Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (2024)

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By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated June 26, 2023

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Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • Sautéing the vegetables drives out excess moisture and adds flavor.
  • Soaking no-cook lasagna noodles in water before layering improves texture.
  • Using a minimal amount of cheese in between layers keeps the vegetable flavor at the forefront.

With a pile of eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and basil in my vegetable bowl, I decided to pack them all together into a lasagna. Why I felt like making lasagna during the summer, with days reaching nearly 100°F, I can't tell you, but when that lasagna itch strikes, you've just got to scratch it.

A Summer Vegetable Lasagna That's Light (but Not Too Light)

Recipe Details

Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato

Active60 mins

Total105 mins

Serves6to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • About 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 3/4 pound zucchini(about 2 medium), ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick

  • Kosher salt

  • 3/4 pound summer squash(about 2 medium), ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick

  • 3/4 pound Japanese eggplant (about 2), ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick

  • 15no-boil lasagna noodles (1 box)

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 quart whole milk

  • 2 ouncesfreshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • 1 quarthomemadeor store-bought crushed tomatoes

  • 3/4 poundfresh mozzarella cheese, torn into rough chunks

  • Handful of basil leaves

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until shimmering. Working in batches and being sure not to crowd the pan, add zucchini, season with salt, and cook, turning, until just tender and browned in spots, about 4 minutes per batch. Add more oil as needed to prevent pan from drying out, and adjust heat as needed throughout to maintain a very hot, but not heavily smoking, pan. Transfer each batch to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer to cool, then transfer cooled slices to a second baking sheet or plate. Repeat with remaining zucchini, squash, and eggplant until all vegetables are lightly browned.

    Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (3)

  2. Place lasagna noodles in a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish and cover with hot water. Let noodles soak while you prepare the white sauce, agitating them every few minutes to prevent sticking, about 20 minutes total.

    Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (4)

  3. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add flour and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring butter and flour with a whisk until pale golden blond, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in milk. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and add Parmigiano-Reggiano. Whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.

    Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (5)

  4. Season crushed tomatoes to taste with salt.

    Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (6)

  5. Preheat oven to 375°F and adjust rack to center position. Transfer noodles to a clean kitchen towel or layer with paper towels to dry them. Dry the casserole dish carefully and brush with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of crushed tomatoes on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles. Top with 1/4 of eggplant, zucchini, and squash, 1/5 of crushed tomatoes, and 1/5 of white sauce. Repeat layers three more times. Place the final lasagna noodles on top and spread with remaining crushed tomatoes and white sauce. Scatter mozzarella evenly over surface and add basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

    Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (7)

  6. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and continue baking until lightly browned on top. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes, slice, and serve.

    Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (8)

Special equipment

9- by 13-inch baking dish, baking sheet

This Recipe Appears In

  • A Summer Vegetable Lasagna That's Light (but Not Too Light)
  • Lasagna
  • Baked Pasta
  • Mozzarella
  • Eggplant
  • Tomato
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
568Calories
38g Fat
35g Carbs
25g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 8
Amount per serving
Calories568
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g49%
Saturated Fat 16g78%
Cholesterol 84mg28%
Sodium 1220mg53%
Total Carbohydrate 35g13%
Dietary Fiber 5g19%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 21mg107%
Calcium 546mg42%
Iron 3mg18%
Potassium 950mg20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Summer Vegetable Lasagna With Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep vegetable lasagna from being watery? ›

Cook your vegetables separately.

It's also important not to overload you vegetable lasagna. Having a proper amount of vegetables will help the lasagna maintain its shape, and will keep everything moist, but not watery. As you're creating layers, don't worry if it looks more sparse than you'd think.

How do you get moisture out of zucchini for lasagna? ›

How to Make Zucchini Less Watery
  1. Slice your zucchini into thinner slices: Thinner slices mean fewer zucchini, thus less water.
  2. Salt your zucchini slices: Salt helps to draw water out of the zucchini! ...
  3. Grill to reduce the moisture: Grill the zucchini slices for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Aug 3, 2023

What do Italians serve with lasagne? ›

Lasagne is a full dish by itself and is usually served with no side dishes aside from maybe bread. It is most often eaten as a primo (first course) after the antipasto (starter), which often consists of cold cuts.

Why is my eggplant lasagna watery? ›

It is best to use a less watery sauce when cooking eggplant because eggplant lends moisture to the dish, and too much moisture will cause a soggy lasagna. So reduce whatever sauce you are using, whether homemade or store bought, about 25% and this will help to avoid it.

Should lasagna sauce be thick or runny? ›

So, to achieve the perfect lasagna, the consistency of the sauce is absolutely essential. Both the ragù and béchamel sauce should be dense and creamy. Avoid sauces that are too liquid and slide to the bottom of the dish. A thicker consistency of the sauce will allow the pasta to be flavoured in the best possible way.

How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when cooking? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

How do you make zucchini pasta not watery? ›

Cooking is what really makes zucchini release moisture. However, sometimes even uncooked zucchini can get a little limp after it's cut. In this case, to reduce excess moisture, simply pat the spiralized noodles dry with paper towels or a thin kitchen rag.

How many layers should a lasagna have? ›

Top the last layer of your lasagna with sauce and cheese. You can also alternate layers of sauce and ricotta cheese. Most lasagna recipes have two to three layers.

What not to do when making lasagna? ›

A well-made lasagna can be a delicious and satisfying meal, just as long as it's cooked correctly.
  1. Not cooking the noodles correctly. ...
  2. Not having all the ingredients ready. ...
  3. Not browning the meat. ...
  4. Using the wrong cheese. ...
  5. Skipping the dairy sauce. ...
  6. Skimping on the amount of marinara. ...
  7. Improperly layering the noodles.
Feb 21, 2023

Do Italians put meat in their lasagna? ›

In southern Italy lasagna is generally made with dried sheets of pasta layered with rich meat ragú, ricotta and mozzarella. In the north, especially in Bologna, the most popular version of lasagna features fresh egg pasta colored green with spinach and layered with ragú, bechamel and Parmigiano Reggiano.

What part of Italy has the best lasagna? ›

Bologna-style Lasagna: In the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, Bologna is considered the birthplace of lasagna. The classic Bolognese lasagna is made with flat pasta sheets, a hearty meat sauce, and a rich béchamel sauce.

Do Italians eat lasagna with bread? ›

Do Italians eat bread and pasta at the same meal? Rule one: pasta and bread are never eaten together. rule two: when You ate ALL the pasta, you can use bread to clean out the remaining sauce from the dish. It's called Scarpetta ( little shoe ).

How to stop lasagne from going sloppy? ›

Add an egg yolk to the sauce to thicken it up but best way is to let it sit for ages to firm up. If you are organised enough, make and assemble it the day before you want to eat it, chill overnight in fridge and cook the next day. It won't be sloppy then.

How do you make lasagna stay firm? ›

Add too much sauce, and the layers will become too slick to stay together. You need some traction to occur between the two pasta layers to create that sense that it's a slab. To do this, you need to add just enough to make the layer tasty but not too much that the sauce will cause the layer to slip.

How do you add moisture to lasagna? ›

To keep it from tasting dry, add some extra liquid as you reheat it! A splash of water usually does the trick, and you'll want to cover the lasagna with foil, plastic wrap or a paper towel to trap all that liquid inside as it reheats.

How do you reduce water when cooking vegetables? ›

6 Tips to Conserve Water While Cooking
  1. Watch Your Faucet Flow. If you're using your faucet to fill up a pot or wash vegetables, don't let it run continuously. ...
  2. It's a Faucet, not a Pressure Washer. ...
  3. Don't Defrost with Water. ...
  4. Back off the Boiling Water. ...
  5. Keep a Pitcher of Water in the Fridge. ...
  6. Steam Your Veggies.
Oct 19, 2021

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