Vegetable Lasagna is what you make when you want to load up on veggies with something that’s filling, comforting and so moreish, you don’t even think twice about it being Meat Free!
This incredible Vegetarian Lasagna is made with a creamy ricotta and spinach filling as well as layers of roasted vegetables and a homemade tomato lasagna sauce. It’s one of my favourite fridge clean out recipes because it can be made with just about any roastable veggies!
Why you’ll love this Vegetable Lasagna
It is hard to top an epic, meat lasagna made with layers of slow cooker ragu, béchamel sauce and oodles of cheese. But if there’s anything that can give it a run for its money, it’s this Vegetarian Lasagna. Here’s why you’ll love this so much:
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Roasted Vegetables – Roasting trumps stove sautéing when it comes to bringing out flavour in vegetables;
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Jar Roasted Red Peppers – with a touch of smokiness and sweetness, this is an optional extra that I love to add because it adds that extra special touch;
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Customisable – use whatever roast-able veggies you please;
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Spinach and Ricotta layer – It just takes this over the top! But it’s optional – you could easily just double up with another layer of roasted vegetables;
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Simple homemade lasagna sauce – skip the jar, this homemade tomato sauce is simple and so good!
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Cheese – goes without saying that melty cheese is all part of a great lasagna experience!
How to make Veggie Lasagna
There are a few components to putting together a Veggie Lasagna so we love that it makes a BIG batch and that it reheats 100% perfectly!
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Roast vegetables;
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Mix up ricotta and spinach;
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Make the simple tomato lasagna sauce;
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Layer the lasagna as follows:
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Smear tomato on base (to stop lasagna sheets from sliding)
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Top with lasagna sheets
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Roasted vegetables
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Some tomato pasta sauce plus cheese
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Another layer of lasagna sheets
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Spinach and ricotta filling for lasagna
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Top with lasagna sheets and pasta sauce
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Sprinkle with cheese. Ready to bake!
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Vegetarian Lasagna ingredients – vegetables
Roasted Vegetables
I used pumpkin, zucchini and onion as my roasted veggies, but feel free to use whatever you have / want. Anything roastable is fine, just chop it so it cooks in the same time.
I cut mine pretty chunky because otherwise they cook too quickly in the oven – I like to roast veggies for at least 20 minutes minimum to get the maximum benefit of caramelisation.
Roasted Red Peppers
My “special ingredient” – Roasted Red Peppers! Basically, it’s capsicum / bell peppers that have been fire roasted so they have that gorgeous smokey flavour.
It’s sweet, soft and slippery and it adds an awesome extra dimension to this lasagna. Yep, I take the easy route and buy it in a jar but if you’re a keen bean, make your own!
Vegetable lasagna is sensational served fresh out of the oven, but it’s also one of those dishes that are terrific the next day. The flavour of those roasted veggies and that spinach ricotta layer develop overnight, and just a quick reheat in the microwave is all that’s required to bring it back to the original molten state.
So, fellow Carnivores. Have I convinced you to give this a go??? 😜 – Nagi x
My favourite Meat-Free Comfort Foods
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Chickpea Potato Curry – big curry flavours made with pantry staple spices!
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Browse the Vegetarian recipes collection
Vegetable Lasagna
Watch how to make it
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make this Vegetarian Lasagna recipe!
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Vegetable Lasagna
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables (Note 1):
- 500 g / 1 lb pumpkin , 2cm / 4/5" cubes
- 2 large zucchinis , cut into 2cm / 4/5" chunks
- 2 onions (any type) , cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- Salt and pepper
Spinach Ricotta:
- 250 g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach , thawed
- 500 g / 1 lb ricotta (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup / 50 g grated parmesan (or 3/4 cup shredded cheese)
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg, optional (fresh or powder)
- 1/2 tsp each Salt and pepper
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 small onion , finely chopped (any, I use brown)
- 700 g / 24 oz tomato passata (Note 3)
- 400 g / 14 oz crushed tomato
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml water
- 3/4 tsp each dried thyme and oregano (or basil, parsley)
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (can omit / adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper
Lasagna:
- 330g / 11 oz jar roasted red pepper strips, drained (Note 4)
- 375 g / 13 oz fresh lasagne sheets (Note 5)
- 300 g / 3 cups shredded mozzarella (or MORE!)
Instructions
Roasted Vegetables:
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
- Place vegetables on the tray, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper. Toss.
- Roast for 25 minutes, turning at 15 minutes, until tender and browned.
- Remove from oven, loosen from tray with spatula while warm (can stick when cools).
Sauce:
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 3 minutes until golden.
- Add passata, crushed tomato, water, dried herbs, chilli, salt and pepper. Stir. Simmer on medium low heat for 20 minutes. Adjust salt at the end. *Add a teeny touch of sugar if it's a bit sour, depends on quality of tomatoes used.*
- Remove from stove and let cool for 5 minutes before using.
Ricotta Mixture:
- Place ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
Lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 160C/320F.
- Spread a ladle of tomato sauce on the base of a large baking dish (Note 5).
- Cover with lasagna sheets, tearing as required to fit.
- Top with roasted vegetables, scatter over red peppers. Spoon over 2 1/2 cups of Sauce, then sprinkle with half the cheese.
- Cover with lasagna sheets. Spread over Ricotta mixture.
- Cover with lasagna sheets. Pour over remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden. If using dried lasagna sheets, stick a knife in the middle to ensure it's cooked - if it needs longer, cover and stick it back in the oven.
- Rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Store leftovers per notes - brilliant reheated!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This Vegetarian Lasagna recipe was originally published February 2018. Updated for housekeeping matters. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare!
Life of Dozer
Whenever I go away, I never pack until the night before. Because the sight of a suitcase reduces Dozer to this:
Can butternut squash be substituted instead of pumpkin. Thanks for all your awesome recipes I’ve become such a better cook
100% yes Mo! Enjoy! N x
I made this 6 days ahead of family coming to visit, and then found out it won’t fit in my freezer! Will it be safe to serve if I just refrigerate for 6 days? Can’t wait to taste it!
Hi Diane, 6 days is a little too long in my opinion – I would only keep for in the fridge for 3 days – N x
Thank you Nagi, for your quick response! My genius husband was able to finagle the freezer, so it now fits!
I’ve recently started a lifestyle where I intentionally try and eat much less meat or go for the vegetarian option on the menu (I can’t commit to being a full vegetarian though hahaha!) and tried out the best vegan lasagna at Peppe’s in Waterloo.
Right away, I thought – better check out Nagi’s website and make her vegetarian lasagna because 1) surely she will have a recipe for one, and 2) it will taste even more amazing.
I was not disappointed for both points heehehe! Even my family, who I have been trying to convince to eat less meat for health reasons but to no avail, inhaled this lasagna down!
I’m eyeing the veggie burger next! 😉
I could never commit to it – EVER! I’m so glad you loved it and I know the veggie burgers will be just as good. A lot of my recipes can be modified to be vegetarian too – tofu works wonders in a lot of them Esther! N x
I loved this recipe, never made veggie lasagna before ! Will make it again, soo good. The peppers really make it !
Yes definitely!! It gives it such a great flavour! N x
Tasted amazing!! My husband won’t stop raving about how good the lasagne was. Nagi, your recipes never disappoint! Thank you for another wonderful recipe! My veggies took longer than 25 mins to roast (closer to 40 mins), but apart from that I followed everything to a T!
Hi Mariam, sorry your veg took a little longer – I find sometimes if I overcrowd the pan they can take a little longer to cook (or it could just be your oven type). I’m so happy you enjoyed it though!! N x
Loved it! Have tried to make lasagne before but it’s never been a success. This worked on my first attempt and tasted great. Will definitely make it again. Liked that I didn’t have to make a bechamel sauce. The ricotta alternative is super easy. I added a peeled chopped eggplant to the other veg listed and I think it worked well. I’ve never used the fresh lasagne sheets before but I think that’s what made the difference compared to other times I’ve tried to make lasagne. Made it for dinner with my mum who is a very tough critic, and she was so impressed she wanted the recipe to make it for herself and even messaged me the next day to say how much enjoyed the lasagne! A winning recipe! Thanks Nagi 🙂
That’s great Emma!! I’m so glad you all loved it! N x
Wow. It taste absolutely fantastic. I did follow your recipe almost step by step. I used different kind of veg. Added broccoli and it was working perfectly. My store didnt have fresh lasagne sheets. So I had to experiment with dried one. Didnt have to parboiled them but It still took about 45 mins in the oven to get it right. 🤷🏻♀️
I’m so glad it still worked for you Hana, that’s great to hear!
This was a great Sunday night dinner that the meat eaters and the vegetarians enjoyed. My oven is slow, so I cooked it longer, and it was perfectly done. Served with a big green salad and garlic bread. Thanks for another great recipe, Nagi. I can always count on you.
Sounds like you nailed it Vivian!!!
This was delicious! It turned out well (although i forgot to let it stand so was a bit watery but will do it properly next time!)
My anti-vegetarian-anything hubby begrudgingly said it was very good too, and 1 out of 2 kids loved it and wants leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The other one ate 2/3 which is amazing for something with vegies in it…
Nagi, you’ve done it again! We are trying to eat tree occasional vego meal. This lasagna was delicious and even my meat loving hubby and kids liked it. I used dried lasagne sheets and added the extra 1/2 cup water you suggested. I think a little less than that would have been good, maybe 1/3 cup as there was a bit too much liquid. But still delicious!
Oh no, sorry about the water issue! I’m so glad you enjoyed it though ❤️
Best lasagna we’ve ever had! This was a huge hit and we are meat eaters AND have a favorite lasagna recipe we have been making for years! The layering is key! I have made veggie lasagna before and it always comes out very watery, but this came out perfectly and did not run when you cut into it. We used regular lasagna noodles and frozen butternut squash in lieu of the pumpkin, but stayed with the rest of the ingredients. My husband, teen and preteen loved it and everyone went back for seconds. Nagi, you are the BEST!
Woah what a compliment, thanks so much Cammie!
Absolutely delicious. Even to my carnivore husband and my non spinach, zucchini or pumpkin eating 4 year old! Now a regular dish in our house.
Love that you can use extra veggies too – extra eggplant and fresh red capsicum half the size of the other veggies was a winner for us. I never have any strips on hand and roast veggies a bit longer anyway while . Total winner. Thanks for another great recipe Nagi!
I’m not an expert with lasagna… matter of fact, I typically leave it up to my mom to make it because mine usually comes out too dry or too runny! This occasion was different…. I didn’t have my moms lasagna to fall back on as I needed a vegetarian lasagna to serve the company I was having. The guest of honor is a vegetarian. So when I knew I had to make this, I googled “vegetarian lasagna”. This recipe was the first to come up and had great reviews!
I didn’t change a thing…. ok, maybe substituted a few things…. like the veggies…. used yellow squash, zucchini and yellow onions. I also used cooked pasta lasagna that I cooked ahead of time. Instead of the purée in the recipe, I just used Barilla purée. My husband bought fresh spinach for me, so I sautéd it down and used that (12oz pkg). For assembly, I layered it a couple times instead of what’s instructed. There seemed to be enough ingredients to do that, so why not!
This was my BEST LASAGNA EVER!!!! Everything about this recipe was perfect, from the ingredients, measurements, ratios, suggestions…. all of it! After I assembled it, I was nervous as there seemed to be a lot of water. I put it in the refrigerator for an hour before I put it in the oven. When I took it out of the oven to rest, my guests were drooling! After a time, I cut it and it was PERFECT!
Thank you so much for such a great recipe! While I’m not a vegetarian, this is one dish I will certainly make again and again and again!!! Blessings!
Hi Robyn, yes definitely a recipe where you can adjust the veggies to suit – it’s so forgiving! I’m so glad it was a hit, and thank you so much for taking the time to let me know ❤️
Hi! This looks totally amazing! I’m looking for a recipe I can make ahead and freeze though… Any suggestions on freezing this? Before or after baking? It’s for Christmas so I’d hate for it to turn out runny and gross 😣
Hi Emily, I talk about this in the recipe notes! – N x
Absolutely divine! A real hit with my work colleagues, some of whom were a bit skeptical of a meatless lasagne! Thank you xx
You’ve totally converted them Jo!!
This is an amazing veggie lasagna! Our whole family loved it, even my carnivore of a husband who initially screwed his face up when I told him what I was cooking. I used pumpkin, sweet potato, zucchini, onion and mushrooms for the roast veg. Honestly one of the most delicious meals we’ve had in a long time!
He’s totally converted now!
This was a really delicious, so flavoursome. I especially loved the spinach and ricotta layer. Makes a really big lasagne – 2 nights dinners, 2 lunches. Yay!
Perfect Leah, I love having leftovers!
Without doubt, the absolute best vegetarian lasagne in the history of ever. Truly AMAZING… 10/10. Thanks Nagi!
I am not vegetarian, but made this for a visiting friend. It’s delicious!!! Now on my favourite recipe list.
Wahoo! You’re converted Jeanette!
That was absolutely delicious 😋
Thanks so very much again Nagi❤️
I love 💕 your recipes
Deb
Thanks so much Deb ❤️
This is so delicious, I didn’t have jar peppers so I just added sliced capsicum to roast with the veges and they worked perfectly! Also didn’t add the egg and still worked out perfectly 👌🏼