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Mar 2010  |  By Julie Chernoff  |  Comments

Vegetarian Ravioli Lasagna

All the yummy cheesiness of traditional lasagna, but much simpler because you’re using ravioli (like little pillows of lasagna) and even healthy with the addition of fresh-tasting gourmet frozen veggies.

Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package frozen leaf spinach (10 ounces), defrosted
• 1 package frozen chopped butternut squash (10 ounces)
• 2 packages whole wheat, four-cheese ravioli (9 ounces)
• 1 jar marinara or tomato-vodka sauce (24 ounces)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until heated through and dry. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. In 9x13 baking dish, spoon about 1/2 cup marinara or vodka sauce. Spread evenly over bottom. Make a layer of ravioli, using about a 1/3 of the pasta. Sprinkle with 1/2 the spinach and 1/2 the butternut squash. Sprinkle evenly with 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of remaining sauce. Repeat for the second ravioli layer. For the last layer, place remaining ravioli, top with remaining sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle top with Parmesan. Cover lasagna with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

4. Remove from oven, let cool for about ten minutes. Dig in!

Cook’s Note: Highly recommend Stahlbush Island Farms organic spinach and butternut squash available at Whole Foods and Mario Batali’s tomato vodka sauce.

Complete the Menu: You’ve got the veggies and pasta, so you could call it a one-dish meal, but if you like, add a classic caesar salad and a nice Chianti. Convito in Wilmette has a 2006 Lucignano Chianti for about $15.

Shopping List:

Produce
1 onion
1 head garlic
1 package Stahlbush Island Farms organic frozen leaf spinach (10 ounces),
1 package Stahlbush Island Farms organic frozen chopped butternut squash (10 ounces)

Dairy
16 ounces mozzarella cheese
4 ounces Parmesan cheese

Other
2 packages refrigerated whole wheat, four-cheese ravioli (9 ounces)
1 jar marinara or tomato-vodka sauce (24 ounces)