This Noodle-less Ratatouille Lasagna is a high-protein, gluten-free vegetarian dinner made with summer time greens and cottage cheese, with over 39g protein per serving.
Noodle-less Ratatouille Lasagna
Once I was engaged on the vegetarian chapter of Skinnytaste Excessive Protein, I shortly realized how difficult it may be for vegetarians to get sufficient protein with out counting on extremely processed elements. This Noodle-less Ratatouille Lasagna was impressed by that problem. I take advantage of half of the standard ratatouille greens because the “noodles” and the opposite half within the sauce, making a dish that’s paying homage to my zucchini lasagna, and my eggplant parmesan, however with all of the flavors of ratatouille. I additionally swap the ricotta for cottage cheese to spice up the protein, making this a satisfying vegetarian most important dish with over 39 grams of protein per serving. It’s a scrumptious solution to benefit from contemporary summer time produce whereas having fun with all of the consolation of lasagna in a lighter, veggie-packed kind.
Why This Ratatouille Lasagna Recipe Works
I really like that this recipe transforms basic ratatouille right into a hearty vegetarian dinner that’s naturally gluten-free and full of protein. Right here’s why it really works:
- Excessive in protein: Cottage cheese and mozzarella pack in over 39 grams of protein per serving, making this a satisfying vegetarian most important dish.
- A lighter tackle lasagna: Skinny slices of eggplant and zucchini substitute conventional noodles, including further greens whereas conserving it decrease in carbs.
- Naturally gluten-free: By changing conventional lasagna noodles with layers of eggplant and zucchini, this dish is of course gluten-free with out sacrificing consolation or taste.
- Excessive in fiber: Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions add loads of fiber to assist hold you full and make this a well-balanced meal.
- Massive ratatouille taste: Utilizing basic summer time greens in each the layers and sauce creates deep, wealthy taste in each chew.
- Nice for meal prep: You’ll be able to put together it a day early after which bake. Plus, you possibly can freeze it for later.
Components You’ll Want
You’ll want a lot of greens, cheese, and herbs, plus a couple of kitchen staples, to make this wholesome noodle-less ratatouille lasagna recipe. See the recipe card beneath for the precise measurements.
Cheese filling
- Cheese: Half-skim cottage cheese and mozzarella, grated parmesan
- Egg prevents the cheese from operating out when baked.
- Salt and pepper for taste
Greens
- Ratatouille greens: Diced onion, minced garlic, and yellow and pink bell peppers
- Canned crushed tomatoes are the bottom of the ratatouille. I like Tuttorosso.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, crushed pink pepper flakes
- Herbs: Bay leaf, contemporary thyme, contemporary basil
- Vegetable Lasagna Noodles: Sliced zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant
How one can Make Noodle-less Ratatouille Lasagna
To make skinny, evenly sliced vegetable “noodles,” use a mandolin with adjustable thickness settings to chop them 1/8-inch thick. Mandolins will be harmful, so I prefer to put on this cut-proof glove to be further secure. See the recipe card on the backside for printable instructions.
- Drain the cottage cheese in a mesh sieve (aka colander) when you lower the greens.
- Make the ratatouille: Sauté the onion and garlic, then add the salt, pepper, crushed tomatoes, pink pepper flakes, herbs, and bell peppers. Cook dinner for 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low warmth.
- Cook dinner the lasagna noodles (zucchini, squash, and eggplant) in a grill pan for a couple of minutes on both sides. Switch to paper towels to soak up extra moisture.
- Put together the cheese filling by mixing all of the elements in a bowl.
- Assemble the lasagna: Unfold tomato sauce within the backside of a glass casserole dish. Then begin layering: eggplant, half of the cheese, sauce, zucchini, sauce, remaining cheese, yellow squash, and remaining squash. Cowl with foil.
- Bake the vegetable lasagna at 375°F for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for one more half-hour till there’s no extra liquid and the veggie noodles are mushy. High with the remaining mozzarella and bake for a further 10 minutes till melted.
- Let it relaxation for 10 to fifteen minutes earlier than slicing.
Variations
- Vegetable noodles: Be at liberty to make use of extra of just one or two greens in case you don’t wish to use all three.
- Cheese: Swap cottage cheese for ricotta.
- Egg allergy? Skip the egg. The cheese combination is likely to be just a little runnier, but it surely’ll nonetheless work.
- Herbs: Substitute parsley or rosemary for basil or thyme.
- Make it spicier: Add extra crushed pink pepper.
- Improve the protein: Brown floor turkey or Italian turkey sausage with the aromatics.
- Feeding a bigger crowd? You’ll be able to simply double this recipe to make 8 servings in a 9-x-12 baking dish.
Extra Methods To Use Cottage Cheese
If in case you have further cottage cheese within the fridge, remember to take a look at my assortment of wholesome cottage cheese recipes for much more methods to make use of it.
Yield: servings
Serving Dimension: 1 /4th
Veggies and Sauce:
- ½ tablespoon further virgin olive oil
- ½ small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon contemporary black pepper
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, I really like Tuttorosso
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed pink pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon contemporary thyme leaves
- ½ cup chopped contemporary basil leaves, divided
- 1 small pink bell pepper, diced
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 small zucchini, about 7 ounces, sliced ⅛th inch thick lengthwise
- 1 small yellow squash, about 7 ounces, sliced ⅛th inch thick lengthwise
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise, 9 ounces whole
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain the cottage cheese in a mesh sieve whereas getting ready the greens.
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In a big non-stick skillet add olive oil and sauté onions and garlic over medium warmth 2 to three minutes, till aromatic. Add 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, crushed tomatoes, pink pepper flakes, bay leaf, thyme, half of the basil, pink and yellow bell pepper and cook dinner one other 8 to 10 minutes, partially coated on medium-low warmth.
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In the meantime, spray a big nonstick grill pan with oil and grill the zucchini, squash and eggplant 2 to three minutes on both sides. Put aside on paper towels.
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In a medium bowl, combine the drained cottage cheese, half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, remaining basil and egg till totally mixed, then season with the ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
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Assemble the dish: Unfold ½ cup of the sauce to the underside of a glass 11 x 7 ½ x 3 inch casserole dish. Layer the eggplant, overlapping as wanted to make the primary layer, arising just a little on the perimeters. High with half of the cheese combination, 1 cup sauce then add the layer of zucchini. High with one other cup of sauce, the remaining cheese combination, then the yellow squash. End with the remaining sauce and canopy with foil, and bake 25 minutes till the greens begin to get tender. Uncover, and bake half-hour extra till the liquid dries up and the greens are tender. High with the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake 10 extra minutes, till the cheese melts.
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Take away from the oven and let it relaxation 10 to fifteen minutes earlier than reducing. Slice into 4 items.
Final Step:
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Serving: 1 /4th, Energy: 415 kcal, Carbohydrates: 37 g, Protein: 39 g, Fats: 16.5 g, Saturated Fats: 8 g, Ldl cholesterol: 95 mg, Sodium: 1500 mg, Fiber: 12 g, Sugar: 20 g
Storage
- Refrigerate the leftovers for as much as 4 days.
- Freezer: Retailer particular person servings in smaller glass containers. Freeze for as much as 3 months.
- Thaw within the fridge, then reheat within the microwave or oven till heat.
FAQ
A standard mistake in veggie lasagna is just not eradicating extra moisture from the greens. To forestall a watery lasagna, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and squash planks earlier than layering them. Moreover, drain the cottage cheese and bake the lasagna uncovered for a part of the cooking time to additional scale back liquid. Whereas this will likely take a bit longer, the additional effort is price it ultimately.
To make forward, assemble the whole dish, cowl it, and refrigerate in a single day. The subsequent day, take away it from the fridge when you preheat the oven, then bake as instructed.
It’s higher to freeze this vegetarian lasagna raw. Assemble it in a freezer-safe dish, cowl with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze. To bake, thaw within the fridge the day earlier than and bake as directed.
Extra Lasagna Recipes You’ll Love
Try these 5 wholesome lasagna recipes, plus my zucchini recipes for extra inspiration!