Vegetable Lasagna
This Vegetable Lasagna is packed with veggies, including mushrooms, onions, zucchini and spinach. It’s the perfect vegetarian main dish when you’re craving cheesy, hearty comfort food!
Lasagna is one of my favorite meals to make when I’m feeding a crowd. This past Christmas, I served this vegetable lasagna alongside my classic lasagna recipe and both were a huge hit with my family. I honestly can’t say which I love more!
I love having this vegetable lasagna in my recipe collection because I try to offer a vegetarian option along with a meat-based main dish when I’m entertaining. It’s a great make-ahead recipe, since you can assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours before baking.
This dish is so comforting, with hearty veggies, creamy ricotta and flavorful marinara sauce layered between lasagna noodles. It bakes in the oven until hot, bubbly and golden brown on top. I like to serve this vegetarian lasagna with a crisp green salad and a side of garlic bread.
This Lasagna was the best I have ever tasted. I would recommend this recipe to anyone.
Antonio
Vegetable Lasagna Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegetable lasagna, along with ingredient notes and substitutions.
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables.
- Onion, Bell Pepper, Mushrooms, Zucchini: These vegetables make this veggie lasagna recipe so hearty and full of flavor. Cremini mushrooms are one of my favorite substitutes for meat in vegetarian recipes. You can substitute yellow squash for the zucchini, if desired.
- Garlic: I always use plenty of fresh garlic in Italian dishes like this easy vegetable lasagna.
- Marinara Sauce: Use a good quality store-bought marinara or, if you have extra time, make a batch of homemade marinara sauce.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes infuse the lasagna with flavor. Using the 2 pinches of red pepper flakes called for in the recipe gives the lasagna a subtle hint of spice.
- Fresh Parsley: Brings fresh, herby flavor.
- Spinach: The fresh spinach wilts down into the sauce as the lasagna bakes.
- Ricotta & Egg: You’ll combine one egg with ricotta cheese to make creamy pockets of ricotta throughout the lasagna. If you really love ricotta you can use a full 15 ounce container. We prefer this vegetarian lasagna with just 1 cup of ricotta cheese. You can substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta if desired.
- Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles: To make the best vegetable lasagna use oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles because they will soak up the extra moisture from the vegetables (especially the zucchini) as they cook in the oven. I tested this recipe with regular noodles and the lasagna was too soupy and difficult to serve.
- Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese: Both classics in lasagna recipes, the mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan bring plenty of comforting cheesy flavor to this recipe.
How to Make Vegetable Lasagna
The basic steps to making this recipe are: sauté the veggies, simmer the sauce to develop the flavors, layer and bake! Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
Sauté the vegetables in olive oil until softened. Then stir in the minced garlic.
Stir in the marinara and seasonings, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next, stir the spinach into the sauce.
Layer the ingredients in the baking dish. Start by spreading 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Then layer noodles, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan. Repeat this layer of ingredients once more. For the top layer, use noodles, sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Bake. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake at 375° F for 35 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, until the lasagna is hot and bubbly on the sides and golden brown on top.
Let it rest! Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. The rest time allows the lasagna to set up so it won’t be too soupy when serving. Don’t skip it! Then sprinkle on some fresh basil or parsley and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- If you wish to swap in other vegetables in place of the ones used in this recipe, just be sure they are cooked until soft before assembling the lasagna.
- Be sure to use no boil/oven ready lasagna noodles. They will soak up extra moisture from the vegetables as they cook, and they also save on prep time and dishes.
- The noodles will expand as they cook, and the baking dish will be very full. I recommend putting a rimmed baking sheet on the rack under the lasagna as it bakes in the oven to catch any drips.
- You can halve this recipe and bake it in a 9×9-inch baking dish. The baking time will be the same.
What to Serve with Vegetable Lasagna
Round out your meal with a fresh green salad and some warm bread. You can’t go wrong with a loaded Italian Salad, or try this simple Arugula Salad. Slice up a loaf of crusty bread or make a batch of Garlic Knots.
To Make Ahead
The lasagna can be assembled up to 24 hours before baking. Cover and refrigerate, and add about 15 minutes to the covered baking time if baking a lasagna that is cold from the refrigerator.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: Leftover baked vegetable lasagna can be stored, wrapped airtight, in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Leftover lasagna can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual portions for quick meals later on. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To Reheat: Reheat slices of veggie lasagna in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven until steaming hot.
More Lasagna Recipes
If you love this vegetable lasagna, try one of these lasagna recipes next. Some are vegetarian and some are made with meat, all are delicious!
Best Vegetable Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 5 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, 8 ounces
- 9 oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, about 4 cups
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh basil or parsley, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and zucchini and cook until softened, 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley to the skillet and stir. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the temperature to low. Cook at a low simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the chopped fresh spinach.
- While the sauce simmers, crack the egg into a medium bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the ricotta cheese and stir to combine. This is also a good time to shred the mozzarella cheese.
- To assemble the lasagna, put about 1 cup of the sauce into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 noodles in an even layer over the sauce. Spread ⅓ of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Place small spoonfuls of the ricotta and egg mixture on top of the sauce, using ½ of the ricotta. Sprinkle ⅓ of the mozzarella and ⅓ of the Parmesan over the top.
- Repeat the same layer one more time: 3 noodles, ½ of the remaining sauce, the rest of the ricotta, ½ of the remaining mozzarella and ½ of the remaining Parmesan. For the top layer of the lasagna, use the remaining 3 noodles, the rest of the sauce, and finally the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover the lasagna with a piece of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray on the underside (to prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil).
- Bake the lasagna in the center of the oven, covered with foil, for 35 minutes. (Put a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below the lasagna to catch any drips of sauce.) Then uncover and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling on the sides and the cheese is lightly browned on top. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving. Do not skip the rest time, or the lasagna will be too soupy when serving.
Notes
- Leftover lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days after baking. You can also freeze lasagna after baking, for up to 3 months. Thaw and then reheat in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven until it is steaming hot.
- To make ahead: You can assemble the lasagna ahead of time and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 24 hours before baking. If you are baking a lasagna that is fully chilled from being in the refrigerator, add about 15 minutes to the baking time.
- You can halve this recipe and bake in a 9×9-inch baking dish.
This looks great! I’m not a mushroom eater; I usually substitute yellow squash for the shrooms. Will be trying this soon!
Hi Kristen!
If I half recipe on my 9×9 square pan, do I still use 9 lasagna noodles. Hope to make this Christmas Eve, this Saturday! Thanks again 😊
Hi Kristine! After thinking about it, I think I definitely need the 9 lasagna noodles even if I’m halfing the recipe! It needs to be held together. I will use 24 oz of marinara sauce & only half some of the ingredients. It’s going to be fun to make!!!! Thanks for this yummy looking recipe! 😋
Hi Amy,
This lasagna fills a 9×13-inch pan very full, so if you are going to halve it you’ll need to halve all of the ingredients even the noodles (you’ll have to cut the noodles down to the size of the pan if they’re too long). Just use enough noodles to make 3 single layers of noodles, when you’re layering the lasagna as directed in the recipe. Since the marinara sauce soaks into the noodles to help soften them as they cook you need to keep the ratio of noodles to sauce approximately the same as the original recipe. I hope you enjoy the lasagna!
Made this last night for dinner and loved it! Only adjustment made was dried parsley instead of fresh as we didn’t have fresh hand.
Incredible taste and perfectly textured lasagna. I added 8 oz thinly sliced provolone cheese in two layers and didn’t have parsley. Everyone raved about it! This will be a new favorite in rotation.
This was so good. Easy to make, and do full of flavor!
The directions left out layering in the veggies!! I didn’t realize and had to put all the veggies on top. Can you rewrite it for other people? Thxnjs
Hi Tracey, The instructions are correct. You do not layer the vegetables, but rather first sauté them (recipe step 2), then add the marinara sauce, etc. to the pot with the veggies (step 3). At the end of step 3 the spinach is stirred into the sauce mixture. So the veggies are mixed in with the sauce. Hopefully your lasagna still turned out delicious!
Made this last night for Christmas Dinner for my side of the family. My husband is a picky vegetarian so I subbed the mushrooms for carrots. I actually made a mistake and did the egg and ricotta all in the sauce pan. But it actually worked out really well. So many compliments! Everyone went back for seconds!
This vegetable lasagna is amazing!! Everyone loved it. I will definitely make this again.
How do you prevent it from being watery with just vegetables. Always want to try but worried about this.
Using oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles is the key. Since oven-ready noodles go into the lasagna dry, they soak up the excess moisture from the vegetables as they cook. I tested this recipe with regular boiled noodles and the lasagna was a bit too soupy and difficult to serve.
This was a bit time consuming, but was much faster than regular lasagna due to the oven ready noodles. It was worth the effort. Served it at game night and it was a hit! It was very delicious and a great consistency.
Hi Kristina,
I have pasta sauce already. can I use instead of marinera sauce?
Thanks! Renee
Yes, that will work fine. Enjoy!
thanks!
Can I use frozen chopped spinach if I squeeze out all the water?
Yes, I think that will work well.
This recipe is so delicious….thank you!
Very good recipe! I used the full 15 oz of ricotta and added an extra egg. Will be making this again for sure. Kudos to Chef Kristine!
This lasagna is so good and filling, don’t miss the meat at all.
Can Alfredo sauce be used instead of marinara?
I’d recommend sticking with marinara sauce, to ensure that the noodles soften well. I also find that the marinara best complements the flavors of the vegetables.
Excellent. Would definitely make again. I used spinach in mine. It was turned out beautifully. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Turned out so good! Even my little kids ate the lasagna. I followed the recipe almost exactly. The only change I had to make was I added onion powder instead because I didn’t have a fresh one. Definitely recommend this recipe! Thank you!
What are oven ready noodles? Just uncooked?
They are a special type of lasagna noodle that does not require you to boil before making the lasagna. The box should say something like “oven ready” or “no boil.”
Can you use homemade lasagna noodles and just not boil them? They are soft and should soak up the juices.
I have not tried this with homemade lasagna noodles so can’t say for sure. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Kristine
Used my homemade lasagna noodles and it turned out perfect. They absorbed all the juices and came out perfectly cooked and no run out of juice even after reheating the next day. Will definitely be making this recipe again the flavour was loved by all.
So good. Used yellow squash instead of mushrooms due to mushroom haters in the midst! super balanced and ingredient portions spot on. Its in the dinner rotation
Can I make this and freeze before baking or does it have to be baked first prior to freezing?
Yes, you can freeze it prior to baking. Wrap it as tightly as you can and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and add about 20 extra minutes to the bake time.
This is absolutely delicious!! I added a pinch more chili flakes. The sauce with all the veggies is a meal in itself!!!
Delicious! Only negative is all the cutting of vegetables but I’m lazy.
Very good – a definite keeper! I did make a few changes based on what I had on hand. I make a traditional lasagna recipe that uses regular lasagna noodles uncooked – just add a little water to the marinara. And I couldn’t resist using the whole 16 oz ricotta – I figured better to use it now rather than eventually throwing it out.
Hi Kristine! Does the recipe alter if I use boiled noodles instead? Didn’t know if the liquid would lessen in any way. Thank you! Can’t wait to make this:-)
Hi Jan, I tested this recipe with boiled noodles and the lasagna was a bit too soupy, so I highly recommend using no boil noodles as directed in the recipe. The no boil noodles help to soak up the extra moisture from the vegetables as they cook.
Probably the most successful lasagna I’ve ever made! Absolutely delicious, and my husband loved it too. He turned his nose up when he heard it was vegetable lasagna, but he quickly changed his tune when he took the first bite! I halved the recipe (worked really well in a 11×8 glass dish), omitted the mushrooms, and used a full 15 oz container of ricotta, and it was perfect. I’ve never had very good luck with the oven-ready noodles, but they came out just right in this recipe. Definitely putting this in the rotation!
This recipe is delicious! I followed the specific directions. Instead of making sauce, I purchased RAO Homemade Spicy Marinera (2/24 oz bottles). Delicicious! I recommend adding to your “make ahead directions” to put the unbaked covered lasagna on a cookie sheet in your fridge – it will leak!
I did not use any low cal ingredients,, also all 15 oz of Gilbani Double Cream ricotta, and portabella mushrooms (could not find cremini but in a can). I look forward to trying more of your recipes! Thanks for providing all of the details so I could be successful. I have already made the recipe twice!
This Lasagna was the best I have ever tasted. I would recommend this recipe to anyone.
Hi
The recipe says it will serve 12 people
Are these small portions?
I’m planning on making it for 10 people for a dinner party, and I’d like to think it will be enough
TIA
Hi Rhonda,
It depends on how big of a portion your guests are likely to eat. The recipe fills a 9×13 dish so, try taking out your dish and visualize it divided into 10 pieces. Thanks!
This was insanely good. I followed recipe to a T but added the full 15 oz of ricotta and also added some breadcrumps on top of the last layer to give it a bit of a crunch and also added some oregano into the sauce and onion powder instead of actual onion bc i dont like the texture of onions. . It was delicious and people went back for seconds. It was so flavorful I didn’t even need to put extra parm on top after. For the sauce I used Raos marinara and I think next time I might also slice eggplant slices the long way so they are long thin pieces and lay them down as one of the veggie options to add more flavor. Bc this is a Veggie based dish I left the mushrooms pretty long and same with the zucchini so u get the flavor of each item more and can actually tell what’s in it by tasting it.
Best vegetable lasagna and so easy to make. Loved it!
This was very tasty and full of lovely vegetables and not heavy on the pasta. I added on top a Béchamel sauce that had a touch of nutmeg in it along with the cheeses. I also let it sit in the fridge for half a day and the noodles soften and soaked up the liquid. I will make this for Thanksgiving.
Delicious! Added fresh basil to the ricotta . Yum!
This turned out great and my picky vegetarian 17 year old daughter loved it. We avoid cow milk products in our house, so I substituted the ricotta with feta (sheep milk feta purchased at Trader Joe’s) and the mozzarella with manchego (sheep cheese). I left out the the salt and pepper when making the sauce due to using the feta. Additionally, the jarred sauce is already salted. I think the dish would’ve been too salty otherwise. Thanks for the recipe!
It was a big hit. I added carrots. Will definitely be making this again.
Fantastic recipe. Since I have fresh herbs growing in my garden, I use them. Everyone loved this lasagna.
WE LOVED IT!! I made it according to a recipe, and it turned out absolutely amazing. I will definitely make this again very soon. This is the perfect dish. If you want to be a vegetarian and still get all your protein.
My family LOVES this recipe! It is so easy to make and sits so light when you eat it.
Just absolutely delicious! I also appreciate that it’s not overly cheesy or requires a ton of dairy since I’m lactose intolerant, so I just swap out the ricotta and mozzarella for dairy-free options. Still tastes amazing!
This lasagna was amazing even with the gluten free noodles!
We love this recipe. It’s as good as or probably better than meat lasagna. It does take some prep time, so if I want to have it on I work night, I will probably put it together on a Sunday night, then bake it Monday when I get home from work for a quick week night meal.
Hi! I made this once and it was PHENOMENAL. I want to make it again on christmas day and wondering—if I make all the layers and refrigerate it and bake it the next day will the consistency be the same with the extra 15 mins of baking or will it not taste as fresh or crispy on the top. It was just perfect last time and I don’t want to mess with that.
Thank you!!!!
I think it will be just as good. The extra baking time is needed because if the lasagna is fully chilled from the fridge, it will take longer to heat through in the oven. Add about 15 minutes to the covered baking time and keep the uncovered baking time the same. I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I’m making it for Christmas this year, too. 🙂
Have made this recipe several times with many veggie variations depending on availability.
Always a hit at diner parties.
Fantastic.
I was a little reluctant to take this on but once I got all the chopping done it was a breeze. Very very tasty and so worth the effort. I can always rely on Kristine’s recipes. Thanks K😁
I’m so glad you loved this lasagna! I agree with you, it’s so worth it! 😉
Best recipe ever! Takes a bit of time to make the vegis and sauce but well worth it! Turned out great!!
Thank you for your positive review, Laurie! I’m so happy to hear that you loved the recipe.
Super easy fantastic recipe.
48 oz marinara seems like a lot. I added a 28oz jar and that seems perfect.
Since the noodles are no boil, they’ll soak up some of the sauce as the lasagna cooks!
This came out delicious!!!! I used 15 oz. Of ricotta because I didn’t realize it called for less. I might have used less mozzarella. Next time, I will follow the recipe measurements better! I used the veggies the recipe called for, what a great medley!!!! I will make this again & again! Thank you!
It was delicious