Think Spring Lasagna

Serves

8-10

Prep Time

1 Hour

Cook Time

1 Hour

Print

As the weather warms and the flowers bloom, it's time to bid farewell to hearty winter dishes and welcome the vibrant flavors of spring! Say hello to this 'Think Spring Lasagna,' a delightful twist on the classic Italian favorite. You will not miss the marinara sauce since this dish is packed with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, peas, and spinach. They are layered between creamy ricotta and mozzarella and is a celebration of all things spring. If you want to make this completely vegetarian free just omit the Italian sausage.

The other great thing is that since lasagna needs a little bit of effort to complete this baked lasagna can be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to two days. You can reheat, covered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Products used: Basil Olive Oil

Ingredients

4 tablespoons SOOC Basil olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound spicy (or sweet) Italian sausage, out of the casings
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cup frozen peas
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped
4 cups whole-milk ricotta
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
12 lasagna noodles, cooked or use no-boil, oven-ready noodles
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and pour some olive oil into your 9X13 inch baking dish.

2. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add in your sausage and cook until brown. Drain and set aside. Add the remainder of the olive oil, garlic, onion, asparagus, spinach and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl transfer the sausage, veggie mixture, peas and Italian seasonings. Mix everything together and add more seasonings if necessary.

4. Place as many noodles as you can into your baking dish to make one layer. Top with some ricotta and sausage and veggie mixture and sprinkle with some parmesan and mozzarella. Add another layer of noodles and top the same way, repeating until your baking dish is full to the top.

5. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes and remove foil. Bake for another 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling on top. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.