Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna - Real Life Dinner

Lasagna is one of our favorite meals, so I was super excited when my friend, Ronica, told me she had a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna that I just had to try. Best of all, you don’t have to boil the noodles. It uses a simple sauce that is just your favorite store-bought sauce with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. So we are talking super simple prep here! Of course, if you want to or if you don’t like store-bought sauce, you could always mix up a batch of my Amazing Spaghetti Sauce recipe to use.

The mozzarella and parmesan mixed into the ricotta cheese make an amazing and flavorful filling that pairs perfectly with the smokiness of the roasted tomatoes and red peppers. This is a meal that tastes fancy but is incredibly simple to prepare. I just know you’re going to love it!

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Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Do I need to cook the lasagna noodles first?

No, you don’t. I used regular dry lasagna noodles for this recipe and did not boil them before making the lasagna.

Can I skip simmering the marinara sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes?

Yes. Simmering the marinara sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes together helps their flavors mingle together. If you don’t want to simmer them together, you can mix them together in a mixing bowl, and the lasagna will still turn out good.

If I use whole-wheat lasagna noodles, how long do I bake the lasagna?

The baking times are the same if you use whole-wheat lasagna noodles. If you use dry whole-wheat lasagna noodles, just make sure to cover the casserole with aluminum foil before baking it.

Can I use cottage cheese in place of the ricotta cheese?

Yes. The flavor will be a little different, but will still taste good. Also, since cottage cheese has more moisture than ricotta cheese, the filling will be wetter and take longer to “set up” after it’s baked.

Do you recommend adding mushrooms or spinach?

You can add mushrooms or spinach. If you do, I recommend using an 8 oz can of sliced mushrooms, drained, and layer them on top of the roasted red peppers. If you decide to add spinach, make sure to drain as much liquid off of the frozen or freshly cooked spinach, and then layer the spinach on top of the peppers.

Can I use Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in place of the shredded Parmesan cheese?

Yes. It is a good substitute for shredded Parmesan cheese.

Chef’s Tools:

Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour 15 mins

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

The mozzarella and parmesan mixed into the ricotta cheese make an amazing and flavorful filling that pairs perfectly with the smokiness of the roasted tomatoes and red peppers.

Author: My friend, Ronica

Recipe type: Dinner/Casserole

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

24 oz jar marinara sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups or 15 oz ricotta cheese
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground oregano
9-12 lasagna noodles (dry or cooked)
1 (16 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the marinara sauce and the fire-roasted tomatoes. Place a lid on the pan and turn the burner on low heat. Let the sauce mixture simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
While the sauce is simmering, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Stir in the beaten egg, salt, pepper, and ground oregano. Set aside.
Next, remove the marinara sauce mixture from the heat and spoon 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place 3-4 lasagna noodles over the sauce.
Spread half of the cheese mixture over the noodles and top with the drained roasted red peppers.
Place 3-4 noodles on top and spread the remaining cheese mixture over the noodles. Pour half of the marinara sauce mixture over the noodles.
Next, place the remaining 3-4 noodles on top, evenly pour the remaining sauce on top of the noodles, and then sprinkle the 2 cups shredded mozzarella on top of the sauce.
If you're using dry lasagna noodles, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more until the cheese is lightly browned around the edges. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving.
For cooked lasagna noodles, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!