Vegetable Lasagna With Cauliflower Bechamel Sauce

Close up of vegetable lasagna serving on a plate showing melted cheese topping with bacon and onions.

5 from 1 vote

Vegetable Lasagna With Cauliflower Bechamel Sauce

This savoury lasagne tastes so creamy, no one will guess how many veggies they are getting. There are several steps to the recipe but they are worth it.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1 25

Total Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 895kcal

Author: Carolyn Hetke

Equipment

9 X 13 " deep baking dish

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions

2 large yellow onions or 1 yellow onion, 1 red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 leeks white part only, well rinsed and finely sliced

Squash Filling

2 acorn squash enough for about 4 cups. Can substitute Butternut squash.
4 Tbsps butter

Other Ingredients

8 slices thick cut bacon
1 head broccoli cut into fine florets. Can chop peeled stem finely as well if desired.
800 grams ricotta cheese drained if any visible water
4 cups Cauliflower Bechamel Sauce or substitute commercial alfredo or white pasta sauce
8 oz mozzarella shredded
1000 grams No Boil Pasta You will have noodles left over. Reserve for another use.

Instructions

Caramelized Onions and Leeks

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Peel and slice the onions. Cook over medium heat about 7 minutes until onions soften and start to become translucent. Reduce the heat to medium/low and sprinkle onions with brown sugar. Stir periodically and watch the heat so the onions and sugar don't burn. (Err on the side of lower heat). After about 13 more minutes, when the onions are golden brown add the red wine vinegar and thyme. Cook another 10 minutes or so until the onions are deep golden brown and very soft. Add the sliced leeks and set mixture aside until ready to use. You will use ⅓ of the mixture at a time.

Acorn Squash

While onions are caramelizing cook the squash. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Add a tablespoon of butter to the cavity of each squash half. Place squash flesh side up and microwave on high abut 17 minutes. Alternatively roast squash at 350° 45-50 minutes. Squash should be well cooked and fork tender. When cool enough to handle scoop out the flesh and mash well or puree. You will use all the squash mixture in one layer.

Broccoli and Bacon

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet until cooked but not crumbly. Reserve bacon fat in pan and cut bacon cross-wise in to 1" pieces. Divide bacon pieces in half. Sauté chopped broccoli in the bacon fat over medium heat 4-5 minutes. Combine all the broccoli, ½ the bacon pieces, ⅓ the caramelized onion mixture, ⅓ white sauce and ⅓ of the ricotta. Set aside.

Mozzarella and White Sauce Topping

Mix all shredded mozzarella with the remaining ⅓ ricotta. Set aside.

Assembly

Spray a 3" deep baking dish 9 X 13". Preheat oven to 350°. See Notes below.
Spread ⅓ of white sauce in bottom of baking dish. Cover bottom with lasagna noodles.
Spread the broccoli mixture over the noodles. Top with a layer of noodles.
Spread the mashed squash over the noodles. Top squash layer with another layer of noodles.
Combine ⅓ the caramelized onions/leek mixture with ⅓ white sauce and ⅓ ricotta cheese and spread over noodle layer. Top with another layer of noodles.
Spread the mozzarella mixture over the noodles and distribute remaining bacon and onion mixture evenly over the top.
Bake covered for 30 minutes, remove cover and bake a further 25 minutes.

Notes

Nutrition does not include White Sauce.

Note 1: You can also make two 8 X 8" pans if you prefer. Your lasagna will not be as high.

Note 2: Lasagna freezes well (unbaked). Heat from frozen @ 350 degrees about 50 minutes covered and another 25 minutes uncovered.

Variation:

You can add or substitute the following:

Replace broccoli with 12 oz of roasted red peppers, drained and puréed.
Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms sautéed until liquid in the pan has evaporated, to the last onion/bacon/ricotta layer.
Use a commercial Alfredo sauce instead of the Bechamel to save time.

Nutrition