Description
This Tie Dye Vegetarian Lasagna is a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring a homemade roasted cherry tomato sauce, a colorful assortment of roasted vegetables, and layers of creamy pesto ricotta and mozzarella cheese. It’s a perfect comfort food with an elegant twist, combining fresh ingredients and simple techniques to create a stunning and delicious lasagna that’s great for weeknight dinners or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Cherry Tomato Sauce
- 1 batch roasted cherry tomato sauce (made from cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano, and pepper)
Veggies
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly and Serving
- Kosher salt, for boiling noodles
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 10 to 12 lasagna noodles (1 pound box)
- 3 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup), plus more for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup basil pesto (store-bought is fine!)
- ¼ cup julienned fresh basil leaves, for serving
Pesto Ricotta
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
- ½ cup basil pesto (store-bought is fine!)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F and position the racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for roasting the tomato sauce ingredients and veggies.
- Prepare Tomato Sauce Ingredients: Place cherry tomatoes and an onion on one baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and season with salt, oregano, and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly. Prepare the garlic head by trimming the stem end to expose cloves, place it on foil, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap loosely, and add to the baking sheet with the tomatoes and onion.
- Prepare Veggies: On the other baking sheet, combine diced red and orange bell peppers, diced onion, and chopped zucchini. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then toss until evenly coated. Spread veggies in a single layer.
- Roast Ingredients: Place both sheet pans on different racks in the oven. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pans halfway and flipping veggies to ensure even roasting. After that, remove the veggies and continue roasting the tomatoes, onion, and garlic for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until tender and juicy. Keep oven on and place a rack in the middle for baking the lasagna later.
- Boil Water: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil to cook the lasagna noodles.
- Blend Tomato Sauce: Cool the roasted tomato mixture for 10 minutes. Remove garlic from foil, discard foil, squeeze roasted garlic from skin into a blender along with roasted tomatoes, onions, and their juices. Blend on medium-low until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Set sauce aside.
- Cook Noodles: Spray a baking sheet or cutting board with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Cook lasagna noodles for 5 to 6 minutes until pliable but still firm. Drain and lay noodles flat individually to prevent sticking.
- Make Pesto Ricotta: In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, pesto, beaten egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper until smooth and uniform.
- Assemble Lasagna – First Layer: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over the bottom. Arrange 5 noodles to cover the bottom (4 horizontally and 1 vertically). Evenly spread half the pesto ricotta mixture, half the roasted veggies, and 1 cup mozzarella. Pour 1 cup tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Assemble Lasagna – Second Layer: Repeat with remaining noodles (again 4 horizontal and 1 vertical), remaining pesto ricotta, roasted veggies, 1 cup mozzarella, remaining tomato sauce, and remaining Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese.
- Bake Lasagna Covered: Coat a large piece of foil with cooking spray and place sprayed side down covering the dish tightly to prevent cheese sticking. Bake on middle rack for 25 minutes.
- Bake Lasagna Uncovered: Remove foil, dollop pesto on top in small spoonfuls, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until cheese turns slightly golden.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh julienned basil leaves. Allow the lasagna to cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Storage: Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave until warm.
Notes
- To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles instead of regular noodles.
- To make ahead: Assemble the lasagna as directed, cover with foil, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add an extra 10 minutes to baking time when ready to bake.
- Faster Tie Dye Lasagna: Substitute homemade cherry tomato sauce with 2 (25-ounce) jars of good-quality tomato basil or marinara sauce and use no-boil lasagna noodles. Sauté the veggies in a skillet with olive oil for 5 to 8 minutes until tender.
- Add extra protein: Mix 1 pound cooked Italian ground sausage into the tomato sauce before assembling for a meatier dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10 of recipe)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
