Name: Quick & Easy Veggie Lasagna Cups
Ingredients: cooking spray, for coating muffin cups; 24 wonton wrappers, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced ((about 3 cups)); 3 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped ((about 2 cups, tightly packed)); 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped; kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper; pinch of crushed red pepper flakes ((optional)); 3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided ((about 1 1/4 cups)); 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided ((about 1 1/2 cups)); 6.5 ounces ricotta cheese ((about 3/4 cup)); 1 cup marinara or pasta sauce; fresh basil leaves, for garnish

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After trying these for yourself, you may be adding these Quick & Easy Veggie Lasagna Cups to the menu for all of your fun get-togethers.

They are no ordinary cupcakes. These guys are super easy and delicious …the perfect addition to your next potluck dinner or family gathering. They can be made ahead of time with your fresh ingredients, some wonton wrappers and your plain old muffin tin.

Let’s gather what you’ll need for your Quick & Easy Veggie Lasagna Cups…

Cooking spray – For coating the muffin cups. If preferred, a light brushing of oil could be used.
Wonton wrappers – At room temperature. These gems are made with readily available square wonton wrappers. If you’re feeling adventurous, you may want to give these Homemade Asian Wrappers a try.
Olive oil – I typically use extra-virgin olive oil. It’s a healthy choice and adds a pronounced peppery fruity flavor. Of course, you could use regular olive oil or any neutral oil such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated.
Fresh mushrooms – Thinly sliced. I typically use cremini (baby-portobello) mushrooms here. They have a meaty texture and smoky, earthy flavor that shines through. If you prefer a more mild flavor, white button mushrooms would be a good choice.
Baby spinach – Roughly chopped. Fresh baby spinach is ideal in this recipe. The young tender leaves are more delicate with a slightly sweeter flavor compared to mature spinach.
Fresh oregano leaves – Finely chopped. The fresh variety has a peppery, assertive flavor that tends to mellow when cooked. If you prefer to use dried oregano, keep in mind that it has a more concentrated, slightly bitter flavor. In place of the tablespoon of fresh chopped oregano leaves, use a scant teaspoon of the dried variety.
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper – For a final seasoning of the cooked veggies. My go-to is kosher salt. The coarse texture of kosher salt makes it easier to pick up and sprinkle, offering better control over seasoning, especially when adding salt by hand. I keep a small open bowl by my stove for an easy “pinch” when needed.
Crushed red pepper flakes – Totally optional. Also known as Peperoncino flakes, these spicy flakes may be optional but I recommend adding a small amount. Just a pinch can add heat and flavor to the final dish.
Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated. Whenever possible, I grate my own from a block of aged Parmigiano Reggiano.
Shredded mozzarella cheese – Shred your own or use purchased pre-shredded. Both will work well.
Ricotta cheese – Ricotta is the perfect choice here with its slightly sweet taste and creamy texture. I used the part-skim variety here but whole milk ricotta would also work well.
Tomato sauce – Your favorite jarred sauce is perfect and convenient. My family’s go-to is Lidia’s Marinara. Here’s a link to her recipe, if you’d like to make your own.
Fresh basil leaves – For serving. Highly recommend that you use fresh basil with its vibrant, sweet and peppery flavor.

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Coat twelve standard muffin cups with cooking spray.
You’ll be using a standard muffin tin, similar to this one.

When working with packaged wonton wrappers, they are far more pliable if you give them thirty minutes or so to rest at room temperature. Best to let that happen while they are still in the package so they don’t dry out.

Carefully press one wonton wrapper into each cup.
Be very cautious when lining the muffin tin with the wrappers.
As you gently push down to form fit each one, it is so easy to tear the delicate wrapper.
If that happens, replace it with a fresh one so that you don’t have the filling ingredients leaking through during baking.
Cover lightly with a towel; set aside.
Otherwise, the wrappers will dry out quickly as you work on the other ingredients.

You’ll notice that the wrappers don’t come all the way up the sides of each cup, but that’s okay. After adding some filling, a second wrapper is then layered on top to hold more deliciousness.

Time to prepare the yummy fillings for your Quick & Easy Veggie Lasagna Cups.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil to coat.
Sauté the sliced mushrooms until tender and caramelized.
Add the chopped spinach and oregano.
Cook one minute longer until the greens are wilted.
Remove from heat; season to taste with salt & pepper.
If using, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Drain off any excess liquid.

As always, you can customize things at this point.

In my household, we love mushrooms paired with broccoli.
It happens to be a favorite pizza topping for us.
The addition of roasted red pepper would be delicious.
Instead of spinach or broccoli, you could use broccoli rabe.
We like a small amount of crushed red pepper flakes thrown in for some heat, but if that’s not your thing …just skip that step.

Really, it’s so easy to make these your own …just be sure to keep the total volume similar to what we have here.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together 3/4 cup each of the Parmesan and mozzarella along with the ricotta cheese.

Time to assemble your creations…

Once the fillings are prepared, you’ll set up something similar to an assembly line.

Spoon half of the cheese mixture into the prepared muffin cups.
Follow with half of the veggie mixture then half of the marinara sauce.

You’ll be making two layers for each lasagna cup. So as you fill each cup …keep in mind that half of the veggie mixture as well as half of the cheese mixture is saved for the second layer.

Create a second layer by adding a second wonton wrapper to each muffin cup.
Top each off with the remaining cheese mixture followed by the remaining veggies and sauce.
Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.

Your Quick & Easy Veggie Lasagna Cups are ready for the oven…

Bake until the edges are browned for about 15 to 18 minutes.
Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes.
Run a knife around the edges to loosen.
Remove the lasagna cups and arrange them on a serving dish.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.

You’ll find that the upper edges are nicely browned with a crispy texture. The outer layers of the rest of the lasagna cups have a texture so similar to pasta that your family won’t believe they’re made from wonton wrappers. For real.

Looking for a light meal?

These lasagna cups are just the thing when enjoyed with a tossed green salad. If you need something more substantial, serve them as a companion to some grilled chicken.

Offer some extra marinara on the side and you’ll be your family’s hero.

Quick & Easy Veggie Lasagna Cups

Not your standard cupcake. Loaded with flavor and nutrition thanks to the spinach, mushrooms & fresh oregano.

Servings 12 lasagna cups

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

cooking spray, for coating muffin cups
24 wonton wrappers, at room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
3 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped (about 2 cups, tightly packed)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided (about 1 1/4 cups)
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (about 1 1/2 cups)
6.5 ounces ricotta cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup marinara or pasta sauce
fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat twelve standard muffin cups with cooking spray. Carefully press one wonton wrapper into each cup. Cover lightly with a towel; set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil to coat. Sauté the sliced mushrooms until tender and caramelized. Add the chopped spinach and oregano. Cook one minute longer until the greens are wilted. Remove from heat; season to taste with salt & pepper. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Drain off any excess liquid.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together 3/4 cup each of the Parmesan and mozzarella along with the ricotta cheese. Spoon half of the cheese mixture into the prepared muffin cups, followed by half of the veggie mixture then half of the marinara sauce.
Top each muffin cup with a second wonton wrapper, then the remaining cheese mixture followed by the remaining veggies and sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.
Bake until the edges are browned for about 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen. Remove the lasagna cups and arrange them on a serving dish. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.

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