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:
This is a Delicious meal. I used tortillas in replace of lasagna sheets, and only some of the red peppers from the recommended jar. It’s a very tasty, creamy, cheesy dish with loads of flavour. It does have several components so put aside a bit of time for prep but it is totally worthwhile the effort. Will make again. Thanks Nagi
Another sensational recipe Nagi! I have already sent it on to 3 friends cos I want everyone to know about it. So much delicious flavour you don’t miss the meatiness at all.
What a fantastic recipe! I usually spend an inordinate amount of time making vego lasagne but had this knocked up in no time. I also took your recommendation of using gluten free tortillas and they worked perfectly. Honestly you can’t tell there’s no pasta in the recipe. Didn’t tamper with the recipe too much just added some sweet potatoes and did precook some mushrooms. Loved by all. Thanks so much Nagi I’m now addicted to your site!
Hi Nagi,
Going to make your Vegetarian Lasagne a day early for a dinner party. It will be refrigerated for about 18 hours I think.
Will the ricotta release water or will the whole fish change or get soggy?
Thank you.
Hi Sharen, that should be fine. Enjoy! N x
The best vegetarian lasagne. Love how adaptable it is. I also added some eggplant (sliced and roasted on separate tray to the other veg). Like every Nagi recipe, it’s a winner.
Loved the lasagna great way to use leftover veggies. I used eggplant, zucchini and pumpkin
OMG Great recipe! That’s a lot of cheese my teenage daughter & husband loved it! Can’t it too much though as I’m a bit lactose intolerance. (Any suggestions to reduce the amount of cheese?)
If you’re lactose intolerant, I highly recommend chewing one or two lactase tablets (e.g. Lacteeze) before the meal. It’s life-changing 😀
That is worth a shot. Also found if I replace with low fat cottage cheese and bechamel sauce with lactose free milk and cheese works too.
Nagi, oh my! This was deeelicious, thank you so much for sharing!
My first time ever making lasagne. Being a lifelong vegetarian, I didn’t think I was missing out. Boy was I wrong! I’ve already made it a second time within a week.
My only tip for people is that I used no-bake sheets (which clearly said no pre-cooking was required), and it ended up taking over 1.5 hours for the pasta sheets to cook through. The second time I made this, I pre-cooked the sheets, so saved a lot of time.
Hi Aparna, I’m not sure about your sheets but even with the dried pasta sheets here, you shouldn’t need to pre cook them! N x
Well, to save an hour of cooking time, I did pre-boil the sheets the second time I made this recipe. But I did prefer the taste and texture of the first attempt of the recipe, even if it took longer!
Hi Nagi 👋 I love all of you recipes thank you. I am going to try this vegetarian lasagne but wondered if could you guide the best way to incorporate the use of eggplant Into this recipe. Thanks K
Hi Kim, eggplant is a great idea, just roast with your other vegetables 🙂 N x
This is absolutely delicious. Perfect for my vegetarian daughter and meat loving husband. He didn’t even miss the meat. Made a big difference when the vegetables are roasted first! Will make it again. Thanks, Nagi! You’re the best!
Awesome Nina!! N x
Nagi you are the best! this recipe is absolutely delicious as all your recipes as well. I began to plan my weekly menu with RecipeTin and its has been awesome! Thank you!! Plus I love seeing Dozer
Thanks so much for the great feedback Rocio, that’s lovely to hear ❤️
Wow! I’ve enow found my go to Vegetable Lasagna. Best one I’ve ever made ( or eaten)!
Can’t wait to try the Mexican Vegetarian. Thank you- love your recipes they never let me down. 😊
I absolutely love Recipe Tin Eats. It is my go to when I need to find a recipe or just for inspiration.
Thank-you
You’re so welcome Kylie! N x
Hi Nagi,
I couldn’t find frozen spinach at the shops, but got my hands on a packet of fresh spinach. Can this be used instead?
Thank you
Hi Zeinab, you can however you’d need 250g of it – which is quite a lot of fresh spinach! You’d need to chop it and cook it down a little to resemble the frozen spinach 🙂 N x
Awesome, thank you Nagi xx
Best vegetarian lasagne I’ve ever had. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
WOOT! That’s awesome to hear Janette! N x
So I think I’ve tried about 30 of your recipes now and this one is my absolute favourite and I’m not even a vegetarian!!! It makes me look forward to meatless Monday’s!
Guaranteed to please even the non vegetarian! Thanks so much for the great feedback Sarah! N X
Really nice recipe! Thank you so much Nagi! I’m in Spain right now and the quarantine has the supermarket with shortage of certain stuff, had to exchange the frozen spinach with fresh spinach and the Ricotta cheese with blue cheese but it was AMAZING still! Long time follower!
Delicious! But the oven temp was a bit low and had to add extra time at 180.
Wow! This turned out amazing. First time to make lasagne. YUM Overload!
Wow wow wow!
Thanks Lucy!
It was just what I was looking for in a good vegetable lasagne recipe. Packed with flavour when roasting the veg loved the spinach and ricotta layer and even the meat eaters thoroughly enjoyed will add this to our Family favourites and definitely make again, good size for the hungry mob
Perfect Karen, that’s great to hear!! N x