Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Late August 2019. The summer is nearly over and I have been at UAB for two semesters now. The city has become mine in the usual way: the shortcuts and the quiet spots and the people whose names I know. I walk to campus most mornings. I know which trees bloom early in spring and which corner of the library has the best light at three in the afternoon.

This week in the kitchen I made moussaka for the first time, which is a project: eggplant, ground lamb, bechamel sauce layered and baked. I had never made bechamel before from scratch and it requires constant attention. Butter and flour cooked together until they smell nutty, then milk added slowly, whisked constantly until thick and smooth. If you walk away it lumps. I did not walk away. The moussaka came out rich and fragrant and deeply satisfying, the kind of dish that takes all afternoon and produces something that feels like a meal you would only get in a restaurant.

Gloria called me Sunday this week, which is usually my direction, and she said: just wanted to hear your voice. We talked for forty-five minutes about nothing important. Her garden is doing well this year. James is watching too much golf. Biscuit is, she is glad to report, eating well. She asked about every class by name. She has them memorized. She has always held the details of my life more carefully than I sometimes hold them myself. That is one of the things love does when it has time and intention behind it.

Making that moussaka reminded me of something I already knew but had to re-learn with my hands: some dishes can’t be rushed, and the ones that can’t are usually the ones worth making. The layering, the sauce, the long bake—it all asks you to stay present. This roasted red pepper lasagna works the same way, building depth in stages, and it has become the dish I reach for whenever I want that same feeling of having made something that genuinely took effort and genuinely shows it.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 55 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

12 lasagna noodles
3 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions

Roast the peppers. Preheat broiler to high. Arrange red pepper halves cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 10–12 minutes until skins are charred and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam 10 minutes. Peel off skins, then slice peppers into thin strips. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until just al dente. Drain, drizzle lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking, and lay flat on a baking sheet.
Build the tomato sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Stir in the roasted red pepper strips.
Make the bechamel. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture smells slightly nutty, about 2 minutes. Gradually add warm milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Continue to cook and whisk until the sauce is thick and smooth, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Mix the ricotta filling. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, parsley, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
Assemble the lasagna. Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato-pepper sauce across the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer 3 noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by 1/3 of the remaining tomato-pepper sauce, 1/3 of the bechamel, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layering two more times. Finish with the final 3 noodles, the remaining bechamel, remaining mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan.
Bake. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna — The Patience a Layered Dish Requires