Deconstructed Lasagna
Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Inspired By, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Sauces, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian
This is an ode to lasagna.
Or lasagne.
I don’t really care how you spell it. What matters is that it tastes amazing.
But, it’s a lazy lasagna. It’s a quick and easy lasagna. It’s a lasagne whose best parts have taken apart and reassembled.
Deconstructed.
It starts, as most dinners cooked by me do, with lots of veggies. You could totally add more. Summer squash would be great. More greens are always fun. Grated carrots are fabulous.
You know how it is, use what you have.
Today, I have chives.
Had.
They all went into the pasta.
A good decision.
It’s always a good idea to add a little bit of the starchy pasta water to a pasta sauce. It helps the sauce to stick to the pasta when it’s combined.
Since the point of this dish was to make a lasagna-like meal, it has many of the same elements. I went for a vegetarian version, because I didn’t have any ground beef. I think that beef would still be delicious, but I really liked it without.
I finished photographing and couldn’t stop eating it.
I wrote “Oh my gosh! So freaking good!!!” at the top of the page in my notebook where I’d written down the recipe.
I could eat this again and again. With or without the beef.
With the ricotta. Definitely with.
What didn’t seem like a lot of pasta ended up as just the perfect amount. I always overestimate how much pasta I’m going to need.
I’ve invited Tim for dinner.
Because we’re married and he lives here.
Because I’m the cooker and this is what I’ve made for dinner…
But, I totally think this would be a great dinner party meal too.
Happy Eating!
- pasta
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 C greens (collards, spinach, chard, kale), chopped
- 4 small tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 t dried rosemary, chopped
- 1/2 t dried thyme
- 1/2 to 1 t dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch chives, chopped
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 T fresh parsley, chopped, divided
- 1 T fresh basil, chopped, divided
- 1/2 C water from cooked pasta
- 1 T lemon juice
- 15 oz. ricotta, divided
- parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
- lemon wedges, for serving
- Cook pasta. Reserve the pasta water when pasta is almost done and the water is starchy.
- Heat skillet, add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium or medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add collards through oregano. Cook for 3 minutes. Then add garlic and chives. Cook for 1 minute more.
- Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, half of the parsley, half of the basil, pasta water, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in half of the ricotta. Cook for about 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Top with a dollop of ricotta, some parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon.
