Hearty vegetable lasagne bake

2 mins to read

We can probably all agree that mid-week cooking can become a bit of a drag. Having some trusty freezer friendly meals like this hearty – and healthy – vegetable lasagne bake, can be a true lifesaver at times!

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This hearty vegetable lasagne bake is perfect to freeze and rely upon later. It provides eight decent sized servings, making it perfect to have four serves for the family now and then freeze the remainder for four serves later.

Lasagne is loved by many, but unfortunately the heavy cheese sauces and thick meaty layers can mean it’s often quite high in saturated fat and processed ingredients. This bake is a twist on the classic, with a light ricotta and parmesan sauce that is high in calcium and protein jam-packed with thick layers of your favourite vegetables.

Lasagne sheets are also low GI, meaning the energy release is slower and this can help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Serve with some crisp salad greens and you won’t even think twice about the meaty classic.

Serves - 8
Prep time - 15 minutes
Cook time - 45 minutes
Nut free
Vegetarian

Ingredients

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup shaved parmesan cheese
1 cup basil, roughly chopped
½ large butternut pumpkin, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
6 zucchinis, thinly sliced
300g fresh lasagne sheets
1L passata
Green salad leaves, to serve

How to make

1. Preheat oven to 180°/160°C (fan forced) and lightly oil the base of a 4L (16 cup) baking dish.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, half the parmesan and basil. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Place 1 cup of passata over the base of the baking dish. Top with 2 lasagne sheets. Place a row of pumpkin slices over the lasagna sheets. Spread 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over the pumpkin. Top with 2 lasagne sheets.

4. Pour 1 cup of passata over the top of the lasagne sheets. Then, place a row of eggplant slices on top. Spread 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over the eggplant. Top with 2 lasagne sheets.

5. Pour 1 cup of passata over the top of the lasagne sheets. Then, place a row of zucchini slices on top. Spread 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over the zucchini. Top with 2 lasagne sheets.

6. Pour the remaining cup of passata over the top of the lasagne sheets and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes or the cheese appears golden and the vegetables are cooked through. Serve with salad greens.

Notes

To freeze the remainder of the lasagne, set aside to cool for an hour. Cover with two layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to three months.

To thaw the dish, it is best left to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

To reheat the dish, preheat oven to 180°/160°C (fan forced). Remove aluminum foil and plastic wrap and place in a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes

Fresh lasagne sheets can be found in the chilled section of your supermarket. If they are not available, dried lasagne sheets from the pasta section can be used instead.