This Vegetable Lasagna is layered with roasted zucchini, mushrooms, and peppers, creamy ricotta, marinara, basil, and melty cheese. Hearty and delicious! Video.
In this world, hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible. ~Buddha
Vegetable lasagna should never feel like the consolation prize. For years, lasagna was one of the most-loved and requested dishes in our vegetarian restaurant and catering business, and this version is especially flavorful.
We roast the zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and onions first, concentrating their flavor while cooking off excess moisture. Then we layer them with marinara, fresh basil, melty mozzarella, and creamy ricotta blended with tangy goat cheese.
We also use one of my favorite time-saving tricks: soaking the lasagna noodles in hot water instead of boiling them. They come out perfectly tender, while the vegetables roast hands-free in the oven. The result is a hearty, flavorful vegetable lasagna that’s surprisingly easy to pull together-perfect for Sunday supper, entertaining, or making ahead. And yes, it freezes beautifully!
Best lasagna recipe!!! OMG - roasting the veggies and soaking the noodles are game changers, which make for a smoother assembly. Instead of ricotta/egg, I did cottage cheese. The noodles are lovely - so evenly cooked with a great chew. Absolutely incredible lasagna. I will come back to this recipe again and again.
Why you’ll love this Vegetable Lasagna recipe!
The vegetables actually have flavor. Roasting the mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, and onion with olive oil and balsamic vinegar brings out their sweetness and savory depth.
It’s not watery. Roasting the vegetables first cooks off excess moisture, helping the lasagna hold together beautifully when sliced.
Creamy, cheesy layers. Ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and optional goat cheese make every layer rich and satisfying.
Easy to customize. Swap in seasonal vegetables, leave out the goat cheese, add spinach, or use your favorite marinara.
Perfect for making ahead. Assemble the lasagna in advance and bake when you’re ready-great for entertaining, meal prep, or feeding a crowd.
Vegetarian comfort food everyone can enjoy. It’s hearty enough that no one will miss the meat.
Vegetable Lasagna Ingredients
- Vegetables: Mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, and onion. Feel free to substitute with what you have on hand!
- Lasagna noodles: Use regular lasagna noodles. Instead of boiling them, we use a time-saving soak method. See notes for using no-boil lasagna noodles.
- Marinara: Use a jar of your favorite flavorful sauce or make our Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce.
- Ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan or pecorino, and goat cheese: For the cheesy layers! The mixture of cheeses adds complex flavor and depth. Use whole milk ricotta. Goat cheese is optional but adds luscious creamy tang. Cottage cheese works nicely too!
- Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes: Used to season the roasted vegetables, imparting layers of deep flavor.
- Egg: Helps bind the cheese layer together.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves adds a savory, aromatic flavor to the cheese mixture.
- Fresh basil: Lightens and brightens up the dish, infusing the lasagna with a herby taste.
How to Make Vegetable Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
1. Roast the veggies. Toss the prepped vegetables with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, then transfer to a parchment paper-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and reduce heat to 400F.
2. Soften noodles. Spread out the dry, uncooked lasagna noodles on a tray and cover them with hot water (from the tap is fine!). Sprinkle with a little salt. Let sit for 20 minutes, then drain the water. So easy!
3. Prepare ricotta mixture. Combine ricotta, 1 cup grated mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, goat cheese, egg, garlic, fresh basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir.
4. Assemble lasagna. Spread 3/4 cup marinara sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.
Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture over top of the noodles. Layer half of the vegetables over the ricotta layer.
Evenly spoon on about 2/3 cup marinara. Repeat this sequence once more. To finish the last layer, place the remaining lasagna noodles on top and spread the rest of the tomato sauce over them. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
5. Bake. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Let sit for 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil and minced parsley!
Recipe Tips
Soak the lasagna noodles-don't boil them. This is one of my favorite lasagna tricks! Soak regular lasagna noodles in hot water for about 20 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. It eliminates the hassle and mess of boiling a big pot of water, makes the noodles pliable and easy to layer, and gives them a beautifully tender, even texture. I also prefer this method to using no-boil noodles because the lasagna bakes more quickly.
Roast the vegetables first. Roasting concentrates the flavor of the zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and onions while cooking off excess moisture. This is the secret to a flavorful vegetable lasagna that isn’t watery.
Recipe Variations
- Use any veggies: Mix up the veggies if you’d like! Let the farmers market inspire you or simply use up whatever veggies you already have.
- Make your own marinara sauce: For even richer flavor, try making our Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce!
- Add more spices: We keep it simple here, but feel free to add dried herbs to the roasted veggies if you’d like!
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles if needed.
- Make it vegan: Sub the ricotta and egg mixture with our Vegan Ricotta and sprinkle vegan mozzarella and parmesan over top.
Storing, Freezing & Make Ahead
Make ahead: Assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed.
Leftovers: Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm, covered, in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Freezing: Lasagna freezes beautifully! Freeze it baked or unbaked, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating. For the best texture, I prefer freezing the lasagna before baking, then baking it fresh when ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Vegetable Lasagna with a simple green salad, such as Caesar Salad, Spring Greens or Kale Salad. Make garlic bread with warm, crusty sourdough, or serve with our Soft Sourdough Rolls.
We can’t wait to hear what you think of this Roasted Vegetable Lasagna recipe! It's a rewarding meal to make that will nourish you throughout the week.
More Favorite Vegetable Lasagna Recipes!
Watch how to make Vegetable Lasagna
Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: comfort food, dinner recipe, entertaining, entree, fall dinner, freezer meal, holiday main dish, Main, Make-ahead, Vegetable, vegetarain Main
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Vegetable Lasagna is layered with roasted zucchini, mushrooms and peppers, creamy ricotta, marinara, basil, and melty cheese. Hearty and delicious!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups zucchini, sliced in thin chunks
- 1 small onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 –1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or aleppo for mild heat)
- 9 lasagna noodles (or enough to make 3 layers in a 9 x 13 baking dish)
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese 8oz, grated, divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino, divided
- 8 ounces goat cheese, chevre (optional, replace with ricotta)
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 24-ounce jar marinara, about 3 cups
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450°F.
- Roast the vegetables. Toss veggies with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 400°F.Â
- Soften noodles. Spread dry uncooked lasagna noodles on a tray in a mostly single layer- (it is ok to have a little overlap) and cover them with hot water (hot from the tap is fine). Sprinkle with a little salt if desired. Let sit for 20 minutes. Drain water off. See notes for using no-boil noodles.
- Make ricotta mixture. Mix together ricotta, 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, goat cheese, egg, garlic, fresh basil, salt and black pepper.
- Assemble. Spray or brush a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil-place 3/4 cup marina sauce on the bottom. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly on the noodles, layer 1/2 of the vegetables over the ricotta and evenly spoon on about 2/3 cup of marinara. Repeat this layering sequence 1 more time. For the top layer, place the remaining lasagna noodles on top, spread on the rest of the marinara, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, until the cheese gets golden brown and bubbly. Let sit for 20 minutes before slicing.Â
Garnish with fresh basil leaves and minced parsley.
Notes
Tip. Soaking lasagna noodles in hot water instead of boiling them makes the cooking process easier and faster with less mess and a more consistent texture.
If using no-boil lasagna noodles: Add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to the bottom of the pan along with the marinara and cover the lasagna tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
Freezer instructions: You can also freeze a baked or unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before reheating or baking. Bring to room temp and heat in a 350F oven until the internal temp reaches 145F .
Make ahead. Lasagna can be assembled ahead and refrigerated for 2 days before baking. Let come to room temp before baking.Â
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large piece
- Calories: 386
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 508.7 mg
- Fat: 17.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.6 g
- Fiber: 4.4 g
- Protein: 25.8 g
- Cholesterol: 68.4 mg
Vegetable Lasagna FAQs
Our favorite veggies for this lasagna recipe are mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and zucchini. However, spinach, broccoli, carrots, winter squash, and eggplant are some other great options!
Thoroughly cooking the veggies before adding them to the lasagna prevents them from releasing water during baking. We roast the veggies to caramelize them and maximize flavor.
Fresh garlic and herbs! We use basil, but you can add even more herbs, like oregano, if you’d like. Be sure to use a flavorful marinara.
Thank you for your lovely inspiring recipe. I made this yesterday, different veggies, but roasted definitely brings big flavours.
Glad you enjoyed this Bhavana! Love that you made it your own.
This is a stellar lasagna recipe. We have enjoyed sharing the finished dish with family and everyone asks us to make it again. Just another of your wonderful ideas! Thank yo!
Great to hear!
I am making this today for a family that needs some meals brought to them. Would it be possible to freeze this before baking? Any suggestions on how to deliver this if they are not able to bake it within 24 hours of assembly. Thank you!
Yes! I just added the freezing instructions in the notes.
easy and delicious
Great to hear!
Amazing ! Soaking the noodles was a game changer, perfect texture. Feasting at Home recipes are my go to and now everyone in my family’s as well
Wonderful to hear Michelle!
Made this for the first time for a holiday party. It was delicious. Used 1 1/2 red peppers and added some broccoli. Rao’s marinara. This is a keeper!
Sounds great Paula!
If I construct it all together in the pan, can I leave it in the fridge overnight and bake it the next day?
I think that should work fine. I would bake within 24 hours. Let us know how it goes Katina!
This was awesome, made at Thanksgiving for the vegetarians, even the non- vegetarians loved it. It was hit!!
So happy to hear this Stacie!
Subed cottage cheese for goat cheese and added broccoli too. Soooooooo delicious!
Nice! Appreciate your review Bailey!
Hello – if we soak no-boil noodles, will that make them too soft? here in the UK I have never seen lasagne sheets that you need to pre-cook, so everything here seems to be no-boil. But having them softer would make them easier to assemble, even if you don’t *need* them to be pre-soaked.
Maybe just a shorter soak like 2 minutes.
Hi! Just wondering how well the lasagna keeps in the fridge as leftovers / for how long? Looks delicious!
We recommend to store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Roasting the vegs really makes a difference. So much better than other veg lasagnas I’ve made. Thanks!
Great to hear Judith- thanks for circling back and rating these for us.
followed your gf tips and it was delicious. LOVED the goat cheese. thank you!
So glad you enjoyed Tara!
This is the best veggie lasagna we have ever tried. The goat cheese addition is a game changer, and roasting the veggies. YUM! Thank you so much for all of your delish recipes, our taste buds are so happy :).
Yay, so happy you enjoyed this Lisa!
This was perfect! I made it for a dinner party and it was a big hit. I’ll definitely make it again in the future.
Wonderful to hear this Susie! Appreciate you taking time to leave a review.
Wow, such a good recipe! I halved it, sorta. Made it in an 8×8 dish with 8 lasagna noodles. I love how you can really taste the individual veggies because of the size they’re cut. I too was skeptical about soaking the pasta, but of course they came out perfect. Thank you!
Yay, great to hear Marry! Thanks for the review.
Absolutely the tastiest and best veggie lasagne I have ever had! Thank you.
Wonderful Leonie! Thanks for taking time to review and rate the recipe.
My new go-to vegetarian lasagna dish. This is fabulous!
Awesome, so happy you enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious with just the right balance of flavors.
I did add a bag of spinach that I split between layers which didn’t add so much more flavor but did add more veggies given we love dishes heavy with vegetables.
Great for a group or to have leftovers. 🩷
Great! Happy you enjoyed this.
Best lasagna recipe!!! OMG – roasting the veggies and soaking the noodles is a game changer – makes for such a smoother assembly. I didn’t have balsamic vinegar, so I substituted for red wine vinegar plus a bit of maple syrup. Instead of ricotta/egg, I did cottage cheese. The noodles are lovely – so evenly cooked with a great chew. Absolutely incredible lasagna. I will come back to this recipe again and again. Thank you for sharing it!! 💖💖
Yay Angeli! So glad you gave it a try. Thanks for another helpful review and rating!!
Great recipe … love the chunky vegetables and the extra flavour. Used no-cook noodles (GF) and appreciated the tip about adding a 1/4 broth to the bottom layer. Will do this recipe again and again!
Glad this worked out Karen!
This vegetable lasagna is just incredible! Roasting and seasoning the vegetables was key to the delectable final product. I was skeptical about ”soaking’ the noodles, but it worked perfectly. I roasted a bag of frozen vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) that I had on hand along with sliced zucchini. I added chopped fresh spinach to the vegetable layer. This was a perfect Christmas Eve dinner. Thank you for your recipes! Happy holidays!
So happy to hear this Cheryl! Appreciate your helpful review.