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Recipe for Sandy’s Seasonal Vegetarian Lasagna

Vegetarian lasagna recipe with a summer vegetable medley and three cheeses developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Sandy's Seasonal Vegetarian Lasagna

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page. Share your results with us on Twitter @CDENutrition External link opens in new window or tab..

Yields 48 Servings

This recipe yields two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans of Sandy’s seasonal vegetarian lasagna for 48 servings: 3 inch by 4 inch slice or 12 ounce slice.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 8 ounces fresh basil
  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • 8 ounces ready-to-use minced garlic
  • 5 pounds ready-to-use fresh diced yellow onion
  • 2 pounds ready-to-use fresh shredded zucchini squash
  • 2 pounds ready-to-use fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 1 pound and 8 ounces ready-to-use fresh shredded carrots
  • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 106 ounces or 1 number 10 can low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 102 ounces or 1 number 10 can no salt added diced tomatoes (USDA food item)
  • 4 pounds ready-to-use fresh spinach leaves
  • 3 pounds dry whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • 4 pounds low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 5 pounds low moisture, part skim, shredded mozzarella cheese (USDA food item)
  • 10 ounces shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Rinse basil under cool running water. Remove stems and chop finely.
  2. Heat oil in a 5 gallon pot. Add garlic and onions and reduce heat to low, sauté until onions are translucent. Stir occasionally.
  3. Add basil, zucchini, mushrooms, and shredded carrots. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano and thyme.
  4. Add spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes. Heat on medium for 30 minutes.
  5. Stir in spinach. Set aside for assembly.
To Assemble Lasagna (with three layers in each pan)
  1. Prepare two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pans with pan liners.
  2. Layer ingredients in each pan in the following order:
    • 1 quart and ½ cup sauce mixture
    • 1 single layer of 8 dry whole wheat lasagna noodles over sauce
    • Dollop about 11 ounces ricotta cheese over noodles using a number 30 scoop
    • Spread evenly over noodles and sprinkle with 10 ounces mozzarella cheese
    • Repeat for second layer, and again for third layer
  3. To create the top of each lasagna, layer the following:
    • 1 single layer of 8 dry whole wheat lasagna noodles
    • 1 quart and 2 cups tomato mixture
    • 10 ounces mozzarella cheese
    • 10 ounces parmesan cheese
  4. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in standard oven at 325°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and finish baking for another 15 minutes.
  5. Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Critical Control Point (CCP): Hold lasagna at 135°F for service. To hold for next day service, refrigerate lasagna at 41°F or lower. CCP: If held for next day service, reduce temperature from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and from 70°F to 41°F or colder within an additional four hours. Refrigerate lasagna at 41°F or lower.
  6. For next day service: Reheat in conventional oven at 325°F until temperature reaches 165°F. CCP: Heat to 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 465.00
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 44.50
  • Protein, in grams: 25.00
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 9.00
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0.00
  • Total fat, in grams: 19.50
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 417.00

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 96 Servings

This recipe yields four–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans of Sandy’s seasonal vegetarian lasagna for 96 servings: 3 inch by 4 inch slice or 12 ounce slice.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 1 pound fresh basil
  • 1⅓ cups olive oil
  • 1 pound ready-to-use minced garlic
  • 10 pounds ready-to-use fresh diced yellow onion
  • 4 pounds ready-to-use fresh shredded zucchini squash
  • 4 pounds ready-to-use fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 3 pounds ready-to-use fresh shredded carrots
  • 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ¼ cup ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup, 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 212 ounces or 2 number 10 cans low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 204 ounces or 2 number 10 cans no salt added diced tomatoes (USDA food item)
  • 8 pounds ready-to-use fresh spinach leaves
  • 6 pounds dry whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • 8 pounds low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 10 pounds low moisture, part skim, shredded mozzarella cheese (USDA food item)
  • 1 pound and 4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Rinse basil under cool running water. Remove stems and chop finely.
  2. Heat oil in a 5 gallon pot. Add garlic and onions and reduce heat to low, sauté until onions are translucent. Stir occasionally.
  3. Add basil, zucchini, mushrooms, and shredded carrots. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano and thyme.
  4. Add spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes. Heat on medium for 30 minutes.
  5. Stir in spinach. Set aside for assembly.
To Assemble Lasagna (with three layers in each pan)
  1. Prepare four–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pans with pan liners.
  2. Layer ingredients in each pan in the following order:
    • 1 quart and ½ cup sauce mixture
    • 1 single layer of 8 dry whole wheat lasagna noodles over sauce
    • Dollop about 11 ounces ricotta cheese over noodles using a number 30 scoop
    • Spread evenly over noodles and sprinkle with 10 ounces mozzarella cheese
    • Repeat for second layer, and again for third layer
  3. To create the top of each lasagna, layer the following:
    • 1 single layer of 8 dry whole wheat lasagna noodles
    • 1 quart and 2 cups tomato mixture
    • 10 ounces mozzarella cheese
    • 10 ounces parmesan cheese
  4. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in standard oven at 325°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and finish baking for another 15 minutes.
  5. Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Critical Control Point (CCP): Hold lasagna at 135°F for service. To hold for next day service, refrigerate lasagna at 41°F or lower. CCP: If held for next day service, reduce lasagna temperature from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and from 70°F to 41°F or colder within an additional four hours. Refrigerate lasagna at 41°F or lower.
  6. For next day service: Reheat in conventional oven at 325°F until temperature reaches 165°F. CCP: Reheat lasagna to 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 465.00
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 44.50
  • Protein, in grams: 25.00
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 9.00
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0.00
  • Total fat, in grams: 19.50
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 417.00

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Hot plate recipes
  • Recipes with condiments
  • Meatless or plant-based recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield 48 or yield 96–3 inch by 4 inch slices or 12 ounce slices

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 2.50 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • 1.00 ounce whole grain-rich
  • 1⅜ vegetable (¼ cup dark green vegetable, ½  cup red/orange vegetable, and  ⅝ cup other vegetable)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
  • Canned no salt added diced tomatoes
  • Low moisture, part skim, shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • Mediterranean

Preparation Time

  • Preparation to serve time: 2 hours 45 minutes for 48 servings and 3 hours 45 minutes for 96 servings.

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Hold lasagna at 135°F for service.
  • CCP: If held for next day service, reduce  lasagna temperature from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and from 70°F to 41°F or colder within an additional four hours. Refrigerate lasagna at 41°F or lower.
  • CCP: Reheat lasagna to 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.

Kid Rating

Four-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Irvine Unified School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Friday, June 16, 2023
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