Lots of Vegetables Vegetarian Lasagna

This lasagna earns its name. Instead of just sauce and cheese, broccoli gets chopped and stirred directly into the ricotta filling, so every layer is loaded with vegetables and the broccoli stays put rather than sliding around.

The sauce is made from scratch and simmered uncovered for a good 20 to 25 minutes, which is the key step: it cooks down thick so the lasagna sets up sliceable instead of watery. Chunks of celery and bell pepper give it body, while basil, garlic and bay leaves build savory depth.

The ricotta mixture, bound with an egg and sharpened with Parmesan, holds the broccoli in creamy suspension between the noodles. Mozzarella goes on near the end so it melts golden without drying out. The ten-minute rest before serving lets everything firm up for clean squares.

Kitchen Tips

• Simmer the sauce until genuinely thick before layering; a watery sauce makes a soupy lasagna that won’t hold its shape.
• Drain the noodles and broccoli really well so no extra liquid sneaks into the layers.
• Add the mozzarella only for the last few minutes so it melts and browns without going rubbery.
• Let the lasagna rest 10 minutes after baking; cutting it hot makes the layers slide apart.

Variations

• Swap in or add other vegetables: sauteed mushrooms, zucchini or spinach all work.
• Use cottage cheese in place of ricotta for a lighter, looser filling.
• Stir red pepper flakes into the sauce for a little heat.