Ingredients
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1 medium Zucchini
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2 cups Spaghetti Sauce
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1 package frozen chopped Spinach10 ounce
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1.5 cups reduced-fat Cottage Cheese12 ounces
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1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
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2 tablespoons chopped Fresh Oregano
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1 can Mushrooms4 ounce, stems and pieces
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8 oven-ready Lasagna Noodlesprecooked
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2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese8 ounces
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VARIATIONS
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Instead of Cottage Cheese, use Ricotta
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Instead of fresh oregano, use dried Oregano
Steps for Fast Lasagna with 3 Cheese Types
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1
Done
3 Minutes
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Mix the spaghetti sauce and zucchiniShred the zucchini by rubbing it across the largest holes of a shredder. You will need about 1 cup. Mix the spaghetti sauce and zucchini in a medium bowl. |
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2
Done
2 Minutes
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Prepare the SpinachDrain the thawed spinach in a strainer, then squeeze out the excess moisture from the spinach, using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, until the spinach is dry. |
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3
Done
3 Minutes
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Mix, Mix, MixMix the spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and oregano in a medium bowl. Drain the mushrooms in a strainer. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture in the ungreased square pan. |
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4
Done
2 Minutes
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Make the first layerTop sauce mixture in a pan with 2 noodles, placing them so they do not overlap or touch the sides of the pan because they will expand as they bake. Spread one-fourth of the remaining sauce mixture (about 1/2 cup) over the noodles. |
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5
Done
2 Minutes
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Continue with MushroomsDrop one-fourth of the spinach mixture by small spoonfuls over the sauce mixture, spread carefully, pulling with the tines of a fork if necessary. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the Mozzarella cheese. |
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6
Done
12 Minutes
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Repeat layering three more timesRepeat layering three more times, beginning with 2 more noodles and following directions in steps 4 and 5. Cover with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours. (The plastic wrap keeps the lasagna from touching the aluminum foil while being refrigerated.) |
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7
Done
65 Minutes
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Cook the Vegetarian LasagnaHeat the oven to 400º. Remove the plastic wrap from the lasagna, then cover the lasagna again with the aluminum foil. Cook for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, and continue baking about 10 minutes longer or until lasagna is bubbly around the edges. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes, so the lasagna will become easier to cut and serve. |
Additional Info for Fast Lasagna with 3 Cheese Types
The Vegetarian Lasagna with 3 cheese types is the best way to have a tasty, yet healthy dish. Moreover, making it faster is a bonus for those of you who don’t have much time to cook your meal. The Vegetarian Lasagna is a variation for the original Lasagna recipe, also created for fast cooking.
Content on this recipe:
About the Fast Vegetarian Lasagna with 3 Cheese types
Being a Vegetarian, the options when it comes to what you can use in your cooking are reduced, but this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I’m sure that one of your reasons for adopting a vegetarian lifestyle is because of health benefits. I do respect this lifestyle, even though I can’t keep it due to my job, but this doesn’t mean I cannot make a perfect vegetarian recipe.
Now, back to the Vegetarian Lasagna with three cheese types, I balanced the ingredient amount for each to have the best and tasty result. The ultimate cheese ingredients for the greatest flavor ever are reduced-fat cottage cheese, Parmesan, and Mozzarella (the quantity for each can be found in the ingredient list. The first time I used Ricotta instead of cottage cheese, also had a perfect blending with the other two, but I wanted to get the perfect combo like I always do.
Therefore, for a perfect and balanced Vegetarian Lasagna, use cottage cheese. I also used zucchini, mushrooms, oven-ready lasagna noodles, and spinach to make it fabulous.
Can you freeze vegetarian or vegetable lasagna?
The best thing about Lasagna (even vegetarian or vegetable lasagna) is that it can be placed in the freezer for up to 2 months and a half. It is better to label it to remember when you made it and know when you can eat it. These being said, I recommend eating it in max two days to have more flavor, froze lasagna loses the freshly cooked taste when you store it for an extended period.
Can I prepare lasagna the day before?
If you prepare and bake the lasagna ahead, keep it in the refrigerator for three days max. If you want to keep it longer than three days, it would be better to freeze it. To answer the questions, if you want to prepare it a day ahead, you can refrigerate it before baking it. You may need to extend a bit the cooking time since you’ll have a refrigerated Lasagna. Some people make the lasagna a day ahead because, as they say, the pasta absorbs more sauce, but this isn’t something I can count on (I tried it also).
What dishes go with vegetarian or vegetable lasagna?
Lasagna is a dish that can be eaten simply, without bread or other accompaniments. But every person’s taste is different, and if you want to serve something else with the Vegetarian Lasagna, you can try any salad recipe from my cookbook. The lasagna goes perfectly with a salad, and the health benefits are increased depending on what salad you choose.
Why is vegetable lasagna healthy, and what health benefits does it have?
Ok, let’s think about it. The vegetarian lifestyle is healthy, why a vegetarian lasagna won’t be? Bellow, I’ll write some of the most important qualities of each ingredient (used in this recipe), letting you decide if this dish is healthy or not.
- Zucchini – Vitamin A, Manganese, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin K, Folate, Copper, Phosphorus, Vitamin B6, Thiamine and also contains small amounts of iron, calcium, zinc, and several other B vitamins. You can also read healthline.com’s article for full Zucchini health benefits.
- Spinach (superfood) – Vitamins and Minerals: A, C, K1, Folic acid (B9), B6, E, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and a lot of other benefits as per MedicalNewsToday.
- Oregano – Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Vitamin E, Vitamin K. If you want to know more about this supercharged ingredient, read what organicfacts.net have to say about oregano.
- Mushrooms – Vitamins and Minerals: B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, Selenium, Ergothioneine, Copper, Potassium. I also made an article about the health benefits of the Mushrooms (considered super-veggie).
- Noodles (yes, even noodles) – Vitamins and Minerals A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E, K, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Fluorine, Manganese, Selenium.
Notes and Tips
- Essential Equipment: 8-inch or 9-inch square pan or baking dish.
- To complete the lasagna and serve just after assembling, heat the oven to 400º. Cover with aluminum foil and bake as directed in step 7, decreasing the first bake time to 35 minutes.
- Precooked or oven-ready lasagna noodles are available with other dried pasta in the supermarket.
