Vegetable Bechamel Lasagne Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F In a medium bowl, mix cheese layer ingredients together well and set aside.
• VEGETABLES: In a large skillet, heat the onion and garlic over medium heat. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Saute until the water has evaporated from the zucchini. Add sliced tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Cook to reduce and thicken. Set aside.
• BECHAMEL: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour slowly until the roux, whisk or stir for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the béchamel comes to a medium thickness (soft paste texture) Remove from heat and rest 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to cool slightly. While whisking, slowly add the eggs a little at a time until incorporated well.
• ASSEMBLY: To a 9x13 pan, Spread a thin layer of Bechamel sauce into the bottom of the lasagna pan. Place a layer of cooked lasagna sheets, cut to fit into the pan if necessary. Add a thin layer of cheese mixture, then some spinach, followed with a vegetable layer. Repeat.
• Continue layering in this manner until ingredients are used up. Pour the remaining Bechamel sauce over top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 minutes. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until all spinach is wilted, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a mesh strainer and press against spinach to remove as much liquid as possible.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is golden brown, 1 minute. Add milk and continue whisking until milk begins to boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cover surface with plastic wrap.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry zucchini, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Spread 1 cup bechamel along the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place one-third of noodles over bechamel in a single, overlapping layer. Top with 1 cup bechamel and half of spinach. Repeat with a second layer of noodles, bechamel, and spinach. Top with remaining noodles, remaining bechamel, zucchini, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden in places and lasagna is bubbling along the edges, about 15 minutes.
• Remove lasagna from oven and let stand 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• For Vegetables set colander in large bowl.
• Add eggplant; toss with generous amount of salt.
• Let stand for about 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, celery and carrot.
• Sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Add eggplant, potatoes, pepper, zucchini and broth.
• Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring once.
• Uncover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes longer.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• For Sauce: Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat.
• Whisk in flour.
• Whisk 2 minutes.
• Gradually whisk in milk.
• Cook until mixture comes to a boil, Whisking often,about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven 375°F.
• Lightly butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking pan.
• Cook Lasagna noodles in large pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to bite.
• Drain; rinse under cold water.
• Spoon 1 cup of sauce over bottom of dish.
• Arrange 5 lasagna noddles atop sauce, overlapping slightly.
• Spoon half of vegetables over noodles.
• Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over veggies.
• Sprinkle 3/4 cup parmesan cheese over sauce.
• Repeat layering one time.
• Top with 5 lasagna noodles.
• Spoon remaining sauce over noodles.
• Top with remaining Parmesan cheese (Can be made one day ahead and then cover and chill).
• Bake lasagna uncovered on center rack until sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if previously chilled).

Steps:

• Make Chunky Tomato Sauce: Heat 2 T. olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes with liquid. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper. (This should make about 2 cups.).
• Make Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, then cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils. Season sauce lightly with salt. (Makes about 2 cups also.).
• Stir 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese into bechamel.
• Stir ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, the eggs, parsley, cloves, and pinch pepper together in mixing bowl.
• Chop broccoli florets and stems (about 3 cups) and the bell peppers. Thinly slice carrots and zucchini.
• Add spinach to broccoli in mixing bowl. Combine bell peppers, carrots and zucchini in second bowl.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Remove half the onion mixture to saucer and reserve. Stir broccoli and spinach into remaining onion mixture. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, over low heat until very tender, about 15 minutes. Return to mixing bowl. Stir in 2 T. Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.
• Return reserved onion mixture to skillet and heat over low heat. Stir in bell pepper mixture and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Return to mixing bowl and stir in 2 T. Parmwsan and salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, cook lasagne noodles in large pot of salted boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to bowl of warm water to keep noodles from sticking together.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread half the tomato sauce in bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Pat 5 noodles dry and arrange overlapping on tomato sauce. Spoon broccoli mixture at intervals on noodles, then spoon half the ricotta mixture between dollops of broccoli. Spread evenly and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.
• Layer 5 more noodles in dish. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over top. Spread bell pepper mixture over tomato sauce and top with remaining ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.
• Add final layer of noodles. Spread evenly with bechamel and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. (Lasagne can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated until ready to bake.).
• Bake lasagne until browned and bubbly, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.