Meat and Eggplant Sauce Lasagna
Description
This meat and eggplant sauce lasagna incorporates ground beef into a homemade sauce plus carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and 3 cheeses.
Ingredients
•
1 tablespoon olive oil, or more as needed
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1/2 large white onion, diced
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5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
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1 pound lean ground beef
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salt and ground black pepper to taste
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2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
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1 eggplant, peeled and diced
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2 zucchini, peeled and diced
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2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
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1 cup diced carrots
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3/4 cup tomato puree
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2 tablespoons salt
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2 tablespoons dried basil
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1 tablespoon ground black pepper
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1 tablespoon dried oregano
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1 bay leaf
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1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
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4 cups ricotta cheese
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1 egg
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4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or more to taste
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1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onions start turning clear, 5 to 10 minutes. Add ground beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato can with water and pour into the sauce.
2
Stir eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, tomato puree, 2 tablespoons salt, basil, black pepper, oregano, and bay leaf into the sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors are well blended, about 1 hour. Remove and discard bay leaf.
3
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and lay the noodles out on paper towels to dry; remove and discard any broken pieces.
4
Combine ricotta and egg in a bowl; season with salt and pepper and whisk thoroughly.
5
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
6
Coat the bottom of a large baking pan with the sauce. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top. Repeat layering until all used up. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
7
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling furiously, 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover pan and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Continue baking until top is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let lasagna sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.