How to Make Summer Garden Lasagna - A Step-by-Step Guide

Summer is the season of abundance, when gardens burst with a colorful array of fresh vegetables and herbs. What better way to celebrate the bounty of the season than with a delicious Summer Garden Lasagna? This hearty, yet light and refreshing dish is the perfect way to showcase the flavors of summer in a satisfying and healthy meal.

At its core, this lasagna is a celebration of fresh, seasonal produce. The recipe calls for a medley of summer vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash...

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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
  • 3 ears corn, shucked
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 zucchini, sliced into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler, discarding the seedy core
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1 (9 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Information

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Servings: 6
  • Yield: 6 servings

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8x6-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
  • Bring another large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook corn in the boiling water until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Cut kernels from the cobs and discard cobs.
  • Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute zucchini ribbons with a pinch of salt and black pepper in hot oil until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Heat remaining extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour 1/3 of the marinara sauce into the onion mixture; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, stir in cream, and cook until sauce is slightly reduced, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Pour 1/3 of the marinara sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the marinara sauce, trimming noodles as necessary to fit the baking dish. Spread zucchini ribbons over the noodle layer and top with another layer of lasagna noodles.
  • Spread ricotta cheese over the lasagna noodles and place another layer of noodles atop the cheese. Pour marinara-cream mixture over the noodles and top with corn kernels.
  • Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the corn kernels and top noodles with spinach. Add a final layer of noodles and top noodles with remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking lasagna until cheese is browned and beginning to bubble, about 15 minutes more.
  • Nutrition

    537 cal.

    • Total Fat: 15g
    • Saturated Fat: 5g
    • Cholesterol: 24mg
    • Sodium: 678mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 84g
    • Dietary Fiber: 9g
    • Total Sugars: 16g
    • Protein: 22g
    • Vitamin C: 19mg
    • Calcium: 296mg
    • Iron: 4mg
    • Potassium: 969mg