There’s a very good reason why this is an easy vegetable lasagne: there’s no béchamel! One of the things I love most about lasagne is how comforting it is, all those layers of pasta and sauce, so I didn’t want to miss any of that by cutting out a few steps. It’s still creamy and cheesy but only uses one sauce. This is such an easy recipe and you can use whatever vegetables you have to hand.
ingredients
You will need (for four portions):
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 aubergine, roughly chopped
- 2 peppers (whatever colour(s)) you like, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
- Any other vegetables you like, such as courgette, carrot, etc. prepared and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed but left whole
- Olive oil for cooking
- Salt and pepper
- 600ml passata
- 200ml crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp red pesto
- 25g Parmesan, grated
Method
Start by preheating an oven to 180C.
Put all of the prepared vegetables onto a baking tray and drizzle over enough oil to give everything a light covering. Add a little salt and pepper and give everything a good mix with your hands.
Roast the vegetables in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and starting to turn golden at the edges.
While the vegetables are roasting you can make the sauce.
Add the passata to a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil. Add a little salt and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer the passata for 15 minutes to reduce it slightly.
Reduce the heat to low and stir through the crème fraîche and pesto.
Once the vegetables are cooked tip them, and any cooking juices, into the tomato sauce.
In a baking dish, alternate layering up the tomato and vegetable mix with the lasagne. The top layer needs to be tomato sauce.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and then put the lasagne into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and the lasagne is cooked through.
I really like how the top layer of my easy vegetable lasagne means you get some extra brown edges on some of the vegetables underneath the cheese top. I really liked the sweetness of the peppers and the substance from the aubergine. It takes much less time to make than a traditional lasagne but it’s just as comforting.
Easy, comforting and so very tasty too!
Thanks Angie!
Ooooooohh I do love this idea. Red sauce and creme fraiche. Fantastic idea. And much easier!!!
So much easier!
It never occurred to me to include creme fraiche in a red sauce like this but what a brilliant idea! Flavors of bechamel without the task of making a bechamel! Love this idea! Beautiful lasagne!
Thanks Laura, it is so much quicker to make with this method.
This looks so cozy and comforting! Love the crème fraiche in the sauce. It must be so luscious!
It’s really filling but light at the same time.
Somehow, “easy” and “lasagne” don’t seem to go together… yet, here you have proven that an incorrect assumption! Very nice!
I know what you mean, I’d even make this on a weeknight it’s so simple!
So tasty and the perfect comfort food.
Thanks Emma!
Your roasted vegetable lasagna sounds perfect…I’d want a second helping I think. ?
Thanks Karen!
Wow, this IS easy. Never thought I’d say that about lasagne. 🙂 Thanks!
I know, definitely simpler than a normal one, and less washing up too!
We go meatless on Fridays during Lent and this will be a wonderful dinner recipe! I wouldn’t miss the meat at all!
You definitely won’t Liz!