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:
-
Roasted Vegetables – Roasting trumps stove sautéing when it comes to bringing out flavour in vegetables;
-
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;
-
Customisable – use whatever roast-able veggies you please;
-
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;
-
Simple homemade lasagna sauce – skip the jar, this homemade tomato sauce is simple and so good!
-
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!
-
Roast vegetables;
-
Mix up ricotta and spinach;
-
Make the simple tomato lasagna sauce;
-
Layer the lasagna as follows:
-
Smear tomato on base (to stop lasagna sheets from sliding)
-
Top with lasagna sheets
-
Roasted vegetables
-
Some tomato pasta sauce plus cheese
-
Another layer of lasagna sheets
-
Spinach and ricotta filling for lasagna
-
Top with lasagna sheets and pasta sauce
-
Sprinkle with cheese. Ready to bake!
-
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
-
Chickpea Potato Curry – big curry flavours made with pantry staple spices!
-
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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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:
Sally says
I liked the sound and look of this recipe though didn’t think it would taste as good as it actually. My husband is Italian and a big critic on lasagna and he even approved. Will 100% make again.
Nagi says
Woah that’s a great thing to hear Sally!
Carolyn Colwell says
I made this tonight for Friday dinner during Lent & we absolutely loved it! I will make again ❤️
Nagi says
Awesome Carolyn!
Annie says
I have 2 questions for you. What is the difference between raw sugar and brown sugar and are they interchangeable in cooking? Secondly can you explain what you mean by broiling as opposed to baking or grilling. Thanks.
Nagi says
Hi Annie, Raw and brown sugar are very different. Raw sugar is unrefined whereas brown sugar has molasses added to it, so technically they aren’t interchangeable. Broiling is similar to grilling, it’s essentially putting something under a high heat. Whereas baking is a heat source that surrounds the item rather than directional heat ❤️
Julie Brock says
Hi Nagi, I have just made your meat lasagna (lovely) and have left over sheets. Can the vegetarian lasagna be frozen?
Nagi says
Hi Julie, yes it definitely can!
Susan Leahy says
Thank you Nagi, I have made this recipe again and received very positive comments.
Simple and easy steps to follow with a very taste result.
Nagi says
That’s awesome Susan!
Nisha says
I made this tonight with butternut squash, zucchini, and sweet potatoes…it was yummy!
Nagi says
Yessss sounds fabulous Nisha!
Janet Wilson says
Made this last night…it was very, very tasty. I used frozen cubed butternut squash, which when thawed was too wet and goopy to brown properly in the oven. Won’t use that again! For those of you unfamiliar with the metric system, a 2 cm cube (chopping directions) is about 0.8 inch.
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it anyway Janet!
Victoria says
Thanks for this great recipe! I’m going vegetarian for January and this was a delicious option which I made when some (non veggie) friends came for dinner. They loved it! I added some grated cheddar to the top (because hey, why not add a 4th cheese?!) The tomato sauce is brilliant – I’m gonna make that again on it’s own to go with spaghetti or whatever. And now I have left over lasagne for lunches in the office this week 🙂 I’m going to browse your site for more ideas… thanks!
Nagi says
You can never have enough cheese Victoria!!! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Belinda Dishon says
Hi I love red peppers in any dish as they give such a flavourful taste. unfortunately my son in law gets indigestion from red peppers.Is there any other veggie you would use as a substitute for recipes? Love your recipes
Thanks
Belinda
Nagi says
Hi Belinda, you can just leave it out ☺️
Carol says
Hi Nagi, I haven’t tried this myself, but I’ve seen on another site (sorry!) the suggestion of cooking 1/2 cup of lentils to add to the sauce for a “meatier” texture. It sounded like a good idea so I thought I’d share it here.
I’m going to make your lasagna this weekend and give the lentils a try. Can’t hurt, right? ☺️
Nagi says
Oh great idea to “beef” it up a little! Let me know how it goes!
Carol says
Adding the lentils worked! They didn’t add any flavor but gave the sauce a bit of chewiness associated with ground (minced) beef.
Nagi says
Great to know!!!
holly kahn says
That redish (coral?) color works better than the greyscale. LOL. just my opinion tho.
Nagi says
Thanks got the feedback!
Mary Tognazzini says
Thank you for adding subs. for some of the ingredients ,Seems I usually have all but one. Wish I could take Dozers place for a week, what a great life
Nagi says
😂
Christi says
Hi Nagi, i’ll try your veggies lasagna and crusted salmon for the olds….and please can you post more of Dozer,! Love your dog too!
Jeanne says
I was wondering what to serve to my mostly vegetarian family on Christmas. Your vegetable lasagne looks like a good choice. Thanks for coming to the rescue.
Linda Martin says
I am going to be brave and try making lasagna for Christmas. Your vegetarian lasagna recipe will be a good guide. Thanks!
Diya says
Hi, I’m planning to serve this on December 25. How far ahead can I make this?
Seetal Williams says
Just made this for the first time, so easy to follow the recipe. My whole family loved it, will be definitely making it again.
Karen says
This is amazing!! One trick I did try with the ricotta sauce (because all I had was the store bought kind and took note of your comment about it being grainy) was that I put all the ingredients except the spinach for the spinach ricotta mixture into my Vitamix and blended it until a very smooth, velvety consistency. OMG, was that good. Then just mixed the spinach in. Packed with flavor.
Nagi says
That’s terrific to hear Karen! Glad you enjoyed this! N x
Salome says
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe – my group of vegetarian university student friends really loved this dish and now think I’m an amazing chef!! Only alteration I made was pan frying the veg instead using red peppers, courgette, and mushrooms.
Nagi says
Hey – take ALL the credit! 😂
Carolina says
I really want to try this recipe for my family. Personally I love eggplant with pasta. Would eggplant work in this?
Thanks for lots of great recipes!
Nagi says
Oooh YES!