Vegetarian lasagna

Since it’s packed with veggies, this filling veggie lasagna is a great way to use your harvests. It can feed about four hungry people.

Ingredients

In addition to the lasagna pasta itself, you’ll need the following:

For the tomato sauce:

• 2-3 lb tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil

For the sauce mixture:

• 24 oz prepared tomato sauce
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch kale, chopped
• 8 oz white button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the cheese mixture:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 16 oz cottage cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

For the sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes (or until onions and garlic are translucent and tender).
3. Stir in tomatoes, herbs, and salt, and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1-2 hours. The longer you simmer, the thicker your sauce will be.
5. Optional: Puree the cooked sauce with a blender or food processor for a smoother sauce.

For the lasagna:

1. Soak lasagna pasta in hot water while you prep the rest of the ingredients. This makes the pasta tender but prevents it from getting too soft.
2. Set the oven to 375˚F.
3. Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
4. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes (or until onions and garlic are translucent and tender).
5. Add mushrooms, zucchini, kale, salt, and black pepper, and cook until the kale wilts.
6. Stir in the prepared tomato sauce (saving about a tablespoon), bring to a boil, and then remove from heat.
7. In a medium bowl, mix egg, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.
8. Drain the pasta.
9. Coat the bottom of a 9 x 11-inch dish with the tablespoon of tomato sauce you saved. (This is to help keep the pasta from sticking.)
10. Place the pasta evenly in the dish, and then cover with the cheese mixture, sauce mixture, and half the remaining mozzarella cheese — in that order.
11. Add another layer of pasta, and repeat the step above.
12. Cook covered in the oven for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook for 15 minutes longer.

Recipe by Logan Nickleson