Lasagna is one of ultimate comfort foods, and in the case of this particular lasagna, it’s not hard to understand why. Soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables such as squash, zucchini, bell pepper, and eggplant and then topped with thin slices of Halloumi cheese for an irresistible appeal. You can serve it with a crisp salad and some garlic bread. This freezes well, so it’s great for batch cooking.

Recipe information

• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 4–6 servings

Ingredients

Sauce

1 lb. 3 oz. (550 g) peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into small pieces

1 lb. (450 g) zucchinis, cut into small pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces

2 medium eggplants, cut into small pieces

5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

¾ tsp. salt, plus more, divided

1 onion, finely chopped

4 fat garlic cloves, minced

2 cups (480 ml) tomato purée

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. sweet paprika

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper or other mild chile flakes

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (120 ml) water

12 lasagna sheets

Béchamel Sauce

5 Tbsp. (75 g) butter

⅔ cup (80 g) all-­purpose flour

3 cups (720 ml) milk

¼ tsp. ground white pepper

Pinch ground nutmeg

½ cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. salt

Toppings

7 oz. (200 g) block Halloumi, very thinly sliced

¼ cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Step 1Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
2. Step 2
   Combine 1 lb. 3 oz. (550 g) peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into small pieces, 1 lb. (450 g) zucchinis, cut into small pieces, 1 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces, and 2 medium eggplants, cut into small pieces, on a large baking sheet (use two sheets if needed), drizzle with 3 Tbsp. olive oil, season with a generous pinch of salt, and mix well with your hands. Roast for 30 minutes, or until soft.
3. Step 3
   Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 onion, finely chopped, and cook, stirring, for 12 minutes. Add 4 fat garlic cloves, minced, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups (480 ml) tomato purée, 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. sweet paprika, ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper or other mild chile flakes, and ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the roasted vegetables and season with ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Add ½ cup (120 ml) water to loosen the mixture and mix well.
4. Step 4
   To make the béchamel, combine 5 Tbsp. (75 g) butter and ⅔ cup (80 g) all-­purpose flour in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring to form a paste. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often. Add 3 cups (720 ml) milk, ¼ tsp. ground white pepper, and pinch ground nutmeg and whisk for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce is thick and smooth. Stir in ½ cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese and ¼ tsp. salt.
5. Step 5
   Now begin layering. Spoon one- third of the vegetable mixture into a 2½-qt. (2.6-l) glass baking dish and cover with one third of 12 lasagna sheets in a single layer. Top with one-­third of the béchamel. Repeat with two more layers each of vegetables, noodles, and béchamel. Top the lasagna with 7 oz. (200 g) block Halloumi, very thinly sliced, and ¼ cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese.
6. Step 6
   Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the filling to settle before cutting the lasagna.