Easy Vegetable Lasagna
- PREP 30min
- COOK 1hrs
- TOTAL 1hrs 30min
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. We really do not miss the meat. Feel free to add or substitute your favorite veggies. We have given suggestions in the article above.
You Will Need
14 lasagna noodles, see notes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (140 grams) 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-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Generous handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
One (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
2 large eggs
2 ounces (60 grams) parmesan cheese, grated, about 2/3 cup
8 ounces (230 grams) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded, about 2 cups
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Cook Noodles
Bring 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
Heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet with sides over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add 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.
Stir 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
While the sauce cooks, stir the ricotta cheese, eggs, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl until blended.
Toss the parmesan cheese with the mozzarella. Set aside.
Assemble Lasagna
Spoon enough vegetable mixture into the baking dish to lightly cover the bottom (about 1 cup). Arrange four noodles lengthwise and side-by-side to cover the bottom. If the noodles are short on one end, you may need to cut an extra noodle and place it into the dish to cover where the other noodles have not.
Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle a third of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on top of the ricotta. Finally, scatter a third of the vegetable sauce on top.
Add another layer of four noodles and spread the remaining ricotta cheese over them. Scatter half of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses over the ricotta. Spread half of the remaining vegetable sauce on top.
Finish with a third layer of noodles and the remaining vegetable sauce. Finally, finish with the remaining cheese sprinkled all over the top.
Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes; uncover, then bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is crusty around the edges.
To make the cheese golden brown on top, slide the pan under the broiler and set to high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- You will need 12 lasagna noodles, but we like to cook two extra noodles just in case we need to fill any holes while building the noodles.
- For vegetarian lasagna, leave out the parmesan cheese.
- Make-ahead tips have been shared in the article above. The sauce can be made up to three days in advance, refrigerate assembled and unbaked lasagna for up to 2 days, and the baked lasagna can be frozen.
- For a gluten-free lasagna, use gluten-free noodles or vegetables to make the noodle layer. Tips have been shared in the article above.
- For a dairy-free and egg-free lasagna, swap the ricotta cheese and egg for almond ricotta. You can make it yourself or buy it (Kite Hill is a popular brand). I also like swapping the cheese in the recipe for a generous sprinkling of nutritional yeast.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
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