Put this lasagna on your to-make list for winter. (Photo: Jerry James Stone)

Winter vegetable lasagna

This is one lasagna that won't leave you feeling like you ate the entire contents of your pantry.

By Jerry James Stone

Yield: Serves 6-8

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

After the holidays, the last thing you probably want to eat is another heavy meal. Well, one great thing about lasagna is that it freezes so well. Another great thing is that it is perfect for using up whatever is in the fridge.

While I list some vegetable options in this recipe, such as butternut squash and kale, use whatever you have on hand. Lasagna tastes even better this way.

Ingredients

2 pounds butternut squash, cleaned and cubed
2 ounces chopped kale
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
24 ounces marinara sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Whether you are using butternut squash and kale, or your own veggies, there is one important trick when making vegetable lasagna: precooking. You want to precook any veggies you are adding to it because if you do not, they will release water during baking and dilute the flavor of your lasagna.

Add some olive oil to a large skillet and warm it over a medium low heat. Add in the chopped kale, increase the heat to medium high, and saute the kale for about two minutes. Add in the cubed squash and cook it for another minute or two, adding more oil if needed. Remove from heat.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, the egg, and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella.

Cook the lasagna noodles per the instructions. Watch this video on how to make perfect pasta every single time.

Using a 9x9 baking dish, add in 1/4 cup of sauce, or enough to cover the bottom of the dish.

Add the following layers: lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, sauteed veggies and marinara sauce. Repeat this until the baking dish is full, finishing with noodles.

Top the noodles with sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and place the baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top of the cheese is browned and the edges are bubbling.

Cheesy and bubbling on the outside, wholesome and healthy on the inside. (Photo: Jerry James Stone)