Individual Lasagnas
This recipe creates flavorful individual lasagnas featuring grilled zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant layered with a vibrant tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. The dish is assembled in mini foil baking dishes and baked until bubbly and golden, offering a convenient and personalized take on classic lasagna.
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls One for sauce, one for ricotta
- 1 Grill Pan For browning vegetables
- 1 Whisk For olive oil mixture and ricotta
- 5 Mini Foil Baking Dishes For individual lasagnas (per recipe servings)
- 1 Baking Sheet To catch drips in the oven
Ingredients
Main
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Few pinches salt
- Few dashes red chili flakes
- 10 grinds fresh black pepper
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley leaves coarsely chopped
- 2 cups ricotta
- Few pinches salt
- About 20 grinds black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Salt
- 1 large zuchinni sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
- 1 large summer squash sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
- 1 small eggplant sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
- 1 package uncooked lasagna noodles
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl; stir well and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Mix the ricotta together with the salt and the pepper until evenly distributed.
- Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Whisk olive oil and salt together in a bowl. Rub the veggie pieces with the olive oil mixture all over and grill until soft and browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- To assemble the lasagnas:
- Line the bottom of a mini foil baking dish with a couple spoonfuls of sauce. Lay a single layer of raw lasagna noodles over that. Next scatter a mixture of the veggies over top, then an even layer of ricotta. Repeat once more and top it all of with plenty of mozzarella.
- Place lasagna on a baking sheet to catch any dripping cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and well browned on top.
Notes
To elevate the flavor of your tomato sauce, consider gently sautéing the pressed garlic before adding the canned tomatoes; this unlocks deeper aromatic notes. Allowing the sauce to rest for 30 minutes is crucial for the dried oregano to rehydrate and infuse its full aroma. When grilling the vegetables, ensure they are sliced uniformly to promote even cooking and prevent some pieces from burning while others remain undercooked. This also helps in creating a well-structured lasagna. Don't overcrowd the grill pan, which would steam the vegetables instead of browning them. For the ricotta mixture, a pinch of nutmeg can subtly enhance its richness. Since raw lasagna noodles are used, ensure the sauce layers are generous enough to provide sufficient moisture for them to cook through. The baking sheet is essential to catch any bubbling cheese, preventing a messy oven. For an even golden-brown top, a quick broil at the very end can add visual appeal and a slight crispness to the mozzarella.