Lasagne alle Verdure, also known as Vegetarian Lasagne or Green Lasagne, but here we’ve added roasted red peppers and a rich aubergine ragù!
New territory for me, however. It’s such a popular dish that I felt it was worth taking the time in the kitchen to create a really tasty version. I was hugely sceptical because lasagne alla bolognese is a cornerstone of family comfort food. Could we make vegetarian lasagne taste as good?
After some research, nothing inspired me except for Akis Petretzikis’s recipe; he uses mint, dill, oregano and thyme and marries gruyere and feta. It is really original. However, I decided to stick to the concept of a seriously good vegetarian ragù. Aubergines are perfect for this. I’ve also added a layer of roasted red peppers, which cook while you are pre-heating the oven, to create an extra layer of flavour.
Keep the Sauce Thick
The worry that vegetarian lasagne can be watery and tasteless is valid. Many recipes rely on courgettes, which possibly contributes to this. So, I focused on keeping this ragù thick, rich, and quite spicy.
The spinach layer must be dry, fresh and crunchy. The verdict from the non-vegetarian tasters on the first version was excellent … except they told me to lose the excessive layers of spinach leaves.
So, now the recipe stipulates finely sliced spinach, creating a perfect balance for the rich ragù. The sous chef is now thinking he may prefer vegetarian lasagne over lasagne alla bolognese. Now there’s a predicament.
Vegetarian Ragù Needs Time and Love
Lasagne is not a quick meal; the sauce needs love and time. So, in true Italian style, start with a soffritto, gently fried, finely chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and then build your ragù from there. Work slowly and gently, allowing each stage of the sauce to cook through. Be sure to really cook the aubergines and let them absorb all the flavours before adding tomato or stock. You want to employ something known as the Maillard reaction. Basically, you want to saute the aubergines until they start to brown. This will give you the complex, rich flavour.
You can prepare the ragù, bechamel and roasted peppers ahead of time. Just make sure you lay cling film directly on the bechamel sauce so it does not form a skin.
A big green salad is the best accompaniment for Green Lasagne, as there is so much going on; another vegetable side is possibly too much.
For more vegetarian inspiration, view our vegetarian recipes here, or if you fancy the meaty version, click here for traditional lasagne alla bolognese.
Lasagne alle Verdure (Vegetarian Lasagne)
Equipment
- Heavy baking dish (approx 30 x 23 cms)
Ingredients
Vegetable Ragu
- 250 g lasagne You will probably use about ¾ packet
- 700 g 3 – 4 aubergines, diced into small cubes, salted and left to drain.
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 3 Florina red peppers, cut into half cm rounds
- 1 banana chilli pepper, finely chopped optional
- 1 small mild green pepper, finely chopped
- 1 large celery stalk including plenty of leaves, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot (grated)
- 2 scant tbsp tomato paste
- 300 ml tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes in the summer
- 350 g finely sliced spinach leaves washed and dried in a salad drier or tea towel
- 200-300 ml vegetable/chicken stock or stock cube
- 1 tsp cumin
- pinch mace or nutmeg
- ground black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 3 cloves grated garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped oregano or basil
- olive oil
Bechamel Sauce
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 litre plant or dairy milk
- 100 ml boiled water
- 50 ml olive oil
- 50 g butter
- pinch salt
- pinch nutmeg
- black pepper
- 100 g grated parmesan or pecorino cheese plus extra for the last layer of bechamel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180° and roast the red peppers, tossed in a little olive oil and the dried mixed herbs.
- Finely slice the aubergines and sprinkle with some salt to extract any excess moisture. If you are using very fresh aubergines, this may not be necessary.
Vegtable Ragu
- Gently saute the onions and celery until they are soft and then add the grated carrot. Soften and let the onions turn golden but do not burn.
- Add all the spices except the garlic and turn over in the pan once or twice, then add the remaining chilli and green peppers and let them soften.
- Brush off salt and moisture from the aubergines and add, keeping the pan on medium heat. Cook gently until golden and well-sealed. You may need to add more oil and increase the heat to reach the point where the aubergines are nicely browned.
- Stir in the grated garlic and tomato paste – coating all the vegetables. Add half the tomato sauce and bubble gently.
- Check on your red peppers, if they are cooked remove and leave them to cool. Turn the oven up to 200°C.
- When the sauce starts to dry out, add the remaining tomato sauce and a little stock. Bubble up to a rich but pourable sauce. Add more stock or tomato sauce if necessary. It needs to be cooked gently for around 40-45 minutes. Taste and season accordingly. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can slightly blend it with a stick blender.
Bechamel Sauce
- Make bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, add the olive oil and mix in the flour to form a paste. Add a dash or two of hot water, whisking with a small sauce whisk until it is well incorporated. Put it over low heat and gradually add milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk all the time until it comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in the parmesan until completely melted. Check for seasoning – adding a little more salt or pepper if needed.
Making the Lasagne
- Put a layer of your vegetable ragu on the bottom of the oven dish, cover it with lasagne sheets and then add another layer of vegetable ragu, a thin layer of red peppers, a thin layer of spinach and a layer of bechamel sauce.
- Repeat the process, lasagne, ragu, red peppers, spinach and bechamel. Finishing with a layer of pasta. Cover the pasta with bechamel and grated parmesan. You can also add a little shredded mozzarella.
- Put the lasagne in the oven for 10 minutes at 200°C, then turn it down to 180°C for 30 minutes. Cover with foil if the top starts to burn, and take the foil off 5 minutes before the end to brown the top of the lasagne.
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