Roasted Courgette, Pepper & Spinach Lasagne

⏱ 95 min · Serves 6

A proper vegetable lasagne with backbone: roasting the courgettes and peppers first drives off water and concentrates their sweetness, so you get deep, jammy layers instead of a soggy middle. Ricotta loosened with spinach and nutmeg stands in for half the bechamel, keeping it rich but not heavy.

Per serving: 625 kcal · 26.0g protein · 57.0g carbs · 33.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 medium courgettes, sliced into 1cm coins
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into 2cm strips
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 250g ricotta
• 200g spinach (fresh or thawed frozen, squeezed dry)
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 100g mature cheddar or Gruyere, grated
• 60g Parmesan (or vegetarian hard cheese), finely grated
• 250g dried lasagne sheets (about 12)
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Toss the courgettes, peppers and onion with 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, spread over two large trays and roast for 25 minutes, until the edges are charred. Set aside and turn the oven down to 190C/170C fan.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan and soften the garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato puree, oregano and chilli flakes, cook 30 seconds, then add the tinned tomatoes and sugar. Simmer 20 minutes until thick, then season well.
3. If using fresh spinach, wilt it in a dry pan for 2 minutes, then cool and squeeze out all the water. Chop roughly and mix into the ricotta with the nutmeg, a good pinch of salt and plenty of pepper.
4. Make the bechamel: melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, add the bay leaf, and simmer 5 minutes until it coats a spoon. Remove the bay, stir in the cheddar and half the Parmesan, and season.
5. Assemble in a 20 x 30cm dish: a thin layer of tomato sauce, then lasagne sheets, half the roasted vegetables, half the ricotta in dollops, a third of the bechamel. Repeat. Finish with a final layer of pasta, the remaining tomato sauce, the last of the bechamel spread to the edges, and the remaining Parmesan.
6. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 20-25 minutes more until bubbling and golden and a knife slides easily through the pasta.
7. Rest for 15 minutes before cutting: this is the difference between neat slices and a landslide.