Cranking homemade noodles through a pasta maker for hours… Simmering homemade sauce on the stove for half the day… Working your hands in sticky pounds of raw meat… Not your thing??? I’m with you! For anyone wanting to do ZERO work to get the classic Italian lasagna taste & satisfaction – this “ONE Skillet, NO boiling noodle, Veggie-filled, and OH-SO Cheeeesy lasagna recipe by the amazing and ever-so-talented @halfbakedharvest is for you! So “non essere timido” (don’t be shy!) Go ahead and invite your Italian friends & family over for a dinner that took you alllll day to make…. 🙂 but shhh don’t you dare tell Nonna!!
Honestly though, what really is better than a plate full of lasagna? Like really….. who can resist the first smell and bite of a fork full of melted cheese, tomato sauce jam packed with fresh herbs, spices and of course lasagna noodles. Comfort food what??? 🙂
As mentioned above @halfbakedharvest really knocks it out of the park in so many ways with this recipe, its insane and sooo crazy easy to put together. One hour and its all done! Tieghan is such a talented, inspiring woman and if you havent already please check out her blog, she really has something for everyone.
From the combination of using a jar of your all-time favourite tomato sauce (unless your extra amazing and have some homemade frozen sauce you’ve pre-made), to adding the richness of full-fat coconut milk, sundried tomatoes, no boil lasagna noodles, fresh spinach, cheese galore and green lentils! YES I am fully aware of what I just said… Green Lentils! I know right? who would think of putting those in lasagna! Just genius.
Ever since I started my health journey approximately 2 & 1/2 years ago, I have been blown away by the health benefits associated with specific types of plants and the amount of protein they give to your body in just small amounts. Legumes in particular these green lentils, have a very high nutritional value offering 0grams of fat, 20g carbohydrates, 8grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein per 1/2 cup! They are also a very high source of folate and iron. Folate is critical for the prevention of birth defects and has been shown to cut the chances of early delivery by 50 percent or more if consumed for at least a year before pregnancy. Iron being your “wings” as I like to call it, also known as the energy level in your body. Lentils of any colour are super easy to prepare and can be used in soups/stews, topped on salads or tacos, or even made into lentil crackers only waiting to be dipped into a fresh homemade hummus! YUM!
But this right here guys, come on… THIS is where its at. I mean especially in the dead of winter when all you want to do is cuddle up on the couch with a good book and maybe your sweet furry pooch (if you have one) and have a big bowl of this in your hands… aaaahhhhh. And maybe just maybe you’ll share. Not likely, but slightly possible. Probably not though. Nah, … never.
So thanks to Half Baked Harvest this is and forever will be my go-to lasagna craving recipe forever and always.
Total Love.
(gluten-free) **without regular dairy cheese**
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Passive Time | 35 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 zucchini chopped *or more if you would prefer to use all zucchini instead of noodles.
- 8 ounces button mushrooms de-stemmed and finely chopped
- 1 red pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 25 ounce jar of your favourite garlic or roasted tomatoe sauce (I like to use Neal Brothers Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce)
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (I like to use Cha's Premium Organic Coconut Milk)
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomato's oil drained
- 1/2 cup rinsed green lentils
- 6 ounces no boil lasagna noodles (I like to use Tinkyada Organic Brown Rice Lasagna)
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- mozzarella cheese finely grated, to your liking
- provolone shredded, to your liking
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat a large, high-side skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the zucchini, mushroom and red pepper. *If substituting noodles with zucchini make sure to add it all here* Season with salt + pepper. Cook 3 minutes or until just lightly caramelized. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the tomato pasta sauce, coconut milk and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir in the oil-drained sun-dried tomatoes, lentils + 1/4 cup water. Break each lasagna noodle into 2-3 pieces and stir them into the sauce, making sure most of them are submerged. Cook until the noodles are al dente and the lentils are soft, about 15 minutes. If the sauce seems like it is getting too thick, add water to thin.
- Stir in the spinach + basil until they have wilted down into the sauce. Remove from the heat and add the mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.
- Place the skillet on a large baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly. Remove and let sit 5 minutes. Serve with fresh parmesan and some fresh sourdough bread if you wish. Enjoy!
RECIPE ADAPTED BY HALF BAKED HARVEST
