I’m planting my flag and declaring this the best vegetable lasagna recipe! Making the tomato sauce with loads of veggies from scratch makes all the difference. This is a must make!
I love this vegetable lasagna so much! It’s been on rotation in our house for years! I’ve made it so many times for friends, and I can always count on at least someone asking for the recipe. It’s that good!
We make our veggie lasagna completely from scratch, which is easier than you might think, and it makes a big difference in flavor. I use zucchini and summer squash in our photos, but you can always substitute other veggies. If you love this veggie filling, try our veggie spaghetti recipe that was inspired by this lasagna.
Key Ingredients
- Lasagna Noodles: You can make this recipe with cooked regular noodles or no-boil noodles. I love no-boil noodles for their convenience! Some of our readers use regular noodles but add them to the lasagna without boiling them first. I prefer the thinner, no-boil noodles, but use what you love.
- Veggies: This lasagna needs 4 to 5 cups of chopped vegetables. I use zucchini, summer squash, and a jar of roasted red peppers, but you can swap or add different veggies based on what you love. I’ve listed a few suggestions in the variations section below.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: This is the base of our homemade tomato sauce (it only takes 20 minutes to make).
- Ricotta cheese: Creates our creamy cheese layer between the noodles and veggies. I love to use high-quality whole milk ricotta like BelGioioso, Sorrento, or fresh ricotta. Cottage cheese is a great substitute if you do not enjoy ricotta cheese.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese makes our lasagna extra delicious. For a vegetarian lasagna, leave out the parmesan cheese.
- Eggs: Help firm up the cheese layer. For egg-free lasagna, leave them out. The final result will still taste great, but the ricotta layer will be softer.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Vegetable Lasagna
Tip 1: Make the veggie sauce. Cook onions until soft in olive oil, then add garlic, red pepper flakes (for heat), and veggies. Add crushed tomatoes and roasted red peppers, then simmer until the veggies are tender, and stir in fresh basil. We still want the vegetables to have a little crunch since they will continue to cook in the oven.
Tip 2: Assemble the lasagna. Start with the vegetable sauce on the bottom and add noodles, ricotta, shredded cheese, and another layer of noodles. Repeat this to have 3 layers of noodles, and finish with sauce and extra shredded cheese on top. If you wanted a slightly different spin on this recipe, try our veggie lasagna roll-ups, which use the same lasagna filling.
Tip 3: Bake until bubbly and golden. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking until the top is melty, golden, and bubbling, about 15 minutes more (35 minutes total).
Tip 4: Let it rest. Let the lasagna sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This quick rest helps the layers firm up so you get beautiful, clean slices when serving.
Veggie Lasagna Variations
I absolutely love this meatless lasagna recipe! It’s so flexible and easy to adapt based on what’s fresh, in season, or already in your fridge. You’ll need about 4 to 5 cups of chopped vegetables in total. In our photos and video, we use zucchini, summer squash, and roasted red peppers, but there are so many other delicious options to try. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Mushrooms: Chop or tear into small pieces. They are really delicious with the tomato sauce.
- Greens: Spinach, kale, or other leafy greens wilt beautifully into the sauce. Add them at the end when making the sauce with the basil. (We also have a spinach lasagna you might love.)
- Winter squash: Chopped or roasted butternut squash or delicata squash adds sweetness, making this perfect for fall. Add them pre-roasted, or cook the squash cubes in the sauce until tender.
- Carrots: Add them, finely chopped or shredded, to the sauce with the onions.
- Bell peppers: We use roasted red peppers in the recipe below, but you can also use fresh peppers. Add them along with the zucchini when making the sauce.
- Eggplant: Cut it into cubes or use roasted eggplant for a hearty, meaty texture without the meat.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this lasagna with a simple salad. Just toss your favorite fresh ingredients into a bowl. We love baby lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Then drizzle over your favorite dressing. My family especially loves our homemade Italian dressing, simple Caesar dressing, or balsamic vinaigrette.
For something warm and cozy on the side, you can’t go wrong with classic garlic bread, roasted garlic bread, or a slice of this easy focaccia bread.
More Lasagna Recipes
Easy Vegetable Lasagna
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This vegetable lasagna recipe is a family favorite! Fresh 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.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
14 lasagna noodles
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
- Storing: Leftovers last in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead tips: Assemble it and store the unbaked lasagna in the fridge for up to 2 days. (I like to add a sheet of parchment paper on top before covering the baking dish with foil). I prefer freezing baked lasagna.
- Reheating the lasagna: To reheat this lasagna, bake at 400°F for 30 minutes to an hour (or until heated in the middle). If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.
- Noodles: Cook 12 lasagna noodles, plus 2 extra in case you need them for filling gaps.
- Vegetarian lasagna: Skip the parmesan cheese.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles or use long, thin slices of roasted or grilled eggplant or zucchini as your “noodles.”
- Dairy-free/egg-free: 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 lasagna, leave out the egg. The cheesy filling will be soft but still delicious.
- Nutrition: The provided nutrition facts are estimates calculated using the USDA database.
OMG…. Ive recently adapted a mostly vegetarian life style to help loose weight. I “thought” it would be a tasteless adventure. Boy was I wrong, this lasagna recipe is absolutely delicious. The only things I changed were I used strips of cabbage in place of the noodles. I love pasta but my body loves it more. (carbs) and being originally from New Mexico I was very heavy on the red flakes. “mmm chefs kiss”
So delicious! I added finally chopped celery and carrots to the onions. I’ll definitely be making this again and again!!
That sounds delicious! We are thrilled that you love the recipe 🙂
Hi! If I use no-boil lasagna, do I need to add extra water or change baking time?
No, you should not need to change a thing.
I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta. Mixture seemed runny compared to what you did in the video. I haven’t tasted it yet so I’ll let you know. Any suggestions? Maybe just stick with ricotta? Thank You Heidi
Hi Heidi, What kind of cottage cheese? I’d go with a 4% fat option. Low fat may cause the filling to be runny. Also, make sure you let the lasagna sit for a bit before cutting so that pasta has a chance to soak up any extra liquid.
This recipe was SO GOOD! Genuinely would not change a thing. This will stay in my dinner rotation for sure. A slightly healthier version of regular lasagna. I air fried some asparagus to have on the side. Yum!!
This is one of my favorite recipes. I really enjoy all your recipes.
Hi Joanne. Because the zuchinni and yellow squash can vary considerably in size, could you please tell me how many cups of the chopped squash is needed for the best ratio of veggies to sauce? Thank you.
Hi Jan, You will need about 12 to 16 ounces of zucchini and 12 to 16 ounces of summer squash. Somewhere around 4 to 5 cups chopped total between them.
We do not have yellow squash.
Would butternut squash work?
Hi Jo, Yes, or you can use double the zucchini.
This recipe is excellent, very tasty, but takes almost 2 times longer than stated, took me a total of 2 hours 35 minutes, and I’m an experienced cook (grandmother)!!! Not to be unkind, but maybe you had all your ingredients in separate bowls ready to go, like Martha Stewart!!! (You’re saying that PREP is 30 mins, COOK 1 hr , TOTAL 1 hr 30 mins). My PREP: 1 hour 25 minutes my COOK time: 1 hour 10 minutes But thanks!!! It’s a great recipe!!!
Can I substitute the tomatoes for a can of pasta sauce instead?
Yep!
This recipe is delicious, and it came together faster than I expected. Thank you for posting it!
Just made this recipe but I used fresh lasagna sheets haven’t tasted it still in the oven.
hello at what temp and for how long do I bake this for as it is frozen. Thank you
Cover it with foil and bake bake for about 60-90 minutes around 375°F.
Hi Joanne, My Husband and I do not like Ricotta or Cottage Cheese can I use Bechamel Sauce instead for the vegetable Lasagna whick Looks Yummy.
Hi Sonia, I have not tried this myself, but I bet it would be lovely. You may just find the lasagna to be a bit more loose as you will not have the eggs to firm up the filling.
I’ve been using this recipe as a starting point for a long time now (I think I discovered it around 2015-ish) and I feel like it deserves a review. It’s more than just any old veggie lasagna. The textures and flavor are fantastic. Over years I’ve begun grill roasting all my own veggies including the squashes, peppers, onion and mushrooms which elevates the whole thing. I also often add ground beef or chicken depending on who I’m cooking for. I’d suggest making the original recipe and then add to your own tastes. I’m getting ready to make this for a family vacation dinner so I’ll do a veggie and a meat/veggie for lots of people because it’s really that good!
I love this recipe! It is perfect for end of summer when we have a bunch of zucchini and squash. I’m just wondering if I this make an extra pan to freeze for another weeknight. Would you recommend baking then freezing or freezing before baking?
Hi Paru, So happy you enjoyed it! I prefer to bake and then freeze.
I love this recipe! It is perfect for end of summer when we have a bunch of zucchini and squash. I’m just wondering if I this make an extra pan to freeze for another weeknight. Would you recommend baking then freezing or freezing before baking?
Hi there, So happy you enjoy it! I prefer to bake and then freeze.
Can I use fresh bell peppers instead of using jarred?
Hi Rachel, Yes, you can. I’d add them along with the onions when making the sauce.
This recipe was delightful! Roasted red peppers made a world of difference for flavor purposes. Highly recommend cooking this lasagna
I am so happy you gave our recipe a try, Katie! Thank you so much for coming back.
This was really good. I substituted flax for the egg, and used frozen vegetables, chopped in my food processor. My vegetarian loved it, and so did everyone else.
Thanks for helping me put together a great meal.
The recipe states to leave out the Parmesan if making it vegetarian, but my vegetarian eats parmesan…
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!
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.