VEGETABLE LASAGNA DEB'S WAY

Vegetable Lasagna Deb's way image

Creamy and rich, this vegetable lasagna will tantalize the taste buds. A layer of caramelized vegetables and fresh mushrooms elevates the flavors to awesome. Unlike other vegetable lasagnas, this recipe does not have a red sauce. Pure vegetable flavor through and through! One of my all time favorites!

Provided by Deb Crane

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

FOR THE VEGETABLE LAYER
2 Tbsp oil (vegetable or olive oil)
6 carrots,sliced thin
1 large onion,diced
ADDING THE MUSHROOMS
3 Tbsp oil (get it hot in the pan)
16 oz sliced mushrooms of your choice. (morel or portabella's are wonderful)
FOR THE CHEESE LAYER
16 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
15 oz ricotta cheese
16 oz cottage cheese
2 large eggs
FOR THE BROCCOLI SAUCE
1 can(s) cream of mushroom soup
1 can(s) cream of broccoli soup
10 oz broccoli, frozen and thawed (or a head of fresh cooked)
FOR THE NOODLES
1 box lasagna noodles cooked al dente (not no-cook noodles)
OPTIONAL TOPPING ADDITIONS
panko bread crumbs
plain bread crumbs or italian flavored bred crumbs
mozzarella cheese,shredded

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees For the vegetable layer: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Add your carrots and onion and saute over medium low heat until caramelized. Take your time, as this is where so much flavor develops. You want the carrots limp and just browning around the edges. Cook them slow and long. (about 20 minutes or so) When they have caramelized, remove them and set aside. Dont rinse the pan, as you will be doing the mushrooms next.
2. For the mushrooms: While your pan is still hot from the carrot mixture, add an additional 3 tablespoons of oil. Add your fresh mushrooms (or even reconstituted morels work great) to the pan and fry them until limp. Add to the carrot and onion mixture.
3. For the cheese layer: Mix all cheese and eggs together until well blended. Set aside.
4. For the broccoli sauce: In a medium sized pan, mix all ingredients and if using frozen broccoli, heat until the broccoli is heated through. If your broccoli is thawed, or if using freshly cooked, just heat and blend until it is combined.
5. In a large pot of boiling water, cook your lasagna noodles according to the box directions for al dente.
6. Now to assemble the lasagna: Layer in this order: Broccoli sauce (half) noodles (half) cheese sauce (half) all of the carrot/mushroom/onion noodles (half) cheese sauce (half) broccoli sauce.
7. Bake @ 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Can then top with panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs or additional mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes. I have used all of the optional toppings and each one is delicious. It is optional and according to what you have on hand and your taste. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares. (If you can wait that long) :)