Vegetable lasagna has been a well-loved staple at BCBS, hearty and comforting, and best shared in community. Meals like this have long been part of the rhythm of life here. It’s a small piece of BCBS to enjoy at home! Prepared and photographed by one of our awesome cooks, Tarrah Schmidt.
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: ~40 minutes
Cook Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes
(Let stand 30 minutes before serving)
Ingredients
Sauce
- 5/8 lb onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup garlic, minced
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 1 lb mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 lb celery, chopped
- 2/3 tsp fennel seed, coarsely chopped
- 2/3 tsp dried basil
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 3 (24 oz) jars tomato sauce
Spinach–Ricotta Filling
- 1 1/4 lb frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 bunch parsley, minced
- 1/3 cup Romano cheese
- 1 1/3 lb ricotta cheese
Assembly
- 3/4 lb lasagna noodles (no-boil)
- 1 1/16 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
1. Make the Sauce
Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté onion, garlic, and celery until softened.
Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Stir in fennel, basil, and salt.
Add tomato sauce and simmer on very low heat for about 1 hour.
2. Prepare the Filling
Thoroughly drain the spinach.
Mix spinach with parsley, Romano, and ricotta until well combined.
3. Assemble the Lasagna
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly oil baking pans and spread a thin layer of sauce.
Layer in the following order:
1. Lasagna noodles
2. Spinach–ricotta mixture
3. Mozzarella
4. Sauce
Repeat for 2–4 layers, finishing with noodles and a full layer of sauce on top.
4. Bake
Cover and bake for 50 minutes.
Uncover, add remaining cheese, and bake 10 more minutes until lightly browned.
Let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the lasagna to set.
Enjoy!
