Easy Vegetable Lasagna

Our best ever veggie lasagna is here! This reader favorite is packed with tender vegetables, flavorful tomato sauce, and melty cheese. Trust us, it’s delicious (see the reviews below)! Plus, it’s easy to make and super adaptable.

Watch the Video

Vegetable Lasagna Recipe Video

I know that calling this the “best lasagna ever” is bold, but we genuinely believe it. Many of our readers agree (read their comments below)! This veggie lasagna is easy to make from scratch with simple ingredients you likely have on hand.

It’s super adaptable, too – use zucchini, squash, peppers, and onions like we did, or swap in whatever veggies you like. Plus, we’ve got notes to make this recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, and even vegan!

Vegetable lasagna with tender vegetables, a light tomato sauce, and lots of cheese

How to Make Vegetable Lasagna

Making our easy veggie lasagna is quicker than you might think. Here’s an overview (get the full recipe below):

Cook regular lasagna noodles OR save time with no-boil noodles. I love no-boil noodles for their convenience! Some of our readers use regular lasagna noodles, but add them to the lasagna without boiling them first. I prefer the thinner no-boil noodles, but I have tried this, and it worked nicely.

Our homemade vegetable sauce takes 20 minutes to prepare. If you’re short on time, you can even make it ahead—it lasts up to three days in the fridge.

Making vegetable sauce for our vegetable lasagna.

For our cheesy layer, we combine ricotta, egg, and salt. For the best flavor, use high-quality ricotta like BelGioioso, Sorrento, or fresh ricotta. If you prefer cottage cheese to ricotta in lasagna, use it! It works like a charm in this vegetable lasagna recipe.

Assemble the lasagna. Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta mix, and shredded cheese. Then repeat!

Covering the the veggie lasagna with foil before baking.

Our veggie lasagna bakes in the oven for about 35 minutes. I like to bake it covered with foil for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until the top gets golden and bubbly.

Veggie Lasagna Recipe Variations

I absolutely love this meatless lasagna recipe! It’s so flexible based on what’s fresh or what I already have. You’ll need 4 to 5 cups of chopped veggies. In our video, we use zucchini, summer squash, and roasted red peppers, but here are more ideas:

  • Mushrooms: chopped or torn into small pieces
  • Greens: spinach, kale or other greens
  • Winter squash: butternut or delicata are perfect for fall. Peel and cube them!
  • Carrots: chopped or shredded
  • Bell peppers: fresh or roasted (I love adding roasted red peppers)
  • Eggplant: cut into cubes

Gluten-free vegetable lasagna: Try gluten-free noodles or use long, thin slices of roasted or grilled eggplant or zucchini as your “noodles.”

Vegan and Dairy-free lasagna: Almond ricotta is an excellent swap for regular ricotta (try making your own or using brands like Kite Hill). Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor to the top. For egg-free/vegan lasagna, leave out the egg. The cheesy filling will be soft but still delicious.

Make Ahead and Storing Tips

This vegetable lasagna is fantastic for prepping in advance. Here’s how:

  • Sauce: Your veggie sauce stays fresh in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for about three months. Use freezer-safe airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Assembled, Unbaked: You can assemble your lasagna and keep it covered in the fridge for up to two days. Tip: Put parchment or wax paper between the lasagna and any aluminum foil to prevent reactions with the tomatoes.
  • Baked & Frozen: Your cooked lasagna freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, then wrap it super well with two layers of foil. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 400°F for about an hour. (This is my preferred method over freezing it unbaked!)

Storing Leftovers:

  • Fridge: Leftover lasagna lasts in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
  • Freezer: Wrap leftover portions tightly or store them in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently for the best results.

Craving more lasagna? We’ve got you covered! Choose from our classic Veggie Lasagna Roll-Ups, a hearty Five Cheese Lasagna, our easy Easy Lasagna with Sausage, this comforting Creamy Chicken Lasagna with white sauce, or the Ultimate Meaty Lasagna with beef and sausage.

More Vegetable Pasta Recipes

Easy Vegetable Lasagna

Easy Vegetable Lasagna

  • PREP
  • COOK
  • TOTAL

This vegetable lasagna recipe is a reader favorite! Tender vegetables, a light tomato sauce, and lots of cheese make this the best veggie lasagna ever. Feel free to add or substitute your favorite veggies. We have given suggestions in the article above.

Makes 8 Servings

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

14 lasagna noodles, see notes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (140g) chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 to 4 cloves

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

One (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 heaping cup

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

Generous handful fresh basil leaves, chopped

One (15-oz) container ricotta cheese or cottage cheese

2 large eggs

2 ounces (60g) parmesan cheese, grated, about 2/3 cup

8 ounces (230g) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded, about 2 cups

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

  • Cook Noodles
  • 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. To prevent the noodles from sticking after they are drained, add two teaspoons of olive oil to the pasta water. Drain, then lay flat on a sheet of aluminum foil.

  • Make Vegetable Sauce
  • 1Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly oil a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

    2Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet with sides over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

    3Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, zucchini, yellow squash, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened but still have some crunch, another 5 to 8 minutes.

    4Stir in the roasted red peppers and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the basil and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

  • Prepare the Cheeses
  • 1While the sauce cooks, stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl.

    2Toss the parmesan cheese with the mozzarella. Set aside.

  • Assemble Lasagna
  • 1Spoon about 1 cup of your vegetable mixture into the baking dish to lightly cover the bottom. Arrange four noodles lengthwise, side-by-side, to cover the base. Cut a piece to fit if a noodle doesn’t reach the end.

    2Spread half of your ricotta mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with a third of your parmesan and mozzarella. Top this with a third of the remaining vegetable sauce.

    3Add another layer of four noodles. Spread the rest of your ricotta mixture and half of the remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Top this with half of your remaining vegetable sauce.

    4Add a final layer of noodles and the rest of your vegetable sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

    5Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, uncover it and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is crusty around the edges.

    6For a golden-brown cheesy top, broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • Cook 12 lasagna noodles, plus 2 extra in case you need them for filling gaps.
  • Vegetarian option: Skip the parmesan cheese.
  • Make-ahead: See the article above for tips on making the sauce ahead, storing assembled unbaked lasagna (up to 2 days), and freezing baked lasagna.
  • Gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles or create “noodle” layers with vegetables (see the article for details).
  • Dairy-free/egg-free: Leave out the egg. Substitute almond ricotta for regular ricotta. Consider using nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
  • Nutrition: The provided nutrition facts are estimates calculated using the USDA database.
Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/8 of lasagna / Calories 381 / Total Fat 20.9g / Saturated Fat 11g / Cholesterol 104mg / Sodium 773mg / Carbohydrate 28.2g / Dietary Fiber 4.3g / Total Sugars 6.5g / Protein 20.7g
AUTHOR:  Adam and Joanne Gallagher
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453 comments… Leave a Review
  • Priscilla February 15, 2024, 2:40 am

    I was looking for a healthy alternative to lasagna since I’ve been having some health issues. I liked your recipe because of the flexibility and yet it resembled the recipe I would make with meat. It is so delicious!!! I used two zucchini, half a container of white mushrooms, half an onion and a full green bell pepper. I also used Parmesan reggiano cheese and used dried basil (I had on hand) and used liquified egg whites (my husband doesn’t eat eggs yolks) and used no boil lasagna. I also like that it takes less time to bake (my other meat recipe would be over 1 hour) so we could eat sooner! Thank you for sharing! It will be replacing the old lasagna recipe for us!

    Reply
    • Joanne February 15, 2024, 3:07 pm

      This makes me so happy! It sounds like you’ve customized the recipe beautifully to suit your needs and preferences. Love the egg white substitution and all the extra veggies! So thrilled you’ll be making this again – thanks for sharing your experience.

      Reply

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