Ultimate 8 Cheese Vegetable Lasagna
With fresh vegetables, 8 different types of cheese, and spices, this incredibly flavorful lasagna recipe is packed with so much goodness plus it freezes well for you to enjoy later!
Ingredients
LASAGNA
- 18 lasagna noodles see Recipe
- 500 ml ricotta cheese Footnote
- 1 large free-run egg
- 1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley tips & tricks
- 1 1/2 tbsp. butter, divided
- 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, divided tips & tricks
- 2 cups carrots, peeled, thinly sliced and quartered
- 1 cup red onions, finely chopped
- 4 cups zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
- 2 cups mixed bell peppers of your choice, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup poblano peppers, seeded, ribs removed and finely chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 4 cups small cauliflower florets
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 2 cans (12 oz each) corn kernels, drained
CHEESE SAUCE
- 3 cups milk (substitute half-and-half)
- 3 cups 35% heavy cream (substitute half-and-half)
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes, or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and finely chopped
ASSEMBLY
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated tips & tricks
- 1 cup Panko® breadcrumbs
Directions
LASAGNA
- Soak raw, hard noodles in a large bowl of very hot tap water (not boiling) for 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg and parsley; stir and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. each of butter and oil. When hot, add carrots and onions; sauté until they start to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add zucchini, mixed bell peppers and poblano peppers; stir, cover and cook for 7 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Transfer vegetable mixture into a large bowl using a slotted spoon.
- Return the skillet back to the heat and bring the liquid from the veggies to a simmer. Add cauliflower and sauté for 2 minutes; add remaining oil & butter.
- When it starts to brown, add ¼ cup water, cover and steam for 3 minutes.
- Stir in broccoli, cover and steam for 2 minutes.
- Transfer cauliflower mixture to the vegetable bowl and add corn kernels; stir until well combined and set aside.
CHEESE SAUCE
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine milk, heavy cream and flour; stir until flour is well blended.
- Add ½ cup Parmesan cheese (reserve the other ½ cup for later), Asiago, Cheddar, Swiss, Pepper Jack, and Pecorino Romano; whisk with a ball whisk until combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add basil, oregano, onion powder, sweet paprika, garlic powder, red chili flakes and black pepper; stir. Add chopped spinach, stir and keep it warm while assembling the lasagna.
ASSEMBLY
- Preheat oven to 375ºF
- Grease a 10 x 15 casserole dish.
- Spoon in a thin layer of cheese sauce and then lay in 6 noodles. Spoon half the vegetable mixture evenly and then half ricotta mixture, covering the entire surface. Pour in half the cheese sauce uniformly; repeat the process with the next 12 noodles.
- On the top layer, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Parmesan cheese, then Mozzarella and breadcrumbs.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until brown.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Footnote: If you would like to add more ricotta, just double the amount as well as using 2 eggs and 2 tbsp. of parsley.