Hearty Beef & Veggie Lasagna

This lasagna recipe freezes & thaws well, making it the perfect meal to cook extras to pop in the freezer for a rainy day.

Ingredients

  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 4 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
  • 2 TBSP oregano
  • 2 TBSP parsley
  • 1 TBSP smoked paprika powder
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 TBSP raw cane sugar
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1.5lbs West Side Beef Lean Ground Beef
  • 1/2 pack of durum semolina oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup of shredded mozzarella
  • 1 egg beaten – extra basil for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, cook down ground beef, until crumbles form. Add garlic and veggies, cook for another 10 minutes until garlic is fragrant, stirring frequently. Add all remaining ingredients (except cheese, pasta, and egg). Stir.
  2. Simmer for 30 – 45 mins, let it thicken and reduce by 1-2 inches. Pro Tip: Use an immersion blender to hide those veggies from kids! Remove from heat and prep your baking dish or casserole dish by spraying with olive oil.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. Add 1/3 cup of sauce to a baking dish. Layer lasagna noodles, then more sauce, (cover the pasta), drizzle the beaten egg — 1 tbsp roughly, mozzarella, and more sauce. Repeat until the final layer reaches the top of the dish. Top with cheese.
  5. Cover and bake for 40 mins. Remove, uncover and bake for another 10 mins at 450 degrees f. Remove from the oven and slice. top with some chopped basil.