. Add to bowl with eggplant.
½ pound cremini mushrooms
Chop mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces and add to bowl with vegetables.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tablespoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
Combine oil, garlic, thyme, and rosemary in small bowl and set aside.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot until shimmering.
reserve vegetables
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Add vegetables, salt, and pepper to pot and cook until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
reserved garlic mixture
Push vegetables to sides of pot and add garlic mixture to center. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir to combine garlic mixture with vegetables and transfer to an empty bowl.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Add oil to now empty pot and return to stove over medium-high heat until shimmering.
1 pound baby spinach
Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to paper towel-lined plate and allow moisture to drain, about 2 minutes. Stir spinach into eggplant mixture.
Pasta
12 lasagna noodles (regular or no boil)
If using regular noodles, boil according to package instructions.
Assembly
cooking spray
Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
5 ounces pitted kalamata olives, minced (about ½ cup)
12 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
reserved vegetables, tomato sauce, and cream
Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish and cover with four noodles. Spread half of vegetable mixture over noodles. Top with half of the olives, half of the reserved cream sauce, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Top with four additional noodles and cover with 1 cup of tomato sauce. Add remaining vegetables, remaining olives, remaining cream sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella. Place remaining 4 noodles on top of mozzarella cheese. Spread remaining 1 cup tomato sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
cooking spray
Lightly spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover lasagna.
Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes before serving.

From MakeBetterFood.com. May 11, 2012. (makebetterfood.com/recipes/vegetable-lasagna/). Adapted from Cook's Illustrated. (September 2011).

MakeBetterFood.com

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover and reserve in refrigerator.
Preheat the over to 375°F and adjust rack to middle position.
Peel eggplant with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl.
Place three paper towels on a large plate and place eggplant on top of paper towels. Microwave eggplant on high for 5 minutes. Toss eggplant and microwave on high again until dried out and slightly shriveled, about 5 additional minutes (about 10 minutes total).
Return eggplant to bowl used to toss salt and allow to cool.
Cut zucchini and squash length wise into quarters so that you have four long pieces. Chop these into ¼ inch thick pieces. Add to bowl with eggplant.
Chop mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces and add to bowl with vegetables.
Combine oil, garlic, thyme, and rosemary in small bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot until shimmering.
Add vegetables, salt, and pepper to pot and cook until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
Push vegetables to sides of pot and add garlic mixture to center. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir to combine garlic mixture with vegetables and transfer to an empty bowl.
Add oil to now empty pot and return to stove over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to paper towel-lined plate and allow moisture to drain, about 2 minutes. Stir spinach into eggplant mixture.
If using regular noodles, boil according to package instructions.
Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish and cover with four noodles. Spread half of vegetable mixture over noodles. Top with half of the olives, half of the reserved cream sauce, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Top with four additional noodles and cover with 1 cup of tomato sauce. Add remaining vegetables, remaining olives, remaining cream sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella. Place remaining 4 noodles on top of mozzarella cheese. Spread remaining 1 cup tomato sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
Lightly spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover lasagna.
Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes before serving.