This is one of my favorite recipes! I love lasagna, but a lot of vegetarian lasagna recipes call for tons of fresh veggies, which can be a pain to cut up when you don't have much time! The recipe uses canned black beans, which is not only easy, but adds a nice protein punch to it!
I got the recipe from the Better Homes and Garden's cookbook, but I make a few changes, adding tofu to the cheese mixture makes it go a little further while still maintaining the same flavors.
Black Bean Lasagna
Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles (8 ounces)
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 15-ounce cans low-sodium tomato sauce or tomato sauce with seasonings
- 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
- 1 12-ounce container low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
- 1 8-ounce package of tofu, crumbled
- 1/4 cup light dairy sour cream
- Tomato slices (optional)
- Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Directions
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Mash one can of the beans; set aside.
2. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; add onion, green sweet pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until tender but not brown. Add mashed beans, unmashed beans, tomato sauce, and snipped cilantro; heat through.
3. In a large bowl combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, tofu and sour cream; set aside. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole with nonstick coating. Arrange three of the noodles in the dish. Top with one-third of the bean mixture. Spread with one-third of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with bean mixture. Reserve the remaining cheese mixture.
4. Bake, covered, in a 350
Make-Ahead Tip: Refrigerate unbaked casserole, covered, up to 1 day, and bake as directed. Or, freeze up to 1 month; thaw frozen casserole in refrigerator overnight, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.
