Italian, Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetable lasagna layered with zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, and a red wine tomato sauce. Make-ahead and lighter than meat lasagna, with cottage cheese standing in for ricotta.

Italian no-cook tomato cucumber summer salad with red onion, basil, parsley, and a touch of red pepper flakes. Italian-style topping for bruschetta or tossed cold with pasta.

Easy Italian mushroom spaghetti sauce built from fresh roma tomatoes, tomato paste, and four herbs, simmered with plenty of mushrooms. Vegetarian as-is, or add meatballs or browned beef.

Focaccia condita made with durum flour and a slow-rise biga, topped with fresh tomatoes, oregano, capers, and olive oil. Crisp, chewy Italian flatbread baked at high heat.

Hearty lentil tomato sauce with dried lentils, fresh tomatoes, and Italian herbs simmered into a thick, protein-rich vegetarian pasta sauce. Meaty texture without the meat.

Italian zucchini quiche with mozzarella, basil, oregano, and parsley in a crescent roll crust. A vegetarian main dish that uses up summer zucchini beautifully.

Pomodori secchi imbottiti: sun-dried tomato "sandwiches" drizzled with garlic and red pepper-infused olive oil. A simple Italian antipasto with intense flavor.

Salad bar pizza is a vegetable-loaded deep-dish pie on whole wheat crust with broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, and red onion under mozzarella and Parmesan. Vegetarian, lower calorie.

Stuffed cheese pizza: Chicago-style deep dish with whole wheat crust hiding mozzarella and broccoli between two layers, topped with pizza sauce at the end. Inside-out flavor.