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Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 58 reviews

This Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna is a wholesome, flavorful dish featuring layers of roasted butternut squash, sautéed spinach and onions, mushrooms, zucchini, rich cottage and ricotta cheese mixture, and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, all baked to bubbly perfection. The lasagna combines hearty vegetables and creamy cheeses for a satisfying vegetarian meal that’s great for family dinners or special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Oils

  • 1/4 – 1/3 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 0.5 cm half moons
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (for butternut squash)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for onions)
  • 9–10 oz baby spinach (280 grams)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely diced or minced
  • 10 oz button mushrooms, sliced and chopped (300 grams)
  • 2 large zucchini, sliced lengthways about 0.5 cm thick
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for zucchini and mushrooms)

Cheeses

  • 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese (about 500 grams / 15–17 oz)
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese, smooth
  • 1–1.5 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Others

  • 3–4 cups tomato sauce (about 650–700 grams or 22–23 oz, e.g. tomato basil sauce)
  • 12 to 13 oz lasagna pasta sheets
  • Salt, a pinch plus ¼ teaspoon salt used in various steps
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Roast or Air-Fry Butternut Squash: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the butternut squash pieces with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread evenly on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until just tender. Alternatively, cook in an air fryer for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Sauté Onions: In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are golden and soft. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Cook Spinach: Using the same pan, add baby spinach leaves and a splash of water. Cover with a lid and cook for about 1 minute. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes until spinach is fully wilted. Transfer spinach onto a cutting board, chop finely, then add to the mixing bowl with onions.
  4. Prepare Cottage Cheese Mixture: To the bowl with onions and spinach, add cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, minced garlic, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and another pinch of salt. Mix everything thoroughly and set aside.
  5. Cook Mushrooms: In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook for 7-8 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl.
  6. Cook Zucchini: Sprinkle sliced zucchini with ¼ teaspoon salt. In one or two pans, pan-fry zucchini slices with a little olive oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and slightly charred. Remove and set aside.
  7. Pre-Cook Lasagna Sheets (Optional): Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1-2 lasagna sheets at a time and boil for 2 minutes. Remove sheets and place on a tray. This helps easier layering and a saucier lasagna, but you can skip if using fresh sheets.
  8. Preheat Oven: Set oven temperature to 180°C (355°F) for baking.
  9. Layer the Lasagna: Spread ½ cup of tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a baking dish. Layer 2-3 lasagna sheets (cut if necessary to fit). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce and then about 1.5 cups of the cottage cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle all mushrooms over this layer.
  10. Second Layer: Place another layer of lasagna sheets, spread ½ to 1 cup of tomato sauce, then evenly distribute the roasted butternut squash pieces across the layer.
  11. Third Layer: Add more lasagna sheets and spread another cup or two of cottage cheese mixture. Layer the cooked zucchini slices evenly on top.
  12. Final Layer: Add the final lasagna sheets layer, spread 1-2 cups of tomato sauce thoroughly to the edges, spread the remaining cottage cheese mixture, then top evenly with grated mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
  13. Bake: Place the assembled lasagna in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
  14. Rest and Serve: Remove lasagna from oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes to set. Slice into 6-8 pieces and serve warm.

Notes

  • Roasting the butternut squash enhances its sweetness and texture but air frying is a quicker alternative.
  • Pre-cooking lasagna sheets is optional; if you use fresh sheets, reduce baking time slightly.
  • Chopping the wilted spinach finely integrates it better into the cheese mixture.
  • The layering sequence can be adjusted based on your baking dish size, but aim for even distribution of vegetables and cheese.
  • Resting the lasagna before serving allows it to firm up for easier slicing.

Keywords: vegetable lasagna, cottage cheese lasagna, vegetarian lasagna, baked lasagna, butternut squash lasagna

Find it online: https://delishfamilyrecipe.com/vegetable-cottage-cheese-lasagna-recipe/