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!
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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:
Hi Nagi. Long time cooker, first time question. I need to make a dairy free version of this. Can I use a silken tofu rather than ricotta?
I haven’t tried to be honest, the texture will be different but it may just work! Love to know if you give it a go! N x
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I didn’t read your note about ricotta when writing my shopping list so ended up with Coles brand ricotta but found it still tasted good. I added some cauliflower to my roasting tray as well and next time I’m going to try adding a few chopped kalamata olives to the pepper strips.
Oh my goodness! My hubby said best I’ve cooked during the whole lockdown, and I’ve cooked plenty! Thankyou for my new passion!
I made this today and it was absolutely delicious. It was nice and tall, so juicy, full of flavour, and didn’t fall apart when I served it. Amazing!
This was so delicious!!!
Love this recipe. I make your meat lasagna as well, both are fabulous. The whole family thank you as I do for your wonderful recipes.
Love this recipe!! Made with eggplant as sheets instead of pasta and it was juicy and had great reviews all round!! Big winner thank you! (I used Napoli sauce instead of Passata and crushed tomatoes as that’s what we had too and it was great!
Hi Nagi, how many days in advance could I make and assemble before cooking it?
Hi Kim, I would assemble then fridge for up to 1 day, if it’s going to be any longer, then I would freeze – N x
Fabulous vegetarian lasagne. I used gluten free fresh sheets lasagne, was perfect.
That’s great to hear Corinne! N x
This is by far the best vegetarian lasagne recipe I’ve used and is a real crowd pleaser. Unfortunately, tonight I forgot to add that touch of sugar to my sauce and as a result it’s a little bit bitter. I’m sooo disappointed. I used a supermarket brand “canned no added salt Italian tomatoes” and so I was actually surprised that they were in need of the sugar (though I have added some each previous time that I’ve made this dish). Do you have a brand of canned crushed tomatoes that you recommend please Nagi?
Many thanks.
Hi Lorraine, the bitterness comes from the tomatoes – unfortunately it’s hard to get great tinned tomatoes here. Can I ask what brand you used? N x
I used Woolworths own brand labelled as “Italian tomatoes no added salt”. I use that brand a lot because I thought that by using Italian tomatoes I was getting the sweeter ones, and I like that they were a healthier option.
Buy the Mutti Italian brand, best tomatoes.
Yes Mutti are the best!
Hi Nagi,
I tried this recipe tonight for my husband and I. It was absolutely brilliant. I have struggled to make a good lasagne for a while . I am glad I came across your recipe! You are the only food blogger I follow! I hope you and your family have been well.
Thanks,
Denita
This was a fantastic recipe Nagi! Thank you for giving me a fun afternoon of cooking in lockdown. The jar roasted peppers were a great flavourful touch. Have already shared the recipe around 🙂
The veggie lasagna was delicious. I used butternut squash instead of pumpkin. I will definitely make it again.
thanks Nagi!
Loved this! Took my pasta a la fridge to a new level. I bought ricotta when it was on special and didn’t know what I’d make with it. I had everything at home already, other than passata (just used two tins of crushed tomatoes and scaled recipe to feed four), and it was super easy to make off the cuff. I normally use your slow cooker bolognese to make a meat lasagne and my partner said he couldn’t pick a favourite. Leftovers for him tomorrow and a little sauce left to make parmas for dinner during the week. Haven’t made anything from your site that we haven’t loved! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi Nagi. I made this lasagna but there was so much liquid in the bottom of pan. I’m not sure what I did wrong. I roasted my veggies and made homemade marinara. Still delicious but I m perplexed
Me too. Look forward to response.
Can mozzarella be substituted with other cheeses (pepper jack or cheddar)?
Yes 100% Marie! N x
Hi Nagi, I made this Lasagna for Easter Sunday, as well as a meat lasagna, it was a great hit with my family. I will be keeping this recipe in my favourites. Thank you
I discovered your site 2 weeks ago and have tried 5 recipes so far. All of them were so delicious. Nagi, I love your dishes – so glad to have found you! The vegetarian lasagne was just lovely :-)!!
That’s great to hear Tanja, thanks so much for the amazing feedback!! N x
I made this for dinner last night – including the spinach ricotta layer. It was far and away the BEST veggie lasagne I’ve tasted. The family all raved too & there’s plenty left over the next day – Thanks Nagi!!
I don’t know why I doubted this would be anything but delicious. I subbed the ricotta for cottage cheese and used grated Gouda instead of Parmesan. Couldn’t get a hold of roasted red pepper strips so just roasted some red capsicum as suggested in the notes. It was quite wet at the bottom of the baking dish but delicious nonetheless. Will definitely make this again!