Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
User Reviews
3.8
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
50 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Servings
9 slices
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Calories
358 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
Description
This lasagna begins by sautéing spinach until wilted and pressing out its moisture. Other vegetables including zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and shredded carrots are lightly cooked with garlic and herbs until tender. Excess liquid is drained to prevent watery layers. Lasagna noodles are cooked and ready for layering.
The white sauce, a béchamel, is prepared by making a roux from butter and flour, then gradually whisking in milk until thickened. Parmesan cheese is added for flavor. The sauce consistency is carefully managed to be thick enough to spread yet not runny.
Layers alternate between noodles, vegetable mixture, white sauce, and shredded mozzarella. The assembled lasagna is baked until bubbly and lightly browned. This recipe offers a flavorful, vegetable-forward meal suitable for vegetarian diets.
Using evenly sliced vegetables helps even cooking. Cooling the white sauce slightly before layering helps maintain proper texture. Removing excess moisture from vegetables prevents a watery final dish.
Ingredients
For the vegetable filling:
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 3 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 3 cups spinach
- 1 zucchini thinly sliced
- 1 yellow squash thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup carrot shredded
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- parsley for garnish
For the white sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk whole
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the veggies:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a skillet, over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and let heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is wilted. Remove the spinach from the skillet and place in a colander. Use a wooden spoon to press out any excess moisture. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and carrots. Sauté on medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, and salt and pepper, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Drain any extra liquid from the veggies and set aside.
To make the white sauce:
- To make the white sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the flour and whisk continuously to form a roux. Lower the heat to medium/low.
- Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- While the white sauce is cooking, boil the noodles according to package instructions and drain well.
To make the lasagna:
- In a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of white sauce.
- Place a layer of cooked lasagna noodles on top of the white sauce.
- Add half of the spinach and sautéed vegetables evenly over the noodles, followed by a layer of white sauce and 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat for the next layer.
- Add a final layer of noodles, white sauce, and remaining 1/2 of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the white sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before sprinkling with parsley and slicing into 9 pieces.
Notes
- A mandolin slicer ensures even, thin slices of zucchini and yellow squash, though careful slicing by hand works if done evenly.
- Prepare the white sauce until it thickens and cool before layering; it should spread like pudding, not runny like milk.
- Press out excess moisture from the cooked spinach and sautéed vegetables to avoid watery lasagna.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 9slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 358 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 358kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 32g | 11% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 50mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 423mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 449mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 3174IU | 63% |
| Vitamin C | 28mg | 31% |
| Calcium | 393mg | 39% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.8
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