Description
This Best Vegetarian Lasagna features roasted vegetables, a creamy ricotta filling, and layers of marinara and cheeses baked to perfection. It’s a hearty, flavorful Italian-inspired main course perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ medium yellow onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups marinara sauce (24 ounces)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (24 ounces)
Cheeses
- 2 cups grated low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated pecorino cheese
Ricotta Filling
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Other
- 15 lasagna noodles
- Fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Oil a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the mushrooms, red bell pepper, zucchini, and onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables evenly on the baking sheet.
- Roast Vegetables: Roast the vegetables in the oven for 25 minutes, or until tender and browned around the edges. Once done, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Make Ricotta Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with grated garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well blended.
- Assemble Lasagna – First Layer: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, then distribute half of the fresh spinach. Add half of the roasted vegetables on top and dot with ⅔ cup of the remaining marinara sauce.
- Assemble Lasagna – Second Layer: Repeat the layering with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta filling, the rest of the spinach, roasted vegetables, and ⅔ cup more marinara sauce. Top with the final layer of noodles.
- Top and Bake: Spread the remaining ⅔ cup marinara sauce over the top layer of noodles. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and pecorino cheeses on top. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna stand for 20 minutes after baking to set. Garnish with fresh basil or chopped parsley. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- For best texture, use regular lasagna noodles instead of no-boil noodles.
- If using no-boil noodles, use approximately ¾ of a 1-pound box and adjust baking by covering the lasagna and baking for 40 to 50 minutes until noodles are tender, then uncover and bake until cheese is browned and bubbly.
- For a vegan alternative, substitute the ricotta with vegan ricotta and omit the cheeses on top. Bake covered until pasta is tender and heated through, about 30 to 50 minutes at 400°F.
- Drizzling cooked noodles with olive oil helps prevent them from sticking together during assembly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
