Vegetarian Pesto Open Lasagna is nutritious, incredibly tasty and SO easy! No complex layering or long bake time required.
Lasagna is a family favorite in my house and a part of our regular rotation. While I love making a traditional lasagna, all of those layers take a bit of time. Not to mention the time it takes to bake.
Open lasagna is an excellent alternative on busy nights, or simply when you're in the mood for something different. While I love this vegetarian pesto open lasagna, you could easily apply this concept to your personal favorite lasagna recipe as well!
To make this beauty, you'll start by making homemade pesto. Trust me, it's not hard and is always 100% worth it. The flavor is incomparable and so much fresher than store-bought.
To make the pesto, you simply blend olive oil, basil, pine nuts, a garlic clove, juice from 1 lemon and some parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pesto is pretty flexible. If pine nuts are out of budget, try walnuts. If you don't eat dairy, leave out the parmesan. It will still be delicious!
After making your pesto, you're ready to dice your zucchini and summer squash and cook your lasagna noodles. You'll add pesto to the veggies after cooking for a few minutes. You'll have some pesto leftover. You can freeze it for later and add to pasta, soups, wraps or sandwiches.
Finally, you'll layer lasagna noodles and the pesto-veggie mix on each plate for a beautiful open lasagna. Top with a dollop of ricotta and enjoy!
Vegetarian Pesto Open Lasagna
Ingredients
For the Lemon Pesto:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 bunch basil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan optional
For the Open Lasagna:
- 12 oz lasagna noodles or GF lasagna noodles or zucchini noodles
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow squash
- 4 oz ricotta cheese optional
- 1 T olive oil
- 8 oz frozen spinach
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 batch of lemon pesto
Instructions
For the Lemon Pesto:
- In a food processor or blender, combine: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 bunch of basil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1 garlic clove, juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup grated parmesan.
For the Open Lasagna:
- Dice 1 medium zucchini and 1 yellow squash.
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.
- Heat 1T olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add diced zucchini, diced yellow squash, 8oz frozen spinach, 1/4tsp salt & 1/4tsp pepper.
- Cook, stirring, ~5 mins. Add ½ of the pesto and cook ~2-3 mins.
- On a plate, layer lasagna noodles + vegetable/pesto mixture and top w/ a spoonful of ricotta (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
What is open lasagna?
Open lasagna is simply a deconstructed version of the classic Italian casserole. Instead of layering everything together in a large baking dish, you'll cook the various components and assemble on each individual plate.
Open lasagna is an excellent choice for busy nights when you simply don't have time to wait for a traditional lasagna to bake. It's also a great option if you have children who don't yet love “mixed dishes”. You can easily serve each component separately on their plates, which can make meals more approachable.
How to Meal Prep Lasagna
If you plan to serve this dish on a weeknight, I highly recommend a bit of meal prep. To prep ahead, make your pesto and store in the fridge. You can also chop your zucchini and summer squash ahead of time. With these steps completed, all you'll need to do on dish day is cook your lasagna noodles, cook your veggies and assemble!
Is this open lasagna healthy?
Yes, this open lasagna includes plenty of veggies and herbs, offering substantial nutritional benefits. Here are some of the highlights:
Olive Oil (Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Monounsaturated Fats, Antioxidants)
Due to the type of fat it contains, olive oil may reduce inflammation. It also reduces the risk of Alzheimer's, stroke and heart disease. Make sure to get high quality extra virgin olive oil, as it retains more antioxidants and nutrients.
Basil (Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Manganese)
A significant source of Vitamin K, basil may also reduce memory loss, blood pressure, and depression. Smelling basil also may help you feel more alert so consider growing some in a kitchen garden to smell whenever you need a boost!
Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are thought to be good for both your heart and your skin. Like other nuts, pine nuts may help improve cholesterol levels. Despite their name, pine nuts are actually seeds, rather than nuts. Due to their omega-3 content, they may also be beneficial for your brain.
Garlic (Beneficial Sulfur Compounds, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium)
Garlic has been used in homeopathic remedies for thousands of years and is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and some types of cancer. Eating garlic may also help prevent colds and other minor illnesses.
Scientists believe these substantial health benefits may stem primarily from garlic's sulfur compounds such as allicin, diallyl disulfide and sallyl cysteine.
Lemon (Vitamin C, Citric Acid)
Just one lemon provides 51% of the daily recommended vitamin C. This is important not only to fight colds, but for long term health as studies show consuming produce with vitamin C helps prevent heart disease and stroke. Consuming lemons may also help protect against anemia and kidney stones, likely due to their citric acid content.
Zucchini (Vitamin A, Manganese, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin K, Folate)
Zucchini is rich in many vitamins, but is especially high in vitamin A, which supports vision and immune function. In addition, the zucchini skin is high in antioxidants. Super low in carbs, zucchini is also a great choice for those following a Keto or low carb diet.
Spinach (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron)
Spinach is great for your eye health and may help prevent inflammation. Due to its high fiber content, it's also great for digestion. Plant compounds in spinach may also help prevent and slow the growth of certain cancers.
Variations on Open Face Lasagna
One of the best things about this open face lasagna is how flexible it is! You can adjust the filling to suit your preferences or the season. Here are a few ideas to get your started:
- Add different veggies to the veggie mix. Try bell peppers or broccoli.
- Add more protein if you like. Brown some ground turkey, chicken or beef before adding the zucchini for the filling.
- Leave out the dairy. Like so many of our Prep Dish recipes, the dairy is totally optional here. It's delicious either way!
- Make it gluten free. You can use gluten free lasagna noodles or make zucchini lasagna noodles using a mandolin. I show you how to make both zucchini and eggplant noodles in this short video.
If you come up with your own variation you love, I want to hear about it! Message me in our Facebook group or on Instagram @prepdish.
I want more healthy lasagna recipes!
I love lasagna and my whole family does too! Here are a few of my favorite lasagna (and lasagna-inspired) recipes:
Grassfed Beef & Eggplant Lasagna
This simple lasagna recipe requires just 7 ingredients – that's it! You can use either Greek yogurt or cashew cream for the creamy layer.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
I'm so in love with this lasagna soup! It offers all of that classic lasagna flavor all in a cozy bowl of soup. It's also full of veggies and protein.
Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna
This turkey and zucchini lasagna uses zucchini noodles for a super healthy gluten free and paleo lasagna option.
FAQ – Everything You Want to Know about Open Lasagna
What is open lasagna?
Open lasagna is a dish where lasagna noodles, sauce and any veggies or meat are cooked and then layered on individual plates, rather than baked together in a casserole.
Can I make gluten free lasagna?
Yes! You can easily make gluten free lasagna. Choose gluten free lasagna noodles or use zucchini or eggplant “noodles,” which you can make with a mandolin.
Can I make paleo lasagna?
Yes! To make a paleo lasagna, thinly slice zucchini or eggplant with a mandolin to make veggie “noodles”. You can also leave out any dairy if you prefer, using cashew cream as part of the filling.
Is lasagna healthy?
Lasagna certainly can be healthy. My vegetarian pesto open lasagna is quite healthy, offering plenty of veggie goodness and nutritional benefits.
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