Easy mini lasagna recipe that is delicious and nutritious! Made with homemade cashew ricotta cheese, zucchini, and yellow summer squash, it’s hard to beat! This healthy single-serve lasagna is perfect for summer when zucchini is ripe on the vine, or enjoy it in the depths of winter for a cozy personal-sized meal.
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Table of Contents
Thank you, Le Parfait, for sponsoring this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Plant-Based Goodness: Featuring homemade cashew ricotta cheese, this recipe is a great source of plant-based proteins and healthy fats.
- Garden-Fresh: Utilizing fresh garden produce, this dish embodies the essence of summertime and clean eating.
- Perfect Balance: With a harmonious blend of macronutrients, it supports a balanced diet.
- Sustainable and Eco-Friendly: Cooking in glass jars not only makes it visually appealing but also aligns with sustainable living practices.
Nutrition For Mental Health
This easy mini lasagna recipe is made with fresh, whole foods ingredients. Zucchini and yellow summer squash are both good sources of potassium, vitamin C, and B6. They are both low in calories, which brings a nice balance to the calorically dense vegan ricotta cheese.
The homemade cashew ricotta cheese is a healthy plant-based fat. Cashews are a good source of protein, copper, manganese, and magnesium! Who knew? A study with 13,504 participants found that consuming nuts decreased your risk of depression by 17% compared to those who didn’t eat nuts.
Ingredients + Notes
This easy recipe calls for simple ingredients cooked in individual dishes.
- Ricotta Cheese: Homemade cashew ricotta cheese is a creamy, dairy-free alternative rich in proteins and minerals.
- Lasagna Noodles: The base of our lasagna is oven-ready lasagna noodles. Using these convenient, uncooked noodles saves time!
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- Cheese: This recipe calls for homemade cashew ricotta cheese. Adding a layer of vegan shredded mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese on top can add to the depth of flavor.
- Sauce: Any tomato sauce will do for this classic lasagna recipe. Classic marinara sauce or a flavorful tomato basil spaghetti sauce can be delicious! For a bit of a kick, try Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce.
- Herbs: This single-serve lasagna calls for tomato basil pasta sauce. If you opt for a classic marinara, then I would recommend adding in some freshly chopped herbs, such as fresh parsley, basil, or oregano. Alternatively, stirring in Italian seasoning and ground black pepper to the marinara sauce could do the trick.
Individual Lasagna Recipe
This vegan lasagna recipe uses freshly picked zucchini, yellow summer squash, homemade cashew ricotta cheese, lasagna noodles, and your favorite pasta sauce.
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce into the bottom of four 12 oz glass jars.
- Spread creamy ricotta on both sides of a piece of noodle and place it in the bottom of each jar. Scoop another tablespoon of pasta sauce on top.
- Layer two pieces of zucchini and two pieces of yellow summer squash in the jar.
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- Spoon 1 tablespoon pasta sauce on top.
- Repeat steps 3-5 until the jar is almost full. Then, scoop a tablespoon of ricotta on the very top.
- Fill a 9” x 9” baking pan with 1 1/2” of water and place jars inside the pan. Do NOT skip this step.
- Cover the top of the jars with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. (Alternatively, rest the jar lids on top of the jars. (Do NOT screw them down.)
- Remove tin foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with fresh basil on top.
Storage Tips
These mini lasagnas are conveniently made in Le Parfait 350ml (12oz) mason jars. If you don’t finish your entire lasagna, simply screw on the lid and store it in the fridge for up to 5-days.
Favorite Jars For Lasagna
Some people make individual single-serving lasagnas in a muffin tin, oven-safe ramekins, or mini Dutch ovens. The best option, however, is to use Le Parfait 12oz glass mason jars. They are super convenient to use. In addition, when it comes to storing leftovers, you don’t have to transfer the mini lasagnas to a different container.
FAQ
Mini lasagnas, like this recipe, are often referred to as “lasagna cups” or “lasagna jars.”
Pasta like mafaldine or lasagnette resembles mini lasagna noodles.
Yes, in this recipe, cashew ricotta cheese is spread between layers for creaminess.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Mini Lasagna Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Mini Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups homemade Cashew Ricotta Cheese
- 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
- 8 lasagna noodles, ready bake
- 2 1/2 cups tomato basil pasta sauce
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce into the bottom of four 12oz glass jars.
- Spread the ricotta mixture on both sides of a piece of noodle and place it at the bottom of each jar. Scoop another tablespoon of pasta sauce on top.
- Layer two pieces of zucchini and two pieces of yellow summer squash in the jar.
- Spoon 1 tablespoons pasta sauce on top.
- Repeat steps 3-5 until the jar is almost full. Then scoop a tablespoon of ricotta on the very top.
- Fill a 9”x9” baking pan with 1 1/2” of water and place jars inside the pan. Do NOT skip this step.
- Cover the top of the jars with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove tin foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with fresh basil on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Reference
Bizzozero-Peroni, B., Fernández-Rodríguez, R., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V., Garrido-Miguel, M., Medrano, M., Jiménez-López, E., & Mesas, A. E. (2023). Nut consumption is associated with a lower risk of depression in adults: A prospective analysis with data from the UK Biobank cohort. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 42(9), 1728–1736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2023.07.020
This was a labor of love but so worth it.
Glad you enjoyed it.
This was so good! I love that it uses store bought pasta sauce to save on time!
Glad you liked it!