Black Bean Lasagna

Black Bean Lasagna. This is but one of the delicious and creative entries in the Lasagna Challenge! Click here to see the post: 8 Ways To Make Lasagna: Our Lasagna Cook-Off!

Black Bean Lasagna

by Rebecca Marsh

“I worked at Williston Central School as a substitute teacher and instructional tutor from 1997 until 2000. At the time, the school cafeteria offered both a student lunch and an adult lunch. This was the first time I had ever tried, or heard of, black bean lasagna. At the time I was still a vegetarian. I loved it and set out to recreate it at home. This was one of the first dishes that I cooked and one that I still make fairly regularly in my rotation of meals.”

Ingredients:

• 1 box lasagna noodles (of which you will need 12)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 16 oz. container ricotta cheese
• ¼ c. Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 eggs
• 2 24-oz. jars spaghetti sauce (I prefer to use Classico)
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed
• Fresh basil and/or parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cook lasagna noodles as package directs.
3. While lasagna noodles cook, sauté onions in a medium nonstick skillet for 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one minute more.
4. Add black beans to onion and garlic with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper. Mix together and remove from heat.
5. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, and most of the mozzarella cheese. Stir in the 2 eggs and a few dashes of salt and pepper. Mix in up to ¼ cup of fresh chopped parsley and/or basil.
6. Cover the bottom of 9 ½ x 11 pan with spaghetti sauce.
7. Place 4 lasagna noodles over sauce.
8. Spread ½ of cheese mixture evenly over noodles.
9. Spread ½ of the black bean mixture over the cheese.
10. Cover black bean mixture with spaghetti sauce.
11. Repeat steps 7-10, and then top with 4 remaining noodles.
12. Cover top layer of noodles with spaghetti sauce.
13. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, or alternately, place several thin slices of mozzarella on top.
14. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 10 minutes more.

Serve with homemade garlic bread and a green salad! Enjoy!