How to make vegetarian classic cheese lasagna

Lasagna is a comfort food classic, and believe it or not, making a filling, delicious version completely devoid of meat is super-easy. The recipe below boasts a three-cheese filling and a rich tomato sauce that will convince even your carnivorous friends of its merit.

This lasagna freezes particularly well, so consider making a double batch and freezing one. Line your baking dish with an extra layer of aluminum foil before baking, then cook as indicated below. Cool the lasagna to room temperature and then freeze it right in the baking dish. Once it's frozen, use the aluminum foil to pull it from the baking dish and return the lasagna to the freezer sans dish. This little technique helps save freezer space — and you get your casserole dish back!

Vegetarian Cheese Lasagna

40 minutes

1 hour 30 minutes

2 hours 10 minutes

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 32-ounce can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 pound lasagna noodles

6 slices mozzarella cheese

6 slices Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and tomato paste, stir to combine, then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, then use an immersion blender to purée.

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan and Italian seasoning in a bowl.

Cook the lasagna noodles in boiling water just until flexible. Set aside in a water bath.

Spread a layer of tomato sauce in the baking dish. Top with a layer of precooked lasagna noodles. Spread with about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and 1/3 of the mozzarella. Top with 1/3 of the tomato sauce, and repeat. On the last layer, do not add the final third of the mozzarella.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the foil, add the reserved mozzarella, and continue baking for 10–15 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top.

Allow to rest about 20 minutes before serving.