Roasted-Vegetable Lasagna with Cipollini Onions

When a few basic vegetables make up the bulk of a dish, it’s important to prepare them in a way that brings out their richest flavors. Cipollini onions—those small, flying-saucer-shaped beauties—are perfect for roasting. To keep the recipe easy, I simply roasted the mushrooms and tomatoes in the same skillet—after removing the onions—chopped and tossed all the vegetables together, and that’s it: ready for layering.

Cipollini Onions

You don’t need to make lasagna with thick, creamy cheeses like ricotta or fresh mozzarella all the time. Those are great, but when you’re doing vegetarian, rich, heavy-textured cheese can overpower the lightness of the vegetables. Shredded and grated cheeses work well too, without making dense layers.

A cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano may sound like a lot, but it’s not a packed cup. Finely grated, this king of cheeses forms a puffy little mound quickly—enough to measure a loose cup, but still not much cheese.

Finely Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 10 small to medium cipollini onions
• olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tbsp
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 12 oz button mushrooms, halved (quartered, if large)
• 5-6 medium stem tomatoes, halved (quartered, if large)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as sage and oregano
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (from a 28-oz can), divided
• 1 cup shredded provolone, divided
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• dried oregano, for garnish (optional)

Stem Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Garlic and Herbs

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Cut a thin slice from each end of the onions and remove the peel. (If it’s difficult to remove, try rubbing it under running water.)
3. Place the onions in a heavy, ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron), drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Roast in the oven until tender and golden brown, 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Onions Ready to Roast

Roasted Cipollini Onions

1. Remove the onions to a cutting board and let cool.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F and let the skillet cool 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the lasagna noodles in salted, boiling water about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
4. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the skillet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Roast until tender but the tomatoes are not broken down, 11-12 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Mushrooms and Tomatoes Ready to Roast

Roasted Mushrooms and Tomatoes

1. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms and tomatoes to the cutting board. (This helps keep the vegetables from being too watery in the lasagna.) Leave the oven on.
2. Chop the onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Chopped Roasted Cipollinis

1. Heat another skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and herbs and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, 4-5 minutes.

Roasted Vegetables with Garlic and Herbs

1. Lightly oil a large baking dish and spread 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes over the bottom. Lay 4 slightly overlapping noodles in the dish and spread 1/2 the vegetable mixture on top. Scatter 1/3 cup provolone and 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano over the vegetables.

First Vegetable Layer

First Layer with Cheese

1. Place 4 more noodles in the dish and repeat the layer.
2. To finish, place the final 4 noodles in the dish and spread with the remaining 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes. Scatter the remaining 1/3 cup of each cheese on top. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes, until the top begins to brown.
3. Remove and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Lasagna Ready to Bake

Baked Lasagna

To serve, slice into 6 large pieces or 8 medium pieces and garnish with dried oregano, if desired.

Vegetable Lasagna with Roasted Cipollini Onions, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes