Il Cucinologo
EN

Lasagne with Zucchini Ragù

17/11/2023

Zucchini ragù lasagne are a tasty vegetarian alternative to classic meat ragù lasagne. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

  • 9-12 lasagne sheets (depending on the size of the baking dish)
  • 500g zucchini
  • 1 chopped white onion
  • 2 chopped garlic cloves
  • 500 ml tomato passata
  • 250g ricotta
  • 100g grated Parmesan
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil (optional)
  • Nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by chopping the zucchini into small pieces or grating them.
  2. In a large pan, sauté the chopped onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until they become translucent.
  3. Add the chopped zucchini and sauté everything for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini start to turn lightly golden.
  4. Pour in the tomato passata, add salt, pepper and basil to taste. Let it cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta with a grating of nutmeg and half of the grated Parmesan. Adjust salt and pepper.
  6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagne for about half the time indicated on the package (they will finish cooking in the oven).
  7. Drain the lasagne and lay them on a clean tea towel to dry and cool slightly.
  8. Take a baking dish and spread a thin layer of zucchini ragù on the bottom. Cover with a layer of lasagne.
  9. Spread some of the ricotta mixture over the lasagne and cover with another layer of zucchini ragù.
  10. Continue alternating layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of ragù and a sprinkle of the remaining Parmesan.
  11. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy.
  12. Let the lasagne rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For an even more Italian touch, you could add fresh basil leaves between the layers for a more intense aroma, or replace part of the ricotta with diced mozzarella for a stringier texture.

Trivia

Lasagne is a dish that lends itself well to vegetarian interpretations. Replacing the classic meat ragù with vegetables offers a lighter but equally flavorful version of the dish.