Roasted Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna

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SERVES 8 • TO PREP 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES • STORE 8 TO 24 HOURS • TO FINISH 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Vegetable lasagna recipes are often filled with watery, tasteless vegetables and weighed down by excess cheese. We wanted a flavorful vegetable lasagna that didn’t fall into any of the usual traps—and could withstand an overnight rest in the fridge. Eggplant and zucchini are easy to prep, making them excellent choices for our make-ahead lasagna. Roasting the vegetables not only drove off excess liquid that would otherwise water down the sauce, but it also caramelized the vegetables, adding a savory depth. Ricotta cheese is traditional in lasagna, but we found that it muted the roasted vegetable flavor, so we layered our lasagna with only mozzarella and Parmesan, which lent plenty of rich cheese flavor and gooey texture. No-boil noodles made quick work of the assembly. Since the noodles absorbed almost all the sauce during overnight storage, we reserved some of the sauce to spread over the casserole before baking. This kept the lasagna saucy and prevented the top layer of noodles from drying out during baking. Be sure to grease the baking sheets before spreading the vegetables so they don’t stick during roasting. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1½	pounds zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
1½	pounds eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
5	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
9	garlic cloves, minced
	Salt and pepper
1	onion, chopped fine
1	(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1	(28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2	tablespoons chopped fresh basil
12	no-boil lasagna noodles
8	ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
3	ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1½ cups)

TO FINISH AND SERVE
4	ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1	ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)

TO PREP

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss zucchini and eggplant with 3 tablespoons oil, two-thirds of garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread vegetables in 2 greased rimmed baking sheets and bake, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes; set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with their juice, bring to simmer, and cook until flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature, 30 to 45 minutes. (You should have 7 cups sauce. Add water as needed to reach 7 cups.)

3. Spread 1 cup cooled sauce on bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Lay 3 noodles in dish, spread one-quarter of cooled vegetables over noodles, and top with 1 cup sauce. Sprinkle ⅔ cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan over sauce. Repeat layering of noodles, vegetables, sauce, and cheeses 2 more times. Lay remaining 3 noodles in dish and top with remaining vegetables and 1 cup sauce. Transfer remaining 2 cups sauce to storage container.

TO STORE

4. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate lasagna and reserved sauce separately for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

TO FINISH AND SERVE

5. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap dish and spread reserved sauce over top. Cover dish tightly with greased aluminum foil and bake lasagna until hot throughout and bubbling around edges, about 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.