French Italian Vegetarian Gluten FreeMedium

Noodle-Free Ratatouille Lasagna

Name: Noodle-Free Ratatouille Lasagna
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: french, italian
Ingredients: 14 oz cottage cheese (drained); 2 cup mozzarella (divided in half); 0.333 cup parmesan cheese; 1 pcs large egg; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 0.5 pcs onion; 3 pcs garlic; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.125 tsp black pepper; 28 oz crushed tomatoes; 0.125 tsp chili flakes; 1 pcs bay leaf (remove before layering); 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves; 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves (divided in half); 1 pcs red bell pepper; 1 pcs yellow bell pepper; 1 pcs zucchini (sliced lengthwise 1/8 inch thick); 1 pcs yellow squash (sliced lengthwise 1/8 inch thick); 1 pcs eggplant (sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick)

Ago Tanfossi

Chef and recipe curator at Global Cucina

Published on July 27, 2026

Updated on July 27, 2026

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Eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash replace pasta in this high-protein vegetarian lasagna with cottage cheese and mozzarella.

Here, careful moisture control does the work normally handled by pasta. Draining the cottage cheese and grilling the summer vegetables first creates clean, sliceable layers while keeping the Provençal produce and Italian casserole structure equally recognizable.

2 hr

4 servings

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) conventional. Put the cottage cheese in a fine colander and let it drain while you prepare the vegetables.
2
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Sauté the onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes. Add the sauce salt and pepper, crushed tomatoes, chili flakes, bay leaf, thyme, half the basil, and both diced bell peppers. Partially cover and cook over medium-low for 8–10 minutes; discard the bay leaf.
10 min
3
Lightly oil a large nonstick grill pan. Grill the zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, then lay them on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
3 min
4
Mix the drained cottage cheese with half the mozzarella, the Parmesan, remaining basil, and egg. Season with the filling salt and pepper.
5
Spread 1/2 cup sauce in an 11 x 7.5 x 3-inch glass baking dish. Add overlapping eggplant, bringing it slightly up the sides; top with half the cheese filling and 1 cup sauce. Add the zucchini, 1 cup sauce, the remaining filling, and the yellow squash in that order. Finish with all remaining sauce and cover with foil.
6
Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender and excess liquid has cooked away. Scatter over the remaining mozzarella and bake for another 10 minutes, until melted.
1 hr 5 min
7
Rest for 10–15 minutes, then cut into 4 pieces.
15 min

Ago's Notes

Drain the cottage cheese, grill the vegetable planks, blot them on paper towels, and complete the 30-minute uncovered bake; all four controls help prevent a watery lasagna.
The displayed timing counts a 10-minute rest, although the source method allows 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Assemble the dish up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Refrigerate cooked leftovers for up to four days or freeze individual portions for up to three months.
Ricotta may replace the cottage cheese. If omitting the egg for an allergy, expect a softer cheese layer. Parsley or rosemary may replace the basil or thyme.

Let the casserole settle before cutting so the distinct vegetable, tomato, and cheese layers stay together.

Main CourseBaked

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