Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagna

This recipe is one of my absolute favourites, it takes a little bit of time to prepare but it is definitely worth it, as it tastes so delicious! I often make this lasagna and then portion it out into containers, leaving some in the fridge to have during the week and also popping some in the freezer to pull out when I’m short on time to cook – cannot speak more highly of this dish, its one of my proudest creations.
  • Serves: 6 Slices

Ingredients

  • 2 red capsicums
  • 1 eggplant
  • 2 zucchinis
  • ¾ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 375 grams light ricotta cheese*
  • half packet (125g) frozen spinach, thawed*
  • 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 800 grams canned, crushed tomatoes (no added salt or reduced salt variety)
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 onion diced
  • ½ cup low-fat cheese*
  • wholemeal lasagna sheets*
  • olive oil spray
Used in this recipe: * Pantalica Light Smooth Ricotta Cheese 375g, * Nature’s Nutrients Chopped Frozen Spinach, * Kraft Livefree Natural Cheese, * 4 San Remo Wholemeal Lasagna sheets, raw

Method

Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F)  
  • Vegetable Preparation: Halve and de-seed capsicums and place on baking tray skin-side up. Lightly spray with olive oil and roast in oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until skin is visibly bubbling. Remove from oven and carefully peel off skin and discard. Set aside to cool. Thinly slice eggplant and zucchinis long ways. Pre-heat grill pan or BBQ grill to high. Lightly spray with olive oil spray and grill vegetables until soft. Put aside.
 
  • Ricotta Sauce: Combine light ricotta cheese and thawed, chopped spinach in a bowel and set aside.
 
  • Tomato Sauce: Place a medium-sized saucepan on high heat and spray lightly with olive oil spray. Add diced onion and stir until golden brown. Add chopped garlic and stir for approximately 1 minute. Turn heat down. Add diced tomatoes, stir well and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes. Add pepper and small handful fresh basil leaves, stir and set aside.
 
  • Lasagna Assembly: Arrange vegetables, tomato sauce, basil leaves and ricotta sauce in the following order in a large non-stick baking dish:
 
  • ½ tomato sauce mixture and small handful fresh basil leaves
  • layer of wholemeal lasagna sheets
  • ½ ricotta sauce mixture
  • layer all grilled eggplant and roast capsicum
  • layer of wholemeal lasagna sheets
  • other ½ tomato sauce mixture and small handful basil leaves placed on top
  • layer all grilled zucchini
  • other ½ ricotta sauce mixture
  • spread ½ cup low-fat grated cheese over the top
 
  • Cover with foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until cheese on top is golden brown. Poke with fork to ensure lasagna sheets are cooked. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.