Vegetable Lasagna
Posted Feb 23, 2024
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In this vegetable lasagna recipe, a delicious veggie-packed marinara sauce is layered with an herbed ricotta filling between lasagna noodles. Then it’s topped with more cheese and baked to bubbly perfection. An authentic vegetarian lasagna just as delicious as your favorite Italian restaurant!
If you’re looking for a meatless meal that is hearty and satisfying, I suggest making this vegetable lasagna recipe.
It’s a delicious vegetarian lasagna that’s perfect to serve to guests (alongside a pan of this beef lasagna for the meat lovers).
In this recipe, a flavorful, veggie-packed marinara sauce is layered with an herbed ricotta filling between lasagna noodles. Then, it’s topped with even more cheese and baked to bubbly perfection.
It’s easy to make veggie lasagna at home that is just as delicious as your favorite Italian restaurant!
Vegetable Lasagna: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Marinara sauce. choose your favorite variety, I suggest tomato basil.
- Parmesan cheese. Romano is a good substitute.
- Fresh basil & parsley. I highly recommend fresh herbs for this recipe, however you can use freeze-dried herbs if necessary.
- Vegetables. This recipe is highly customizable. You can choose any of your favorite veggies and add them to this vegetarian lasagna.
How to Make Vegetable Lasagna
We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and remember to watch the video for additional guidance.
Begin by cooking the lasagna noodles until they are al dente. Then, drain the noodles but do not rinse.
Make the Vegetable Marinara
Prepare the marinara layer by cooking the firmer veggies – onion, garlic, and bell pepper – until the onions are soft (5 minutes).
Then, add the softer vegetables – zucchini and yellow squash – and cook until soft they are slightly soft, about 3 minutes.
Next, stir in the marinara sauce, spinach, salt and pepper and heat until the sauce just begins to boil. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) to your preferences.
Once the sauce is finished, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Make the Ricotta Filling
While the sauce is cooling, combine the ricotta filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir until they are combined.
Assemble the Vegetarian Lasagna
Once all the components are ready, it’s time to assemble the veggie lasagna. Start by spreading 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13” baking dish.
Then, top the sauce with a layer of lasagna noodles (5 lasagna noodles per layer).
Then, spread one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.
Next, spread 1 cup of sauce over the cheese.
Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 3 layers of cheese/sauce.
Top with the last layer with noodles and the spread the remaining sauce over the noodles.
Then, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese evenly over top sauce layer.
Loosely cover with aluminum foil (tenting it slightly so the foil does not touch the cheese).
Bake the vegetable lasagna recipe in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, remove the foil then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.
Once it has finished baking, let the vegetarian lasagna cool slightly and serve garnished with fresh parsley and basil.
Serve
I suggest serving this recipe with your favorite Italian recipes, here are some ideas:
- If you’re feeding a crowd, make this beef lasagna for meat lovers!
- Tomato bruschetta is a perfect appetizer.
- A side salad – like panzanella salad or burrata salad pair beautifully with this lasagna.
- We love serving it with homemade french bread or no knead bread to sop up all the yummy sauce.
- A vegetable side like roasted broccoli or balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts are great choices.
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven set to warm.
Freeze
You can freeze this vegetable lasagna two ways.
- Freeze before baking. To do this, completely assemble the lasagna, then put it in the freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil (or the baking dish lid) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking according to the recipe instructions.
- Freeze baked leftovers. If you wind up with a lot of leftovers, you can flash-freeze individual pieces on a baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container or vacuum seal them and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Vegetable Lasagna Recipe FAQS
Not fully draining the noodles before using them in the recipe, or rinsing them after cooking and draining are both reasons lasagna could be watery.
Yes, let this vegetable lasagna cool uncovered to thicken up.
I suggest lightly greasing the baking dish.
I suggest baking this veggie lasagna in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
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Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lasagna noodles cooked al dente
- 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese divided
Sauce
- ½ onion finely diced (about 1 cup onion)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 yellow squash diced
- 2 cups baby spinach chopped
- 26 ounces marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Ricotta mixture
- 30 ounces Ricotta Cheese
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Tablespon fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Topping
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Sauce
- In a 5-quart saucepan, cook the onion, garlic, and bell pepper over medium-high heat (covered) until the onions are soft (5 minutes).
- Add zucchini and yellow squash and cook until soft, 3 minutes.
- Stir in marinara sauce, spinach, salt and pepper and heat until the sauce just begins to boil. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) to your preferences.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the Ricotta Filling
- Combine ricotta, eggs, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
Assemble
- Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13” baking dish.
- Top with a layer of lasagna noodles (5 lasagna noodles per layer).
- Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, then spread 1 cup sauce over the cheese.
- Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 3 layers of cheese/sauce.
- Top with the last layer with noodles and the spread the remaining sauce over the noodles.
- Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.
Bake, Cool & Serve
- Loosely cover with aluminum foil (tenting it slightly so the foil does not touch the cheese).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, remove the foil then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.
- Let cool slightly and serve garnished with fresh parsley and basil.
Video
Notes
- Marinara sauce. choose your favorite variety, I suggest tomato basil.
- Parmesan cheese. Romano is a good substitute.
- Fresh basil & parsley. I highly recommend fresh herbs for this recipe, however you can use freeze-dried herbs if necessary.
- Vegetables. This recipe is highly customizable. You can choose any of your favorite veggies and add them to this vegetarian lasagna.
-
- Freeze before baking. To do this, completely assemble the lasagna, then put it in the freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil (or the baking dish lid) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking according to the recipe instructions.
-
- Freeze baked leftovers. If you wind up with a lot of leftovers, you can flash-freeze individual pieces on a baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container or vacuum seal them and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
