Lasagne - vegetarian

Lasagne - vegetarian

Serves 6.

Recipe thanks to Healthy Eating Advisory Service

Ingredients

• Dried red lentils - 210g
• Brown onion - 1 small
• Carrot - 1 large
• Celery - 2 stalks (130g)
• Zucchini - 1 large
• Olive or canola oil - ½ tablespoon
• Garlic - 1 clove (5g) (crushed)
• Crushed tomatoes - 1 x 800g can (canned)
• Dried basil - ½ teaspoon
• Dried oregano - ½ teaspoon
• Spinach - 100g
• Ricotta cheese - 375g
• Instant lasagne sheets - 225g
• Cheese - ¼ cup (grated)

Method

1. Cook lentils according to packet instructions.
2. Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery, and grate the zucchini.
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and zucchini, and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until onion is tender.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, lentils, basil and oregano to the pan. Reduce heat to medium–low, then cover and leave it to cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
5. While the sauce is cooking, preheat the oven to 200°C.
6. Chop the spinach, then mix it with the ricotta in a bowl.
7. When sauce is cooked, place a small spread of sauce on the base of a large baking dish.
8. Place a single layer of lasagne sheets over the sauce.
9. Add a second layer of sauce and half the ricotta and spinach mixture.
10. Continue layering the lasagne sheets and sauce, repeating until the dish is almost full. Finish with a layer of sauce and the other half of the spinach and ricotta mixture.
11. Top with grated cheese.
12. Bake in the oven for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until cooked through and the top is golden.

Allergy modifications

• For a milk protein free and lactose free option, lasagne can be made without ricotta and parmesan cheese.
• For a wheat/gluten free option, use gluten free lasagna sheets (check gluten free products for soy, if required).

Recipe tips

• Layers of baked pumpkin or eggplant can be used between layers of sauce for variety.
• Use frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach. Defrost and squeeze out extra moisture before mixing with the ricotta.