Grilled Vegetable Lasagna

Start a new habit with meatless Mondays with this delicious Grilled Vegetable Lasagna!

Intersperse layers of lasagna noodles with grilled vegetables, cheese, and tomato sauce, then cover them with Mornay sauce, for this vegetarian version of lasagna. Although we use lasagna noodles in this recipe, you can use wonton skins, prepared according to package instructions, for an even lighter substitute for traditional lasagna noodles.

Make this lasagna ahead of time and reheat it for a quick weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
2 yellow crookneck squash, quartered lengthwise
2 Japanese eggplants, quartered lengthwise
11⁄2 cups portobello mushrooms, gills removed (6 ounces)
11⁄2 teaspoons garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped (page 170)
2 cups ricotta cheese (1 pound)
1⁄2 cup goat cheese (2 ounces), at room temperature
1 large egg
1⁄2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Deep Dish Pizza/Baking Stone or a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish

Instructions

Set the Big Green Egg for direct cooking at 500°F/260°C.

Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for two to three minutes, until wilted. Set aside.

Brush the zucchini, squash, eggplant, and mushrooms with the remaining 1⁄4 cup olive oil and season with the garlic powder and salt and pepper. Place the vegetables on the grid. Close the lid of the EGG and grill for 2 minutes per side. Transfer the vegetables to a rimmed sheet pan and let cool slightly.

Using the Grid Gripper and Pit Mitt BBQ Glove or Grilling Mitts, carefully remove the grid and add the ConvEGGtor. Lower the temperature to 350°F/177°C.

Dice the zucchini, squash, eggplant, and mushrooms into 1⁄2-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Add the bell peppers and spinach and stir to incorporate. Combine the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, egg, basil, and thyme in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside.

Serves eight.

Mornay Sauce Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11⁄4 cups whole milk
1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (2 ounces)
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
5 cups Garden-Fresh Tomato Sauce
1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

Mornay Sauce Instructions

To make the Mornay sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Add the flour and cook on low heat for three minutes or until the roux is bubbly and the flour is no longer raw. Using a whisk, add the milk. Simmer for five minutes or until thick. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese, nutmeg, and pepper. Stir well to combine.

Reserve two cups of tomato sauce and keep warm in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat. To assemble the lasagna, spread one cup of tomato sauce over the bottom of the Stone. Add layers, starting with one-third of the noodles, then adding one-half of the grilled vegetables and one cup of the tomato sauce. Make 1 more layer and top the layer of tomato sauce with the remaining noodles.

Pour the Mornay sauce evenly over the lasagna ingredients and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Place the baking stone on the cooking grid and close the dome of the EGG. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the lasagna is thoroughly heated. Remove the baking dish and allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes.

Cut into three-by-four-inch pieces and serve with the remaining heated tomato sauce.

Recipe and photo from Big Green Egg.