Description
This vibrant Tie Dye Vegetarian Lasagna recipe layers a rich roasted cherry tomato sauce, colorful roasted veggies, pesto-infused ricotta, and melty mozzarella for an unforgettable vegetarian dinner that bursts with flavor and freshness. Perfectly baked and garnished with fresh basil and Parmesan, this lasagna combines healthy ingredients and comforting textures into a beautiful and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Cherry tomatoes (quantity as per recipe or approx. 2 pounds)
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided (3 tablespoons total)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 head garlic, with ¼-inch trimmed from stem end
Veggies
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Assembly and Serving
- Kosher salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 10 to 12 lasagna noodles (1 pound box)
- 3 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup), plus more for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup basil pesto (store-bought is fine!)
- ¼ cup julienned fresh basil leaves, for serving
Pesto Ricotta
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup basil pesto (store-bought is fine!)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 400°F and position two racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for roasting.
- Prepare Tomato Sauce: On one baking sheet, place cherry tomatoes and diced onion. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and season with salt, oregano, and pepper. Toss well to coat and spread in a single layer. Prepare the garlic by trimming ¼-inch off the stem end to expose cloves, then place in foil with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Loosely wrap and place on the same sheet with tomatoes and onions. Set aside while prepping veggies.
- Prepare Veggies: On the second baking sheet, combine diced red and orange bell peppers, onion, and zucchini. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss thoroughly with hands and spread in an even layer. If baking sheets are unavailable, you can sauté the veggies in a skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil for 5 to 8 minutes until tender.
- Roast Vegetables and Sauce: Place both baking sheets in the oven on separate racks. Rotate pans halfway through cooking. Roast the veggies, flipping once, for 30 to 35 minutes until slightly golden. Keep the tomato mixture and garlic roasting undisturbed for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, totaling about 45 minutes, until tomatoes are tender and onions soft. Keep the oven on and adjust rack to the middle for later baking.
- Boil Water: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil for cooking the noodles.
- Make Tomato Sauce: Let roasted tomato mixture cool 10 minutes. Remove garlic head from foil, discard foil, and squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a blender. Add roasted tomatoes, onions, and juices to the blender and blend on medium-low for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Set the sauce aside.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Spray a baking sheet or cutting board with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment. Boil noodles for 5 to 6 minutes until pliable but firm. Drain and lay noodles flat in a single layer on the prepared surface without touching to prevent sticking.
- Make Pesto Ricotta Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, pesto, beaten egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Assemble First Layer: Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce on the bottom. Arrange 5 noodles (4 horizontally, 1 vertically) to cover the base. Spread half the pesto-ricotta mixture over noodles, then half the roasted veggies, followed by 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Pour a heaping 1 cup of tomato sauce over, and sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Assemble Second Layer: Add remaining noodles in the same pattern. Layer remaining pesto-ricotta, roasted veggies, 1 cup mozzarella, remaining tomato sauce, and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese. Top with the final 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese.
- Bake Covered: Coat a large piece of foil with cooking spray and place sprayed side down over the baking dish, sealing tightly to prevent cheese sticking. Bake on the middle oven rack at 400°F for 25 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove foil, dollop pesto over the top in 1½ teaspoon spoonfuls, and return uncovered to the oven. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until cheese is just starting to become golden brown in spots.
- Garnish and Cool: Sprinkle extra Parmesan and fresh julienned basil leaves on top if desired. Let the lasagna cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before cutting and serving to allow layers to set.
- Storage: Store leftover lasagna slices in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave until warm throughout.
Notes
- To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles.
- To make ahead: Assemble lasagna but do not bake. Cover with foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready, bake as directed, adding 10 extra minutes to baking time.
- Faster Tie Dye Lasagna: Substitute cherry tomato sauce with two 25-ounce jars of good-quality tomato basil or marinara sauce and use no-boil noodles. Sauté veggies in a skillet with olive oil for 5 to 8 minutes until tender instead of roasting.
- Add extra protein: Stir in 1 pound cooked Italian ground sausage to tomato sauce before assembling for a meatier version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
