Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Lasagna

After a weekend of consuming massive amounts of Easter chocolate, I was left craving some fresh vegetables. I had most of these ingredients on hand, and lasagna seemed like a natural dish for them.  I love lasagna during the week because I can make it early in the day and it usually lasts a couple of days in our house. Because I was just "winging-it" with this recipe, I was not sure of how it would turn out until we actually sat down to dinner. WOW, it's a new favorite in our house. Hubby said it's the "best lasagna ever!" I agree. I love lasagna, and here it's updated for Spring and Summer.

 Start with some happy green vegetables: asparagus, zucchini, and leeks are perfect.

 Saute until tender-crisp, then fold in fresh baby spinach leaves.

 

 Layer veggies with pesto, lasagna noodles, and a ricotta-goat cheese mixture.

 Sprinkle with cheese and bake. Buon appetito!

Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Lasagna
Printable Recipe
Serves 6

2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/4" pieces
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
5 oz fresh baby spinach
15 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz goat cheese at room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 oz pesto
no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, Parmesan, and Asiago

Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add leeks, asparagus, and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables just begin to soften. Add spinach and stir in. Cook until wilted, about one minute. Vegetables will continue to cook as lasagna bakes and should not be soft. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, goat cheese, egg, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread a thin layer of pesto over the bottom of an 11 x 7" casserole dish. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the pesto. Spoon half of the vegetable mixture over the noodles. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the vegetables. Top ricotta layer with a second layer of noodles, then pesto, the rest of the vegetables, and the rest of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheeses over top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until noodles are cooked through. If cheese begins to brown too much cover with foil.

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