This Veggie Lasagne is the ultimate comfort food with a twist!

Whether you're a vegetarian or simply looking to incorporate more plant-based goodness into your diet, this veggie-packed lasagne is the ultimate comfort food. With a hearty combination of mushrooms and lentils simmered in a rich, savoury sauce, this lasagne is a satisfying, meat-free alternative that doesn't skimp on flavour. This recipe serves four, making it perfect for a family dinner or meal prep for the week. Plus, it's a great way to sneak in some extra veggies for the picky eaters in your life.

When preparing this lasagne, we used the trusty Scanpan Techniq The Square roasting pan to ensure our dish was evenly cooked. The sturdy construction and ergonomic handle on the roasting pan make it easy to handle and transfer to the oven for baking. The Stratanium+ non-stick coating on the roaster makes for easy food release, preventing your lasagne from sticking to the bottom and making cleaning a breeze.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 2 clove garlic, finely chopped
• Salt, fresh ground black pepper
• 10 button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 2 x 400g tin crushed tomato
• 400ml vegetable stock or water
• 50g unsalted butter
• ¼ cup plain flour
• 700ml milk
• 2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced on a slight angle into ovals
• 2 large eggplant, cut into 1cm slices
• ½ cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cup grated mozzarella

Instructions:

1. 1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium/high heat and add the onion, garlic, a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add the mushrooms and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
   2. Add the tinned tomatoes and the stock, then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a cooking spoon, until the lentils are softened and the ragu is thick, then set aside. For the bechamel sauce, heat the milk in a small saucepan until just simmering, then turn off and keep warm.
   3. Melt the butter in another medium saucepan over medium heat and stir through the flour, cooking for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the hot milk, ensuring it is mixed in smoothly before adding the next bit of milk. Cook this over low heat, whisking occasionally for 5 minutes, then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
   4. Preheat the oven to 210C.
   5. Spoon some Bolognese into the bottom of a Square Roaster, scatter 1/3 of the rice over, then layer over half the sliced eggplant evenly, season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Then, season again, then add a little more Bolognese spread over and another 1/3 of rice, followed by all the sliced zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, then the remaining Bolognese, rice, the remaining eggplant, a drizzle of oil and seasoning.
   6. Cover with baking paper, press it onto the surface of the eggplant and bake for 40 minutes before removing the baking paper, pouring over the bechamel sauce and cheese, then returning to the oven to cook in the oven for 15 minutes to get nice and caramelised.

Recipe source: Scanpan

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