Best Rich Vegetarian Lasagna Recipes

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce: Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium pot over low heat. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally at first and more often as it colors, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-low, add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil sprig, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until quite thick (if you draw a spoon through the sauce, you'll see the bottom of the pot for a few seconds before the sauce fills back in), about 30 minutes. As the sauce thickens, turn the heat down a bit so the bottom doesn't scorch. Stir in the chopped basil. Let cool to room temperature before assembling the lasagna. (Makes 1 quart.)
• To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Squeeze the spinach in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Put it in a large bowl, and stir in the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg.
• Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 lasagna noodles across the sauce (they won't touch). Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce on top. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture (about 1 cup) across the sauce, and use the back of a spoon to spread it (it will smush into the tomato sauce, which is fine). Scatter 1 cup of the mozzarella on top.
• Repeat the layering 2 more times. Top with the last 3 noodles, spread the last 3/4 cup tomato sauce over them and scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray, and cover the baking dish.
• Bake until the noodles are soft and the cheese has melted, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the cheese is bubbling and the lasagna is slightly browned around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

RICH VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180c.
• Chop tofu and marinate in vegetable stock for one hour.
• Saute onion and garlic in oil until clear.
• Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.
• Simmer for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Slice eggplant then sprinkle with salt, then leave them for 20 minutes. Rinse the salt off and pat the eggplant slices dry.
• Grill or fry the eggplant until tender.
• Chop the peppers, and mushrooms, then saute in a little oil until tender.
• Drain the tofu, then blend with spinach, pine nuts and basil in a food processor until creamy and smooth.
• Mix the peppers and mushrooms with half of the tomato sauce.
• In an oiled oblong baking tray, layer the lasagna sheets, followed by the tofu mixture, then the vegetable mixture, then the slices of eggplant, the tomato sauce and top with a handful of cheese. Repeat until all used up, then layer the final sheet of pasta on top, followed by anything leftover, and finally a layer of parmesan. Make sure that the lasagna sheets are completely covered with the tomato sauce or they will dry out during cooking.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes.

CROCK POT VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• In large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and add onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, oregano, salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often.
• Add tomato paste and stir mixing thoroughly. Add tomato sauce, stir and cook sauce stirring occasionally for another 6-8 minutes or until heated through.
• Remove sauce from heat and set aside.
• In crock pot, cover bottom with enough sauce to just cover. Add two layers of lasagna noodles, breaking them where needed.
• Spread noodles with one tub of the ricotta cheese and salt and pepper. Add two layers of lasagna noodles.
• Cover noodles with half of the sauce, sprinkle with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Add two layers of lasagna noodles.
• Spread noodles with 1/2 tub of the ricotta cheese. Shake excess water from spinach leaves and cover cheese with spinach and salt and pepper. Add two layers of lasagna noodles.
• Cover noodles with remaining sauce and cover sauce with remaining mozzarella and parmesan or asiago cheese.
• Put lid on crock pot and turn on high. Leave to cook for 5 hours. When done, let lasagna sit for 8 minutes to set before cutting.