Update:  I’m happy to announce that this meal will be featured on Shine Food’s One Pot Meals!  Check out my dish and other easy one pot meals on their site!

Happy November!  Until I came across this skillet vegetarian lasagna recipe, I’d never dreamed of making lasagna on the stovetop.  I was surprised and skeptical to see that the noodles don’t have to be pre-cooked.  I gathered a little faith and followed the recipe directions and sure enough, they cooked perfectly.

The original recipe is made with ground beef and I made some major modifications to make it vegetarian.  The first thing I did was add zucchini and summer squash.  The trick to keeping the lasagna from getting too soupy is cooking them seperately and then blotting off the extra moisture before they get added to the dish.

I also added some fake meat.  I’ve been cooking more with vegan meat subsititutes lately but I have to admit I’m a little torn.  Meat substitutes really contribute texture and protein much more than taste.  The thing is, there are so many ingredients on the label that sound like toxic chemicals I’m not certain it’s really any healthier than just adding red meat to the dish.

Skillet Vegetarian Lasagna

Adopted from Koko Cooks (meat version)
originally from America’s Test Kitchen, Pasta Revolution

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 summer squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, with liquid
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 lb vegetarian ground sirloin substitute
10 (curly-edged) lasagna noodles, broken lengthwise and then into smaller pieces
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 c. ricotta cheese
3 T. chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1.  In a frying pan, heat 1 T. oil over medium heat.  Add the summer squash and zucchini and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from skillet to a plate covered with a towel or paper towel and blot off excess moisture.

2.  Heat 1 T. oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook,until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3.  Add zucchini mixture to skillet.

4.  Add veggie ground beef to the skillet. Cook, stirring often until warm.

5.  Scatter the pasta in the skillet, then pour the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes over the top. Stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and cover. Cook at a bubbling simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 20 minutes. Keep the pan covered when not stirring.  If the lasagna seems dry, you can add a bit of water at the halfway point.  Stir the noodles frequently to keep them from clumping together or sticking to the bottom of the skillet.

6.  Preheat the broiler. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in half the mozzarella, all of the Parmesan, and half of the ricotta. Dot the remaining ricotta over the noodles in tablespoons, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.

7.  Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and is starts to brown.

8.  Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

I have my big exam on Wednesday so I’m taking the whole weekend off to relax!  Do you have anything exciting planned for the weekend?