My tremendous satisfying, wholesome vegetable lasagna is a lightened-up model of the beloved basic Italian recipe. Made with layers of entire wheat noodles, a combination of gooey cheese, contemporary herbs, and filled with veggies, this low-calorie veggie lasagna is good for anybody in search of a hearty, one-dish meal that tastes similar to the normal model. I assure this recipe will quickly turn into a favourite amongst your loved ones and buddies!
My entire household completely loves Italian lasagna. I feel it is likely to be their favourite Italian meal. However we not often order it at eating places as a result of most vegetable lasagna recipes are made with white pasta (no fiber, refined carbs), approach an excessive amount of cheese (which is excessive in energy and fats), and barely any veggies (which makes it much more heavy and dense!)
So I made a decision to create a coronary heart wholesome vegetable lasagna recipe with all the taste and heartiness you’d count on from a conventional lasagna recipe, however with a number of swaps to make it higher for you.
And I’ve to say: it was a success! Each time I’ve made this: for events, for meat-eaters, for the vacations, for my household — everybody loves this recipe! It’s among the finest wholesome vegetarian Italian recipes!
I like it when individuals ask me, is vegetable lasagna wholesome? Mine is! I exploit fiber-rich entire wheat noodles as a substitute of basic lasagna noodles, which offer a wholesome dose of entire grains and preserve you fuller longer.
Moreover, I exploit much less cheese and a mixture of low-fat and full-fat choices to create a low fats veggie lasagna that tastes wonderful. My wholesome vegetable lasagna recipe is just 260 energy for one big piece!
This can be a low calorie vegetable lasagna however my recipe is simply pretty much as good as the actual deal. It’s an ooey-gooey, tacky, veggie packed lasagna loaded with taste that may have everybody craving seconds.
It’s additionally a improbable kid-friendly vegetable lasagna recipe. It’s simple for little ones to eat, and I’ve discovered it’s an effective way to get some further veggies into your youngsters since they’re wrapped in a cheesy-carby-lasagna-bow.
Whereas this dish shouldn’t be a fast weeknight meal, it’s so value it ultimately! Regardless of the cooking time, it’s an easy wholesome lasagna that makes for excellent leftovers and is tremendous freezer-friendly as effectively. I do know you’ll love this recipe as a lot as my household and I do!
Newest Recipe Video!
🥘 Elements
My wholesome veggie lasagna is made with very fundamental elements. You’ll be able to simply discover entire wheat lasagna noodles at any native grocery retailer. Scroll right down to the recipe card for the precise measurements and dietary info.
Complete-Wheat Noodles: These create the bottom of my coronary heart wholesome lasagna recipe. Utilizing entire wheat pasta provides dietary advantages, however you actually can’t inform the distinction in style between it and common lasagna noodles.
Ricotta Combination: I exploit low-fat ricotta cheese and some forms of shredded cheese, together with part-skim mozzarella, Parmesan, and Asiago, to keep up the gooey texture with much less fats and fewer energy.
Recent Greens: I used pink bell peppers, zucchini, child spinach, and pink onion — however you should utilize any combine of colourful greens you want! Butternut squash, cremini mushrooms, summer time squash, and even asparagus would all style nice in my low calorie vegetarian lasagna.
Pink Sauce: To maintain my recipe simple, I made a easy tomato sauce utilizing crushed tomatoes and Italian spices, mixed with a pre-made jar of marinara sauce.
Spices: Dried Italian seasoning, crushed pink pepper flakes (or black pepper), salt, and contemporary minced garlic add tons of taste to low fats vegetarian lasagna. You may as well use contemporary basil within the filling or as a garnish.
🔪 How To Make Wholesome Vegetable Lasagna
Making my wholesome lasagna recipe could take some time, however it’s good for each novices within the kitchen and seasoned cooks. The steps are simple and also you don’t want any fancy cooking instruments.
Take a look at my video beneath to see how simply this low-calorie vegetarian lasagne comes along with little or no effort!
Boil Noodles: To start, I prepare dinner the lasagna noodles in response to the bundle instructions to al dente. When executed, I lay them flat on foil and put aside.
Prepare dinner The Veggie Filling: First, I quarter all 4 zucchini and thinly slice. Then I cube all 3 bell peppers and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Subsequent, I warmth olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth, saute the garlic, half the diced onion, all the zucchini, and all the bell peppers collectively till simply softened.
Proceed Cooking: Now, I decrease to medium warmth, add the child spinach, and stir with a wood spoon for an additional 3 minutes till it’s wilted. Then I sprinkle the filling with Italian seasoning, salt, and crushed pink pepper to style, stir, and let it prepare dinner for a pair extra minutes earlier than eradicating it from the warmth.
Make The Marinara Sauce: Earlier than cooking, I mince 3 cloves garlic. Then I spray a medium sized saucepan with cooking spray and evenly saute the garlic and remaining pink onion till the onion is translucent. Subsequent, I add the crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning to style, if utilizing unseasoned tomatoes. As soon as my sauce is heated by means of, I flip the warmth right down to low.
Combine The Cheeses: The Parmesan cheese (or Italian mix, if utilizing) ought to be put aside. I combine 1.5 cups of ricotta cheese with 1 cup of mozzarella till effectively mixed to make the tacky filling.
Assemble The Layers: First, I spray the underside of a giant casserole dish or baking dish with cooking spray and put 1 cup of sauce on the underside.
Then I put a single layer of the lasagna noodles.
Then I add one other layer of sauce, a layer of the veggie combination, and prime it with ½ cup of the cheese combination. I don’t attempt to unfold the cheese; the crumbles work effectively.
End Assembling: Subsequent, I add one other layer of pasta sheets, adopted by sauce, veggies, and cheese. Lastly, I add a layer of noodles, prime with sauce, and sprinkle 1 cup of Parmesan cheese (or Italian cheese mix) excessive. Word: For each layer of sauce, I exploit ½ cup do-it-yourself and ½ cup pre-made sauce.
Bake And Serve: As soon as assembled, I cowl the unbaked lasagna with foil and bake it at 350 levels Fahrenheit (177 levels Celsius) for Half-hour. Then I uncover it and bake for an additional 5 minutes or till the cheese has melted. When executed, I take away it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Lastly, I slice the wholesome vegetarian lasagna and serve it heat.
My #1 Secret Tip for making my wholesome vegetarian lasagna recipe is to generously salt the water and solely prepare dinner the lasagna noodles to al dente.
This implies they need to be barely agency to the chunk and never absolutely cooked by means of earlier than you begin layering them within the casserole dish.
I’ll usually cease boiling the lasagna noodles about 2-3 minutes sooner than I’d for fully cooked pasta. The noodles will end cooking within the oven, so cooking them partially earlier than this prevents the noodles from changing into too delicate and mushy throughout the baking course of.
Different Suggestions To Hold In Thoughts:
- Lay the Noodles on Foil: After boiling, I’ll lay the cooked lasagna noodles flat on a sheet of aluminum foil to stop them from sticking collectively. Generally I even evenly spray the foil with olive oil spray to actually be certain they keep separated.
- Reduce The Veggies Uniformly: Thinly slice the bell peppers after which reduce them in half to match the scale of the zucchini items. Having uniform items ensures that all the things cooks evenly and provides my wholesome vegetarian lasagne a constant texture.
- Add The Spinach Final: Sauté the zucchini, peppers, onion, and garlic till nearly executed, then add the spinach. Spinach cooks shortly, so including it final prevents it from changing into overcooked and soggy.
- Use Recent And Dried Herbs: Use a mix of contemporary and dried herbs to boost the flavour. Recent herbs add a brilliant, contemporary style, whereas dried herbs present a wealthy, slow-cooked depth of taste.
- Spray To Forestall Sticking: I at all times spray or grease my casserole dish earlier than layering the elements. This prevents the lasagna noodles from sticking to the dish, making it simpler to serve.
- Combine The Pink Sauces: Begin with a layer of sauce on the backside of the dish, utilizing a mixture of pre-made and do-it-yourself sauce. This provides this wholesome veggie lasagna recipe a flavorful base.
- Depart The Cheese Crumbles: The cheese combination isn’t very spreadable because it’s a mixture of ricotta and shredded cheese. So as a substitute of spreading the cheese, I prefer to crumble it on prime of the veggie layer. As soon as it bakes, the crumbles mix effectively with the greens and soften to create a uniform layer.
- Relaxation Earlier than Slicing: Let this wholesome veggie lasagne relaxation for 10-Quarter-hour after baking. This permits it to set, making it simpler to slice and helps the layers maintain collectively when served.
📖 Variations
Gluten Free Veggie Lasagna: Use gluten free pasta sheets to show my recipe right into a 100% gluten-free low calorie vegetable lasagne!
Roasted Vegetable Lasagne: As a substitute of sauteeing your veggies, roast the greens within the oven at 400 levels Fahrenheit (200 levels Celcius) till tender.
Completely different Veggies: Spinach, zucchini, and bell peppers all work effectively in a veggie lasagna. Kale, mushrooms, summer time squash, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and even carrots would work effectively on this recipe.
Zucchini Vegetarian Lasagna: As a substitute of pasta sheets, use zucchini to make this right into a low carb recipe!
Vegan Vegetable Lasagna: Make my wholesome vegetable lasagna dairy-free by utilizing a vegan ricotta and vegan parmesan as a substitute of the common cheese.
🍽 Serving Strategies
My low fats vegetable lasagna is a flexible dish that shines by itself however may be paired with bread, salad, or different veggies for an even bigger meal. These are only a few of my favorites:
With Salads: Serve my lasagna with a contemporary salad so as to add extra greens and a burst of colour to your desk. This spinach and arugula salad or feta salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and lentils are each fantastic choices.
With Bread: Complement the lasagna with heat, crusty bread. I like choices like this gluten free focaccia, air fryer garlic bread, or vegan dinner rolls – they’re all good for absorbing the scrumptious sauce.
With Sides: Serve it with roasted root greens, inexperienced beans with a squeeze of lemon, or portobello mushroom steaks.
Suggestions For Serving To Children: This lasagna is already fairly kid-friendly, however when you have particularly choosy eaters, I’d advocate chopping up the veggies tremendous high-quality and mixing them into the sauce. For SUPER choosy eaters, you’ll be able to puree the complete veggie combination after sauteeing it, and blend that with the sauce.
🧊 Storage Instructions
Fridge: As soon as cool, I place the lasagna in an hermetic container or cowl it tightly with plastic wrap. It’ll preserve effectively within the fridge for as much as 4 days. This child pleasant veggie lasagna is a lifesaver throughout busy weeks.
Freezer: For longer storage, you’ll be able to freeze lasagna utilizing one in all two strategies relying on should you’re freezing leftovers otherwise you’re freezing the lasagna earlier than it’s baked.
- Pre-Baked Lasagna: First, I assemble the lasagna and let it cool fully earlier than storing it in an hermetic container. It’ll final for 2-3 months within the freezer. When able to bake, I pull it out of the freezer and pop it into the oven immediately, following the baking directions within the recipe. This methodology helps retain the freshness of the dish higher than should you freeze it after baking.
- Baked Lasagna: If it’s been baked, I retailer it in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 3 months. For finest outcomes, I counsel storing it in particular person servings to retain freshness and use it as a fast go-to weeknight meal.
Reheating: The most effective components about this wholesome vegetable lasagna is that it reheats rather well. For the most effective outcomes, place the lasagna in an oven-safe dish, cowl it with foil, and bake for 20-Half-hour at 350 levels Fahrenheit (177 levels Celsius). I’ve additionally reheated particular person parts within the microwave on excessive for 2-3 minutes, or till sizzling – which works effectively once I’m on time. I at all times cowl the lasagna with a microwave-safe lid or a humid paper towel to retain moisture.
❓Recipe FAQs
You’ll know your noodles are al dente after they’re agency however not onerous. Prepare dinner them in response to the bundle directions, normally boiling for 8-10 minutes. They need to have a slight chunk to them—resistant, however undoubtedly not crunchy.
Watery lasagna usually comes from veggies releasing an excessive amount of moisture. To keep away from this, prepare dinner the greens completely till a lot of the moisture evaporates earlier than layering them. Additionally, let the wholesome vegetable lasagne relaxation for 10-Quarter-hour after baking to assist it set and scale back extra liquid.
Completely! No-boil lasagna noodles are tremendous handy. They’re made to prepare dinner proper within the oven because the lasagna bakes, absorbing the sauce’s moisture. Simply be certain to make use of a bit extra sauce than common to make sure the noodles prepare dinner correctly.
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📋 Recipe Card
Hearty Wholesome Vegetable Lasagna (Straightforward Recipe!)
This tremendous satisfying veggie lasagna is a hearty, wholesome model of the basic Italian recipe. Made with entire wheat noodles, contemporary herbs, filled with veggies and a combination of cheeses, it is a one dish meal that may quickly turn into a favourite amongst your loved ones and buddies.
Servings: 12 servings
Energy: 304kcal
Store Elements on Jupiter- Salt water and prepare dinner lasagna noodles al dente (possibly about 4-5 minutes). They may proceed to prepare dinner while you bake the lasagna within the oven – and that approach you gained’t have mushy noodles!
- Lay the noodles flat on aluminum foil to stop the noodles from sticking collectively. You’ll be able to even spray the foil with olive oil spray to actually be certain the noodles stay separated.
- Thinly slice the bell pepper after which reduce in half so your items are about the identical dimension as your zucchini.
- Prepare dinner the zucchini, peppers, onion, and garlic till nearly executed earlier than including spinach.
- A mixture of contemporary and dried herbs offers a brilliant and gradual cooked taste.
- Make the sauce in a separate pan from the veggies.
- Spray or grease the casserole dish to stop sticking.
- Don’t attempt to unfold the cheese layer. Crumble the cheese on prime of the veggies.
- Let the lasagna relaxation for 10-Quarter-hour earlier than slicing it, that approach it’s going to maintain collectively when you do slice and serve it.
Serving: 1piece | Energy: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 17g | Fats: 8g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 2g | Ldl cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 810mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g
