The Ultimate Lasagna made up of the best parts of my favorite recipes in one dish that hits all the notes – sausage, roasted zucchini, goat cheese, and it’s all topped with garlic oregano breadcrumbs.
January is definitely a good lasagna month. It’s really long, cold, and there’s not always a ton to look forward to, so lasagna can help. This one is really helpful. It is the culmination several recipes folded together to make my ideal version of this amazing dinner – and it can be made ahead. We are expecting up to two feet of snow here this weekend, so let’s do this!
My two favorite lasagna recipes are both from the Barefoot Contessa, and I’ve been making them for years. This recipe idea came from a desire to make both at once. I know some people don’t like ricotta cheese, and I feel bad for them about that. I think they’re missing out. One trick to make the ricotta issue go away is to combine goat cheese into the mixture. It ramps up the flavor and helps with the texture issue that likely is the root of it. Ina was a genius for putting goat cheese in lasagna and I promise to always follow suit.
The recipe has a few steps to prepare your layers, but it’s all easy and can be done simultaneously. It’s best to have the ingredients not screaming hot, so plan to let the sauce cool a bit before assembly.
Roasting the zucchini reduces the moisture content while also adding flavor – it’s a great trick for making any baked dish with vegetables. Ina’s Roasted Vegetable Lasagna calls for Eggplant and Zucchini – I prefer to use only zucchini, but you could use whatever you like.
Roasted Zucchini and Sausage Lasagna with Garlic Oregano Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 3-4 small zucchini squash sliced lenghwhies, 1/4 inch thick
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tbsp later
- kosher salt & black pepper
- 3 tsp dried oregano, divided
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves), divided
- 10 oz no boil flat lasagna noodles
- 1 lb. mild chicken sausage, removed from casings
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 8 oz plain goat cheese (at room temperature)
- 2 xl eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional), divided
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 40 oz Rao's Marinara Sauce
- 1 lb. fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet (or two if needed, don't crowd the pans) with the sliced zucchini, leaving a little space between them. Drizzle them evenly with olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 tsp of the dried oregano, and some red pepper flakes (1 tsp, if desired). Roast for 20 minutes, then add 1 Tbsp of the minced garlic, roasting an additional 5-10 minutes until the zucchini is slightly golden and shrunken a bit. This is the sign that the vegetables won't make the lasagna watery. Set the zucchini aside to cool a bit before assembly.
- Set the oven temp to 350 degrees. Fill a large baking dish with the hottest tap water, and slide the lasagna noodles into the water, one by one to prevent sticking. Allow them to soak for about 15 minutes until they are slightly softened, but not cooked.
- In a large saute pan, or sauce pot, cook the sausage in 1 Tbsp olive oil, breaking up into small pieces until no longer pink. Add the Rao's to the pot with the sausage, and cook over medium low heat for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Set aside for assembly.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, beaten eggs, chopped basil, red pepper flakes (if using) and 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan (reserving the rest for topping). I use a whisk to break up the goat cheese into the ricotta, and it's important to have the goat cheese at room temperate so it combines evenly.
- When ready to assemble, make sure all of your ingredients are cooled enough to the touch. Starting with 1 1/2 cups of marinara, coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then arrange the zucchini slices on top - this can be done in one or two layers, depending on how big your slices are. Lay the lasagna noodles on top of the zucchini, then top with 1/3 of the sliced mozzarella, and 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, in dollops to fit between the mozzarella. Repeat the process twice more, starting with the marinara, and finish with one final thick layer of marinara on the very top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, and either wrap the lasagna to bake later, or place in the oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. If cooking from the fridge or freezer, adjust the cooking time to accomodate (45-55 minutes should do it).
- While the lasagna is baking, toss the Panko in 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp of the chopped garlic, 1 tsp of the oregano, red pepper flakes (optional) and 1/2 tsp each of kosher salt and pepper into a small saute pan, heating to toast to a golden brown color. When ready to serve, sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs on top of the lasagna.
Notes
