The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fueling lasagna love with a lighter version
Lasagna is my gift. If you’re struggling or celebrating, I’m leaving a hot dish at your door. So when I learned about Lasagna Love (lasagnalove.org), a not-for-profit started by Rhiannon Menn at the beginning of the pandemic, I knew I had found my people. The premise is simple. Need a lasagna? Request one.
Enjoy making lasagna? Give one. Just a year old, Lasagna Love matches more than 4,000 families every week, and counts 20,000 volunteers among its ranks.
For warmer weather, this lighter lasagna delivers all of the flavor without all of the fat. Dip the noodles in a mornay sauce made from milk, broth and a mere quarter cup of pecorino, and every bite will be tender and creamy. My vegetarian families enjoy the savory mushroom and pea filling; meat lovers can throw in cooked ground turkey for a flourish of lean protein. Whether you’re an eater or a maker, this lasagna will fill your belly and your heart.
SPRING LASAGNA
9 oven-ready (no-boil) noodles 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons olive oil,
divided
1 medium white onion, diced
16 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus more for
garnish
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper ⅛ teaspoon salt
2 generous tablespoons all-purpose
flour
1 cup low-sodium mushroom or
vegetable broth
1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced
tomatoes, drained
1 Roma tomato, sliced
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by13-inch pan with cooking spray. Soak the no-boil noodles in hot tap water until you are ready to assemble the lasagna.
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute 4 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, thyme, pepper and salt, and cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Spoon the mixture into a bowl, and set aside.
Return the skillet to medium and heat the remaining olive oil. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the vegetable broth and milk and simmer until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the pecorino and peas, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Place 1 cup of the white sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place 3 noodles on top. Sprinkle half of the mushroom mixture and half of the canned tomatoes. Dip 3 noodles in the remaining white sauce, coating both sides, and place them on top of the vegetables. Add the final layer of mushrooms and tomatoes. Dip the last 3 noodles in the white sauce and place them on top. Pour the remaining white sauce over the noodles. Garnish with fresh tomatoes and additional thyme.
Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot.
Serves 6-8.
Per serving, based on 6: 270 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 14 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 11 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 20 milligrams cholesterol, 253 milligrams sodium.