Hatch chiles are back!! Bet you weren't expecting that after seeing this picture, was it? August is a miserable month here in Texas as the heat is relentless and with the longer days...just doesn't make for a good combination. However, it is also the month I wait for in anticipation because of these precious peppers that make their way down to Texas from Hatch, New Mexico (hence the name). Unfortunately, they aren't here to stay for very long (thru September if we're lucky). I don't know about you, but all sense of self-restraint is abandoned when I hear the word "limited." Even if I don't need it or necessarily care for it, I will hoard it like there is no tomorrow...perhaps to eliminate any possibility of regret. Yes..that must be it. In any case, the Hungryman and I have been hatch chile killers as of late. I actually made this dish several weeks ago and am just now getting around to posting...I'm so on top of things ;).
How to pick the perfect pepper? Here's what I look for - it's gotta be bright green in color, symmetrical, feel heavy for its size, and the skin has to be smooth yet firm. So what do I do with the ridiculous amount of chiles I end up purchasing throughout the season? Roast and freeze them of course! The Pioneer Woman has great step-by-step instructions on how to do this. When packing them in a freezer bag, I like to put just a few in each bag, being sure to let all the air out, and lay them flat in the freezer. Now you can enjoy them all year round! Not really the case in my household as they all seem to disappear before October.
While I normally go southwestern when adding them to dishes (like these hatch chile chicken burgers), I decided to try something different... shake things up a bit (no pun intended ;)). The Hungryman demanded requested lasagna so I thought I would just throw the chiles in since I have so many on hand. I contemplated whether or not I should make a Mexican lasagna with the usual flavors of cumin, corn, cilantro, lime, etc, but I really wanted Italian food (specifically ricotta..which I can eat by the spoonful). So here it is..Vegetarian Lasagna Roll Ups with hatch chiles!
Spread the ricotta mixture evenly on cooked noodles and roll carefully! So much more fun than stacking in layers :).
At this point, the Hungryman really wanted to just pick one up with his fingers. I had to snap photos with lightning speed before he left his mark. When he saw a window of opportunity, he quickly devoured a roll up and eagerly asked for seconds. He said he really liked it even though it lacked any kind of meat. Coming from a carnivore like the Hungryman, it was like music to my ears.
Ingredients
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion diced
- 6 oz. portobello mushroom diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach thawed and completely drained (you can also use fresh)
- ¼ cup finely chopped roasted hatch chiles about 2
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook lasagna in salted water and cook to al dente. Drain and lay the lasagna noodles out flat on a baking sheet or a flat surface. Cool.
- Vegetables: Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook about 4-5 min, or until softened and fragrant. Add mushroom, red bell pepper, spinach, roasted hatch chile and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted, approx 4-5 min. Transfer to a bowl.
- Filling: Combine ricotta, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, 1 egg, spinach mixture in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Assembly: Spray 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Line bottom with ½ cup of marinara sauce. Take ⅓ cup of filling and spread evenly over noodle. Carefully roll and place seam side down into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. Top rolled noodles with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 min. Remove foil and bake for additional 5 min, or until cheese is melted on the top. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
Calories: 464 * Total Fat: 17.8g * Saturated Fat: 9.2g * Cholesterol: 71mg * Sodium 691mg * Total Carbs: 48.5g * Fiber: 5.5g * Sugars: 9.6g * Protein: 28.2g
Nutrition
HHave you had hatch chiles before? If so, what are you favorite ways to enjoy them
Meg says
Hi Min!
Just wanted to let you know I've made this recipe multiple times…my husband and I love it! Love your site 🙂
Min says
Thank you so much, Meg, for taking the time to let me know how much you guys enjoyed the recipe! You just totally made my day ;).Truly means a lot..
Miriam says
Hello Min,
This looks amazing and will be cooking it this weekend! However, my husband isn't a big fan of spinach; anything else you recommend I substitute it with? Or shall I just leave it out?
Thanks,
Miriam
Min says
Thank you, Miriam. Sure! You can add whatever veggies you guys like - swiss chard, kale, zucchini, eggplant..the sky is the limit with this one. Or you could even make this with spinach and see how he likes it. Mine is not fond of kale, but I try to "sneak" it into his favorite foods in hopes that he will come around. He's def starting to open up to it ;). You never know hehe.
Miriam says
Great Thanks Min!
One last question, if I have fresh spinach, how do I cook them to include them in the recipe ?
Min says
No problem! First cook your garlic and onion, until softened (4-5 minutes), then add mushroom, red bell pepper, and hatch chile (if you choose), and spinach. Cook it until it's slightly wilted (4-5 minutes). Hope this helps!
Miriam says
Thanks a million! Will try it out and let you know 🙂
Miriam says
Hello Min,
I did this last week and it turned out great! I loved it and so did my husband!! Thank you very much for the recipe 🙂