Cauliflower and broccoli lasagna is my kids’ favorite dinner. And who can blame them? It’s packed with cheese and vegetables for a cannelloni-flavored lasagna!
A Cook-together family meal
Lasagna is a great cook-together meal! This simple recipe is perfect for getting your kids involved!
Here’s why:
- It is a great way to get more vegetables into your diet.
- Young children can help with grating vegetables and cheese.
- Older kids can help make tomato sauce.
- And even the littlest helpers can layer lasagna noodles and sprinkle on cheese.
- Make a double or triple batch and freeze lasagnas for a quick weeknight meal. The trick is to use a smaller baking dish so that it can defrost quickly.
Options and Alternatives
I believe that most (all) recipes should be played around with. It’s the best way to create your favorite flavor combinations! Here are a few ways to change up this vegetable lasagna:
1. Pasta
I’m gluten-free… so I always make broccoli lasagna with gluten-free noodles. However, you could use thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant for a noodle-free lasagna.
2. Cheese
If you haven’t made cheese before, then I recommend trying it! It’s fun, affordable, and easier than you think!
Lasagna is perfect for homemade fresh cheese. Since it’s going to be baked into a dish, there’s no need to worry about making the perfect cheese.
Here are three options:
- Usually, I use homemade kefir cheese for my lasagna. Since I make milk kefir on a daily basis, it’s easy to make a bit of kefir cheese!
- Homemade ricotta is traditional. Ricotta can be made with vinegar, lemon juice, or whey.
- Dry curd cottage cheese is probably the tastiest option. This flavorful cheese is made with cultured buttermilk.
3. Sauce
This broccoli lasagna includes a quick and simple tomato sauce recipe. It pairs well with the rich and creamy layers of cauliflower and broccoli.
However, this veggie-packed lasagna is delicious with all sorts of different sauces:
- Cauliflower and broccoli naturally pair well with white sauce.
- Add a bit of vegetarian protein by mixing 1 cup of cooked red lentils into the tomato sauce or 1 cup of crumbled TVP.
- If you’re not vegetarian, then feel free to use your favorite meat sauce.
Cauliflower and Broccoli Lasagna
This cauliflower and broccoli lasagna has a rich vegetable and cheese layer that tastes like cannelloni filling. It is a hearty and satisfying meal. It’s also a great way to get more vegetables into your diet!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 9” x 13″ pan 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 package of lasagna noodles (cooked according to the package -see notes for more info)
- 1 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
- 28 oz tomato sauce (or make your own)
Vegetable Filling
- 2 medium heads of broccoli
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cups of ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp salt, to taste
- 1 egg
Homemade Tomato Sauce (Optional)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning or mixed basil and oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Coarsely grate the cauliflower and broccoli, including the stems. This can be done with a typical box grater, but I like to use a mandolin.
- Heat a frying pan on medium. Add the olive oil, grated vegetables, and garlic. Saute the vegetables until fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow the vegetable mixture to cool for 15 minutes while you prepare, lasagna noodles and tomato sauce. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought tomato sauce. However, it’s pretty quick and easy to make your own. See the instructions below.
- When the cauliflower and broccoli have cooled, mix in the ricotta cheese. Add salt, to taste. Then stir in the egg.
- To put together the lasagna, place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the pan followed by a layer of noodles. Add another thin layer of sauce, topped by 1/2 the broccoli filling, then noodles. Repeat the layers a second time (tomato sauce, broccoli, and noodles), topping the final layer of noodles with a bit more sauce and all of the mozzarella.
- Cover the lasagna with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the tinfoil, then bake, uncovered for another 25 minutes until the cheese is browning and the sauce is bubbling.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Homemade Tomato Sauce
- There are lots of different options for the sauce. See the section above for some ideas, use a store-bought sauce or follow this simple recipe for a quick homemade tomato sauce.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and saute until soft.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer while you prepare the rest of the lasagna. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and adjust the salt as needed.
Notes
- Many brands of noodles are oven-ready. However, follow the instructions on the box.
- I like to soften gluten-free lasagna noodles
before using them to make lasagna. Even oven-ready noodles are improved by soaking for 10 minutes in hot water. This is enough to soften them without making them mushy.
before using them to make lasagna. Even oven-ready noodles are improved by soaking for 10 minutes in hot water. This is enough to soften them without making them mushy.Keywords: cannelloni, from scratch, affordable, delicious, fancy, vegetarian, vegetable, kefir cheese, gluten free, kid-friendly, fall, winter, holiday
One of the best recipes I have tried. You can even incorporate a fried potato mash into it and it comes out great!
★★★★★
This blogger does not understanding cooking. I’m sorry I didn’t go with my instincts and chose to use this awful, time consuming waste of time. I love a good multi recipe along with the process. Don’t bother with this one.