When Greg and I were writing our previous cookbook, One Pan to Rule Them All, he developed a recipe for a cheeseless lasagna and I was skeptical that he could pull it off. What’s a lasagna without cheese?, I openly mocked. Actually, it was with immense pleasure that I was swayed in his seemingly blasphemous direction. It was delectable and deceptively delicious. I enjoyed it so much that I wondered what would happen if I used the same combination of magic and put the gosh darn cheese back in. Here it is. Take that, Matza!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp salt, divided
- 12 oz baby spinach
- ¾ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, diced
- 1 28-oz can pureed tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 oz no-boil (oven-ready) lasagna noodles
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and sauté 6–8 minutes, until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and sauté another 2 minutes. Add spinach, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is completely wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the parsley, red pepper, and stir to distribute them evenly.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the pureed tomatoes, oregano, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
- In a baking dish, spread 1 cup of the tomato mixture over the bottom. Over that, add a layer of the noodles. Then layer one-quarter of the vegetable mixture, then one-quarter of the mozzarella. Repeat three more times (tomato, noodles, vegetables, mozzarella). Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- While the lasagna is baking, in a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven, uncover, sprinkle bread crumb cheese mixture across the top. Return the uncovered baking dish to oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Allow the lasagna to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
