I have leftover winter veggies from making my Tuscan Vegetable Tart that needed to be used up, and besides, it’s still cold and yucking here in the Northeast, which is always a good excuse to make comfort food. Note that this recipe can also be made as a regular lasagna (not the rollups) as it uses the exact same amount of ingredients, so if you don’t want to go through the effort of rolling, just assemble as you normally would a regular one.
Ingredients
for the Tomato Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
for the Cheese Sauce
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about a cup)
1 cup whole milk ricotta
1 egg yolk
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons pesto
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
for the Vegetable Filling
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 pounds carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 pound red and yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 pounds crimini mushroom, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (about 4 cups)
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
15-18 lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente
12 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
Directions
For the tomato sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
For the cheese sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
For the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for an additional 4 minutes. The onions should be nicely caramelized by now. Add in the peppers and zucchini and sauté until soft, another 4-5 minutes. Remove to a work bowl and wipe the skillet clean. Add an additional two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and bring back to shimmering. Add in the mushrooms and sauté until tender. Once soft, move to the side of the pan and add the remaining olive oil to the center. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until just fragrant, about 30 second to a minute. Stir the mushrooms back with the garlic and herbs. Remove to the same work bowl as the rest of the veggies and let cool for a few minutes.
To assemble: Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish. Individually take one lasagna noodle, spread with some of the ricotta mixture, then a layer of the vegetable mixture. Roll up as tight as you can without squeezing out the filling and set upright in the pan. Repeat with all of the noodles. Pour remaining sauce over and around the rollups (I used a spoon to spoon sauce between them and pushed them back together). Sprinkle over the mozzarella. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover. Bake covered at 350F for about 30-35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes for the cheese to set (and it will be too hot to eat otherwise).