Description
This is an ooey gooey and cheesy lasagna made with a creamy white sauce and layered with flavorful cooked vegetables. An easy dinner recipe that makes an 8x8 square pan, enough to feed a small family. Double the ingredients and bake in a 9x13 pan to feed even more!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2/3 cup finely-chopped yellow onion
- Handful of fresh spinach
- Few shakes each of: salt, pepper, ground oregano, dried basil, and ground thyme
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (powdered or shredded)
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 6-7 oven-ready lasagna noodles, uncooked
- 1 generous cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add zucchini and bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season with a few shakes each of salt, pepper, ground oregano, dried basil, and ground thyme. Stir, taste, and add more seasonings as desired. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle on flour and whisk until a paste is formed. Add milk and stir, then heat while stirring until sauce thickens slightly. Add cream cheese and break apart into small pieces. Add Parmesan cheese. Heat while whisking until smooth and thick. Season with salt pepper, taste, and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta cheese and egg until combined. Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a square 8x8 pan, spoon a small amount of white sauce into the bottom. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, breaking them down as needed so they fit. Top with cooked vegetables and ricotta/egg mixture. Add a generous layer of white sauce, followed by a second layer of noodles. Top with remaining white sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and noodles are tender (pierce with a fork or knife to test). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
Notes
For reheating and freezer instructions, see blog post.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
