Choose the sauce you use for this recipe carefully. Because the veggies are mild-tasting, the flavor of the sauce will be very noticeable. If you are not fond of cottage cheese, you can use ricotta. Blending either one with an immersion (hand) blender will make them creamier, and if you add some pepper and a dash or two of nutmeg, the cheese layer will play a stronger role in the taste profile.

You will likely have some sauce left over from your jar of pasta sauce (most jars are 24 oz.). You can use this sauce to top off leftovers when you reheat them in the microwave. You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in your fridge.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 medium zucchini

1 medium eggplant

Kosher salt

16 ounces (2 cups) good-quality store-bought tomato-based pasta sauce (or homemade)

1 medium red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese (do not use skim—I used 1%)

2 large eggs

8 ounces part-skim shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese, divided (about 2 cups—I used a blend of both cheeses)

For serving: Parmesan cheese, freshly chopped herbs such as basil or parsley

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

With a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice the eggplant and zucchini length-wise into long, thin (1/4-inch thick) sections so that they resemble lasagna noodles. Spread the vegetable slices out onto a kitchen towel or layers of paper towels and sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt. Let stand for 15 minutes to allow some of the excess liquid to drain off. Pat dry. Prepare the zucchini and eggplant according to one of the three methods below:

GRILL METHOD: Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium. Lightly coat the grill with canola oil, then grill the eggplant and zucchini strips until cooked and lightly brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

BROIL METHOD: Place the top oven rack about 5 inches from the upper heat element. Set the oven to broil at 500 degrees F. Arrange the zucchini and eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. (Do not line the baking sheet pans with wax paper or parchment, as they will burn.) Lightly brush the slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip over the slices and repeat for the other side. Broil for 8 minutes, or until lightly brown, working in multiple batches as needed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Place the slices on paper towels to remove excess moisture.

NEITHER: Move ahead with the recipe—skip grilling or broiling the zucchini completely. The lasagna will have a lot of excess liquid around the veggie slices in the slow cooker (even after salting them in step 1), but if this doesn’t bother you, you can scoop out the water and discard it.

Lightly coat a 6-quart crock pot with non-stick spray. Spread ½ cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the crock pot—the layer will seem very thin. In a small bowl, beat the cottage cheese together with the eggs.

Create the first veggie lasagna layer in the crock pot as follows: 1 layer of eggplant “noodles”; one-third of the cottage cheese (about 2/3 cup); one-third of the bell peppers and onions; one-third of the mozzarella; ½ cup tomato sauce.

Create the second veggie lasagna layer, this time using zucchini: 1 layer of zucchini “noodles”; one-third of the cottage cheese; one-third of the bell peppers and onions; one-third of the mozzarella; ½ cup of tomato sauce.

Create the final layer: 1 layer of eggplant “noodles”; remaining cottage cheese; remaining bell peppers and onions; 1 layer of zucchini noodles; ½ cup tomato sauce; remaining mozzarella.

Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the eggplant is tender. To test, insert a long, thin knife into the lasagna and ensure the eggplant feels tender. Re-cover, turn off the slow cooker, and let stand until any remaining liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Note: if you did not grill or broil the vegetables first, you will have a lot of remaining liquid.) To serve, slice and scoop desired portions, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and herbs as desired.

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Quick Tip:  Here are some tips to reduce the amount of liquid that will remain in your slow cooker:  Put paper towels or a tea towel under the lid while it is cooking to absorb moisture. Reduce the pasta sauce on the stove before using it in this recipe, so that when the zucchini releases water, the sauce will go back to its normal volume. Try very fine layers of toasted breadcrumbs or cooked quinoa over the veggie slices. Or you could use a counter top dehydrator for the zucchini and eggplant strips to get them soft and chewy before adding them.

Recipe and image courtesy of Erin at Well Plated