I had two summer squash in the refrigerator, which seemed like the perfect replacement for noodles in lasagna. I didn’t have any ricotta on hand, so I needed to find other ingredients as fillings. A little bit of cooked spinach would give color, texture, and a hint of flavor. Add the usual layers of homemade marinara and mozzarella, and it was lasagna in the making.
I thoroughly enjoyed this meal and thought it was a delicious way to use summer squash. However, as the dish was made primarily with vegetables, it wasn’t very filling. To keep it vegetarian, I would suggest adding ricotta or serving it with garlic bread. If a little meat is fine, I would serve it with a side of meatballs and marinara. Another option would be to serve the squash lasagna as a side dish to accompany grilled chicken or steak.
This recipe will be quite useful when summer arrives and there are squash and zucchini overflowing our gardens. . .though I probably won’t wait that long to try this dish again.
- 2 summer squash
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup marinara
- 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
- 1/4 lb. fresh mozzarella
- parmesan cheese, grated
- Preheat oven to 425. Slice squash lengthwise into 1/4″ thick slices. Brush will olive oil on both sides, and place on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Reduce heat to 375. In a small baking dish, place a thin layer of marinara. Place squash slices on marinara, enough to cover bottom of pan. Top with half of the spinach and half of the mozzarella. Top with another layer of squash slices.
- Top squash with remaining spinach and 1/3 cup of marinara. Sprinkle parmesan on top of marinara.
- Add another layer of squash slices, and top with marinara and remaining mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Serve with additional marinara or parmesan, if desired.
