BBQ Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
• ¼-½ cup chopped, pickled jalapenos (optional)
• 2 cups good quality, prepared barbecue sauce, plus ½ cup reserved
• 2 cups good quality fire-roasted tomato sauce, plus ½ cup reserved
• 1 cup water (omit if using flour tortillas or fresh pasta)
• 4 cups roughly chopped, cooked chicken meat, brisket or pulled pork (or suitable plant-based protein substitute)
• Salt, to tase if desired
• ----Cottage cheese filling----
• 2 cups full-fat cottage cheese, strained to remove excess liquid, and pureed
• ½ cup queso
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• ----Lasagna assembly----
• 12 dry lasagna noodles (or 8 medium flour tortillas)
• ½ cup grated mozzarella
• ½ cup grated cheddar
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• ----Garnish----
• ¼ cup cup queso
• ½ cup crispy-fried onions
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

Barbecue meat filling:

1. Heat canola in a deep saucepan on medium heat. Once hot, add onion, bell pepper, as well as pickled jalapenos if decided, and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
2. Add sauces, water (again, omit if using flour tortillas or fresh pasta layers) and chopped protein of choice and continue to cook until mixture is warmed through, about 4-5 minutes. Keep warm on the stove until ready to assemble lasagna.
3. Combine reserved BBQ sauce and tomato sauce in a small bowl and set aside as well.

Cottage cheese filling:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Lasagna assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Evenly distribute ½ cup of the reserved BBQ sauce and tomato sauce mixture on the base of a 9” x 13” baking dish.
3. Place three dry lasagna noodles over the thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of approximately ⅓ of the barbecue meat filling and ⅓ of the cheese filling.
4. Repeat another two layers in the same order beginning with noodles, then meat filling and then cheese filling.
5. Add noodles for the final layer and top with remaining ½ cup of BBQ sauce and tomato sauce mixture.
6. Gently combine grated cheese with heavy cream and then distribute evenly on top of lasagna.
7. Bake on middle oven rack until pasta is al dente and topping is a bubbly golden-brown, approximately 50 minutes. (If edges of lasagna start to brown too quickly, cover edges with tinfoil.)
8. If using fresh pasta sheets or flour tortillas, reduce baking time by 20 minutes.