Vegetarian Lasagne

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 zucchini
  • 200g mushrooms
  • 1 red capsicum
  • 400g canned tomatoes
  • OR 400g pasta sauce
  • 400g canned beans (Kidney or Cannellini)
  • 10 fresh lasagne sheets (use Gluten Free alternative if needed)
  • 250g frozen spinach (or baby spinach leaves)
  • 2 tbsp basil pesto
  • 250g tub low-fat ricotta (See Vegan alternative)
  • OR 250g cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup parmesan

Method

  • Prep Ingredients: Slice the onion, garlic cloves, mushrooms and capsicum. Thinly slice the eggplant and zucchini. Defrost and drain the frozen spinach. Grate the parmesan.
  • Preheat oven to 180°C & grease a large baking dish.
  • Heat oil in a large frying pan. Gently stir-fry onion and garlic. Add eggplant, zucchinis, capsicums and mushrooms and cook until softened. Drain off any liquid and add beans.
  • Lightly spread tomatoes/sauce over the base of the baking dish. Line with one layer of lasagne sheets. Spoon half the vegetable mixture onto the sheets, then spinach & 1/2 of sauce. Repeat layer of pasta, vegetables, spinach and sauce.
  • Combine pesto with ricotta. Spoon mixture evenly over the top of the lasagne.
  • Sprinkle with parmesan then bake for 20–30 minutes until top is golden and lasagne sheets are tender. Serve with a green salad.

FODMAP Adaptable:

  • Omit onion and garlic and instead use garlic infused olive oil
  • Switch beans for chickpeas or lentils (no more than 1/4 cup total per serve – so 1.5cups for the recipe)
  • Switch ricotta/cottage cheese to a light sprinkle of feta or make a white sauce with gluten free flour, lactose free milk and hard cheese.
  • Gluten free lasagne sheets.

Vegan Adaptation (and dairy free):

Omit the parmesan or use vegan cheese &
Switch the Ricotta for a home-made version:

  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • Pinch black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp seeded mustard
  • 500 g firm tofu
  1. For the vegan ricotta filling add the garlic cloves, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, black pepper and mustard to a blender and blitz until you have a smooth and creamy sauce.
  2. Now break the tofu into big chunks and add them to the blender. Blend until you have a well combined crumbly filling.