Recipes & Food Styling

Plant-Forward Taste of Italy!

Simple and satisfying! This plant-forward version of the Italian classic takes just a few minutes and only a few perishable ingredients. Keep a stash of most of these items in the pantry for busy days when you can throw this together in a pinch. 

The trick to the best noodle texture in lasagna? Don’t include too much sauce. Use just enough in each layer. 

Chop button mushrooms into tiny morsels that provide the texture of sausage.

Mushrooms are a superfood that provide potassium, selenium, copper, thiamin, magnesium, and phosphorous. 

While bringing wonderful pops of seasonal color to this traditionally red-and-white meal, sweet potatoes are also very nutritious. They provide potassium (12%); fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and C. 

Mushroom and Sweet Potato Lasagna

3 cups canned tomato sauce

2 cups chopped button mushrooms

2 tablespoons cooking spray

4 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles (about 1/2 of 1 box)

2  cups cottage cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup provolone cheese

2 roasted sweet potatoes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°F. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomato sauce and mushrooms.  

Spray a 9X13-inch cake pan with cooking spray. 

Use a large spoon to spread a very thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the cake pan. 

Place 1 layer of the noodles on top of the sauce.  

Use a spoon to spread a layer of sauce on top of the noodles. 

Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to place 9 tablespoons of the cottage cheese scattered across the top of the noodles.   

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella and provolone cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture lightly over the cottage cheese. 

Use a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes. Place 1-inch dollops of the sweet potatoes on top of the cheese, scattered throughout. 

Repeat the layers 2 more times. 

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake until the edges of the lasagna are browned, about 1 hour. 

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and oregano.