LIGHT LASAGNA WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND PESTO
After about 2 hours of work, this lasagna turned out beautifully. It’s a much lighter alternative to traditional ragu lasagna and perfect for both adults and kids — the stretchy mozzarella will win over the little ones!
🕒 Prep Time: 1 hr 30 min
🍳 Cook Time: 30 min
🍽️ Yields: 4 large servings
Ingredients
- 8 lasagna sheets
- 1 batch roasted vegetables (see recipe linked)
- 30 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 350 g mozzarella cheese, grated
- 4 tbsp Genovese pesto
- 4 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
- A drizzle of oil (for greasing the baking dish)
Instructions
- Prepare roasted vegetables following the recipe linked [here]. Once cooked, place vegetables and their sauce in a blender and pulse until you get a chunky purée (not too fine, so some vegetable pieces remain visible).
- Grate mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lasagna sheets in batches (3-4 sheets at a time, ensuring they don’t stick together) and cook gently until they float (or follow package instructions). Remove sheets carefully with a knife and lay them on a clean cotton towel to drain.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly oil a 20×20 cm square baking dish (including the edges).
- Place 2 overlapping lasagna sheets on the bottom of the dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of Genovese pesto evenly over the sheets.
- Spread about 4 tablespoons of the roasted vegetable purée evenly on top.
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the vegetables.
- Repeat layering with 2 lasagna sheets, spread with 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato pesto, followed by vegetable purée, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Continue layering alternating pestos and vegetables, finishing with 2 sheets topped with sun-dried tomato pesto and a generous layer of mozzarella.
- Press down lightly on the assembled lasagna to compact the layers. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch the cheese to prevent sticking.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until cheese melts. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top, and grill for a few minutes until a golden crust forms. If your oven doesn’t have a grill, simply remove the foil and bake until browned.
- Let the lasagna rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
💡 Tips
- Keep some texture in the vegetable purée for a more rustic bite.
- Use good quality pestos for best flavor.
- Allow resting time for easier slicing and improved flavors.
🎉 Perfect For
- Light but satisfying family dinners
- Vegetarian and pesto lovers
- Kids who love gooey mozzarella
- Seasonal vegetable-focused meals
📝 Final Thoughts
This light vegetable and pesto lasagna is a vibrant, flavorful dish that’s both comforting and fresh. The layers of roasted veggies combined with alternating pestos and melted mozzarella make it a crowd-pleaser perfect for any season.