Quick Red Lasagna

By Heidi Swanson

Serves 6

Ingredients:

🍅  28-ounce (800 g) can of crushed tomatoes

🫒  2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

🧂  ½ tsp fine grain salt

🧄  2 cloves garlic, chopped

🌶️  ½ tsp red pepper flakes

🍋  lemon zest

12 ounces (340 g) fresh pasta sheets, cut into lasagna strips or  9 ounces dried whole wheat no-boil lasagna sheets

🥫  1 cup cooked red lentils or cannellini beans

¼ cup chopped olives (optional)

🧀  4 ounces mozzarella cheese, torn

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in top third.

To assemble the lasagna combine the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a bowl and give a good stir. 

Spoon ¾ cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 8x12" (or larger) oven-proof baking dish. Sprinkle generously with lemon zest, and cover with a layer of pasta, giving the pasta strips a quick dunk in cold water before using - (please see note below if using no-boil noodles*). 

Spoon another thin layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the lentils, the olives (if using), and cover with another layer of pasta. Repeat with more layers ending with a generous amount of tomato sauce on top. Finish with the mozzarella cheese on top. 

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese gets nicely golden.