Give Lasagna A Subtly Sweet Upgrade By Swapping Boring Noodles With This Delicious Veggie

Is there anything better than coming home to a big piece of warm, cheesy lasagne after a long day? It's the ultimate comfort food, especially when the weather gets colder and the days get even shorter. And with a simple swap, you can give lasagne a slight nutrition boost and add a subtly sweet flavor, making it an even more appealing addition to your meal-prep list. All you need to do is replace the pasta sheets with a fan-favorite veggie: sweet potatoes.

You might not automatically think of sweet potatoes when you're looking for a pasta swap, but if you slice them into paper-thin sheets, they're perfect for a layered Italian lasagne. When baked, the sheets will soften and caramelize slightly, leading to a tender, noodle-like consistency.

The sweet potatoes pair with a creamy béchamel sauce perfectly, and they still hold just a tiny bit of bite to complete the texture of your lasagne. They also lend a lovely sweetness to the dish, which complements a heavy meat sauce, and they're packed with healthy vitamins and minerals. They're gluten-free too — which is an added bonus for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

You can cut the sweet potatoes with a sharp knife, but you want them to be the same consistency, so a mandolin will make things a lot easier. If you don't have one, though, there's no need to worry; just increase the baking time slightly if the sheets end up a little thicker. You're looking at a bake time of about 35 minutes to 50 minutes for a sweet potato lasagne, depending on your ingredients and oven. If you're pressed for time, you can boil the sweet potatoes for a few minutes before assembling, which should help speed things along.

A typical classic lasagne recipe calls for ricotta cheese, but it might end up being a little too soft for a sweet potato lasagne on its own. Try mixing in something like feta or shredded mozzarella to give the dish more structure. For the same reason, opt for a light layer of marinara sauce, as the sweet potatoes already add a lot of moisture.

You can use sweet potatoes in any meat or vegetable lasagne recipe, and feel free to add in any other flavors you like. Fresh herbs like sage, oregano, and basil work great, as does some chopped garlic. Chili flakes will add a little heat, and you can't forget to top everything with some fresh parmesan. You could even add in some extra veggies like spinach or carrots to give the lasagne even more of a boost.