Here is a theory: There are two types of picky people, those that are totally fine just never experiencing a life with, I don’t know, tomatoes or bananas or pickles or raisins (yes, I’ve read your comments — all of them) and then there is the kind that finds their epicurean limitations to constrict like an uncomfortable jacket they’d love to shed if they could figure out how. I, a lifelong Picky Person, am the latter. Over the years creating and sharing recipes for this site, I’ve embraced so many things I once thought I didn’t like [insert basically half the ingredients in anything here, ever], but it turned out I just didn’t like the way they were usually made.
NEW: Watch me make this on YouTube!
And now the time has come for me to get over my lasagna issues. What are you saying? you might ask. There are two lasagna recipes in the archives. You love them both! And it’s true. What I have struggled with is what I’d call The Usual Vegetable Lasagna. I want something as bubbling, bronzed, and brick-like as a classic lasagna should be, but I needed to fix a few things along the way.
– Most vegetable lasagna recipes are meat lasagnas with a footnote that you can just leave the meat out. But I wanted one that celebrated the presence of vegetables, a lot of them. And I wanted us to be able to choose our own vegetable adventure based on what we could get and what we like. Here, I use 4 diced cups of mushrooms, onions, and fennel, plus spinach. In the summer it might be zucchini and eggplant. You pick what you like with sauce, cheese, and pasta.
– I know it’s just me, but I find no-boil lasagna noodles too thin and unacceptably bereft of ruffly edges. But I also hate boiling lasagna noodles, which. as we all know, stick to everything and also themselves and you spend a good 15 minutes peeling and tearing them to get them spread in a pan and wondering why you didn’t just make baked ziti, which would never do you like this. I don’t know why it took me so long to just use the lasagna noodles I like and soak them in hot tap water for 10 minutes and letting the rest happen in the oven, but I finally did and will never make lasagna from dried noodles another way again.
– I’ve never liked the texture of baked ricotta. Fresh ricotta is pure bliss, of course, but it gets so grainy and dry when baked with sauce and noodles, I was happy to use a smooth, rich bechamel instead. (Both previous lasagnas are bechamel lasagnas.) But here I experimented with adding some heavy cream to ricotta to keep it from baking up dry and really liked the effect. You may not need or want it here, but if the above mimics your feelings about lasagna, you’re in for a treat.
– My last quibble with many lasagna recipes is the height. Quite often, hearty lasagna recipes call for less than a pound of noodles, building 4, instead of 5, layers, which settle into a nice but kind of squat lasagna. I’d prefer a full five tiers — a beautiful thing to behold, especially when the top layer is crackly with bronzed melted cheese over a thin slick of garlicky tomato sauce. Well, I learned why. The former fits nicely in a standard 9×13-inch baking dish with 2.5-inch sides. The latter appears to and then your oven floor tells you a different story. So, this is where the story was supposed to end: me muttering under my breath about the burning smell, chalking the lasagna up to a failure. But, I mean, it’s not like it was going into the trash. I waited about 45 minutes to cut into it, which is a great thing to do if you don’t like burning your mouth of food; it also gives the lasagna time to set up. Instead of finding a sloshy mess inside, I found nirvana: no extra liquid, no sog, just a perfectly set up, sky-high lasagna masterpiece. We need this. We want this. We should not compromise. Bake it over a tray to catch drips and you won’t have to, either.
Note: You can watch an Instagram demo of this recipe here.
Previously
Six months ago: Ultimate Zucchini Bread and Black Pepper Tofu and Eggplant
One year ago: Bodega-Style Egg and Cheese Sandwich and Chocolate Puddle Cakes
Two years ago: Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Korean-Braised Short Ribs
Three years ago: Small-Batch Tiramisu
Four years ago: Miso Black Sesame Caramel Corn and Hot and Sour Soup
Five years ago: Oven-Braised Beef with Tomatoes and Garlic and Pecan Sticky Buns
Six years ago: Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Hearts and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Seven years ago: Italian Stuffed Cabbage
Eight years ago: Lasagna Bolognese
Nine years ago: Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake
Ten years ago: Best Cocoa Brownies and Chana Masala
Eleven years ago: Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes and Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Slaw
Twelve years ago: Seven-Yolk Pasta Dough and Best Chocolate Pudding
Thirteen years ago: For Beaming, Bewitching Breads
Perfect Vegetable Lasagna
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, diced small
- 4 cups small-diced (about 1/2-inch pieces) vegetables (see Note)
- 5 ounces baby spinach or another green you like, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- Handful chopped fresh basil (optional)
- 1 pound dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil type)
- 1 pound (2 cups) whole milk ricotta
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1 pound coarsely shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 1 cup (4 ounces) finely grated parmesan
Vegetables and sauce
Assembly
Make the sauce: In the same pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic, a couple pinches of red pepper flakes and up to a full teaspoon if you want it spicy, and oregano and cook together for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the garlic is just barely golden. Add tomato paste (save the can) and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, don’t worry if it seems to be drying out. Add two tomato paste cans of water (a total of 1 1/4 cups) and stir up any stuck bits, cooking until smooth. Add canned tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and basil, if you’re using it. Simmer mixture together for 4 to 5 minutes; adjust seasonings to taste. You’ll have 4 cups of sauce.
Assemble lasagna: Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place lasagna noodles in a large bowl or baking dish and cover with the hottest tap water you can get. Soak for 10 minutes. Mix mozzarella and parmesan. Mix ricotta with heavy cream, if you want to keep it as creamy as possible (skip cream if this doesn’t bother you) and season the ricotta with some salt and black pepper.
Coat a 9×13 baking dish at least 2.5 inches deep and ideally 3 inches deep lightly with oil or nonstick spray. Pour 1/3 cup of sauce into the dish and spread it evenly across the bottom. Shake water off noodles and arrange your first layer of noodles, slightly overlapping their edges.
Dollop 1/4 of the ricotta (about 1/2 cup) over noodles and spread it in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Add 1/4 of vegetable mixture, then about 1/5 of mozzarella-parmesan mixture (just eyeball it). Pour a scant cup (more than 3/4 cup, less than 1 cup) of sauce evenly over cheese. Place next layer of noodles on top. Repeat this process (1/4 of ricotta, 1/4 of the vegetables, 1/5 of the mozzarella-parmesan, scant 1 cup of sauce) three times, using up all but the mozzarella-parmesan mixture and about 1/3 cup of the sauce.
Place final layer of noodles on top, spread the remaining sauce thinly over it and scatter the top with the remaining mozzarella-parmesan mixture.
Bake lasagna: Cover a large tray with foil (for easy cleanup) and place baking dish on top of it. Lightly coat a piece of foil with nonstick spray and tightly cover baking dish with foil, oil side down. Bake with the foil on for 30 minutes, or the pasta is tender — a knife should easily go through. Remove foil (carefully, so carefully) and bake for another 20 minutes, until lasagna is golden on top and bubbling like crazy. Keep it in the oven another 5 minutes for a darker color.
Wait, then serve: The best lasagna has time to settle before you eat it. When it comes out of the oven, it might seem like it’s a sloshy mess, but 45 minutes later (mine is always still very hot, but you might need less time in a cold kitchen) it will be glorious — the excess water absorbed into the noodles and filling, and ready for a relatively clean slice.
Serve in big squares.
Do ahead: Leftovers should stay in the pan. I like to reheat lasagna with the foil off because I like it when the top gets very dark.
Can’t wait to make this!
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Yum! I made it tonight and my kids loved it. My daughter isn’t normally a fan of lasagna (?!!!!) but said this was really good and finished a good portion. They don’t like mushrooms (another ?!!!!) – I used one small carrot, zucchini, broccoli, red pepper, and extra spinach. I also used a bit of milk (didn’t have cream) and love what it did for the ricotta. I cooked the sauce a bit longer than suggested and ended up with close to 5 cups of sauce. I did everything piecemeal so it came together easily in the end. (Night before cooked veggies, shredded cheese… During lunch I made the sauce. Later assembled and cooked for dinner)
Thanks for another great recipe!
If you don’t care for ricotta in baked pasta dishes, maybe try cottage cheese instead. I used cottage years ago when I was out of ricotta and haven’t looked back since. I use full fat, small curd cottage cheese, a pound per 9×13 pan, and it bakes down into this melty, velvety deliciousness. Anyone who tries my lasagnas (heavy on the veggies, like this one) is converted.
My mother always used cottage cheese in her lasagna and we loved it!
I remember my mother did too, but she also added grated parmesan to cottage cheese, and it was wonderful!
So, I made this for the first time yesterday, and it was amazing. Perfect. Delicious. I will make it again and again, as my BF had stars in his eyes as he ate and couldn’t stop exclaiming his delight! I was right there with him. It will be dinner again tonight!
I followed the recipe pretty much as written, but I added some red bell pepper to the mix of veggies, which we really liked. I went with spicy and made sure I had a big handful of basil for the sauce. I didn’t bother with the cream, as the texture of the ricotta is fine with me.
It seemed a little difficult to make, and I dirtied a few dishes, but I’m already imagining how it will be easier the next time.
Thank you for a veggie lasagna recipe that is every bit as good as the traditional meat version! The perfect comfort food at a time when one feels the world has gone a bit mad, and self care is in order…
my mother in law uses a mixture of cottage cheese and sour cream and what can i say, it is delicious.
Oh, I love this ricotta + heavy cream idea for when you don’t want to make a bechamel! My go-to move for this is to mix marscapone with pesto, but I like this for when I don’t want pesto-y flavors in there.
Just FYI, the Instagram link was not working for me…took me to sports highlights for some reason? But the lasagna looks amazing and I can’t wait to clear out enough time to try it!
There’s a slight snafu in the recipe — it says “Add tomato paste cans of water (1 1/4 cups)” — but not *how many* cans of water. Given the overall quantity specification (1 1/4 cups, or 10 fluid ounces) not a big deal — but you may want to edit. (I’m guessing 1.5 or 2 cans, but haven’t checked the weight to volume ratio of tomato paste yet…)
Hi hello are you going to tell us about the cute heart, though? I’m not seeing things, right?
I didn’t see it until you pointed it out. Purely accidental (from the foil doing a nice cheese pull as I lifted it off) but obviously fated.
Thank you for also not committing the cardinal sin of vegetarian lasagnas, REPLACING THE PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI. “PASTA IS VEGETARIAN” I [the very-picky-about-vegetables vegetarian] scream at my computer a few times a year.
Does your apartment, by chance, list to the left? That’s good luck!
This is definitely happening in my house on Sunday!!
Celery instead of fennel? Just want to make sure that fennel is one of the replacables. Don’t like licorishy things.
I’m with you – licorice for candy, not dinner (or lunch, either).
No licorice flavor when cooked, more of an upscale celery flavor.
I spontaneously bought fennel today and thus have all of these ingredients already in my kitchen! So excited to make it this weekend. It looks lovely.
Updating to say: It was excellent! I spread some extra pesto I had over one of the layers but stuck to the recipe with everything else.
Can you prep the lasagna the day before and cook the next day?
Yes
This looks delicious. I always put lasagna in loaf pans, making a deeper dish lasagna, and this way, I can make a whole recipe, divide into three loaf pans, and it is a perfect serving for two, with leftovers. The other 2 loaf pans are put in the freezer for quick dinners at another time.
I came to say this. Loaf pan lasagna is the best. We have an extra long skinny pan that is exactly one noodle wide (by 1.5 long, I think) and it is perfect.
LOAF PAN! Great idea – thank you!
WOW! I LOVE the loaf pan idea! Even to bake several at a time… (and not to freeze). Think of all those layers and extra crispy edges! Thank you! You’re my hero! :)
This is genius! As a family of 2 empty nesters, I am still trying to figure out how to cook the food we liked as a family of 4, without having to eat leftovers many days in a row!
yes, Yes, YES! to the loaf pan suggestion. So deep, so customizable (mushrooms for the adults but not the kids). As an added benefit my loaf pans have glass tons so I don’t have to mess with the foil.
If you cooked this recipe in multiple loaf pans would you bake it for less time or the same amount?
This is genius!
There is most definitely a heart!! Do tell, Deb!
I see it too!
I’d like to make this for a gluten free friend. Would you still soak GF lasagna noodles or will they get gooey?
Hi Stephanie – I’ve made this GF twice now. I follow the package instructions on the GF noodles to add water to the sauce, and then bake the lasagna without soaking or boiling noodles. I’ve tried boiling GF noodles and they literally crumbled apart.
Thank you Meri! I haven’t been to the store yet so haven’t read the directions for GF noodles. the info about the package telling you how to adjust the sauce helps a ton!! Otherwise don’t soak and use them dry right?
The GF brand of noodle I’ve been getting is Tinkyada. This particular brand has instructions for either boiling the noodles, or a direct-to-oven method. I’ve been following the direct to oven b/c of the fiasco I had with boiling GF noodles (I was literally piecing that lasagna together like a puzzle – it was a mess). So no soaking either. The direct to oven instructions has not failed me yet; I’ve used these noodles with other lasagna recipes too. Just so you know these directions say to use 8 pieces of lasagna total, add 200-300 ml of water to thin the red sauce. You start with layering some of the sauce, then 4 noodles, veggie layer, cheese, another 4 noodles, etc. Then cover the lasagna with sauce completely. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 375. I hope this is helpful, if not I’m happy to answer questions. Cooking GF can be tricky if you’re not used to it – I have Celiac so I’ve learned a LOT in the last 10 years.
Oh my god, this is the vegetable lasagna I’ve been waiting over ten years for. (I’d say my whole life, but I was happy with meat lasagna until I stopped eating meat!) I can’t wait to make this.
Deb, just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love you more, you perfectly described my feelings about lasagna AND food fussiness. It’s not that I don’t like some foods, I just don’t like it when they’re poorly treated. I had exactly the same thing happen to my veggie lasagna a couple of weeks ago and waited until it cooled down for the kids and oh my goodness it was perfect and now I want more lasagna!
Have 700 other people already commented about using hot tap water? Please do not use hot tap water in your cooking. Especially if you live in an old building.
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/health/29real.html
Thank you for posting this! Just heat up cold water in a kettle and use that.
I’ve never heard of this but I do it all of the time. Tap water is excellent in NYC and it’s all we drink. (And this article is from 2008.)
Sadly it isn’t the source of the water, it is the pipes in your house or building. Many communities have replaced their water pipes but from the street in to your home haven’t been replaced. San Francisco is the same way – excellent tap water but old pipes in homes still mean lead is a problem. And there is no safe level of lead exposure. Even in 2020, plumbing fixtures can still contain lead.
This is an old link, but the EPA advice that it cites remains unchanged.
NYC makes the same recommendation. 🤷♀️
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/monitoring-for-lead.page
I’ve read this too, and sadly no longer use hot tap water (to speed up pasta cooking time, etc, or to drink). I read the book Never Home Alone by Rob Dunn recently, and though he is generally happy with the idea of us sharing our home with lots of invisible microbes (they’re good for us mostly, and do important work in our homes!), hot water in pipes is one thing he does say we need to be careful about. Even hot water coming out of old shower heads! I am not a germophobe and generally pretty lax about cleanliness and my house/children and the latest freakout of the day about Things that Might Harm our Family!, but Dunn convinced me about this one. (It’s a fun read, too!) https://www.amazon.com/Never-Home-Alone-Millipedes-Honeybees/dp/1541645766
But if ” boiling water does not remove lead but can actually increase its concentration,” as the article says, what should we realistically do if we need hot water for cooking?
Being in Milwaukee, I’m concerned about this as well. We are fortunate enough to be homeowners and installed a whole house filter. But ultimately my take would be . . . yes, use filtered water for drinking and definitely baby formula . . . but the amount absorbed by pasta is far less than the whole amount you’re pouring out of the faucet.
As a Michigander and physician (cue Flint water crisis reference), I feel pretty well-equipped to chime in as a reliable source on this one. Using cold tapwater that you then heat is different than using hot tapwater. It’s all about how the temperature affects the way the water interacts with contaminants in the pipes. Think back to high school chemistry (or dissolving sugar in water when you make simple syrup); solute dissolves more readily at higher temps. Hot tapwater can “pull” out more contaminants from the pipes’ lining into the water, which is why we recommend against consuming hot tapwater.
That said, we all know that Deb’s recipe strategies are genius, that she’s extremely smart and well-read, and that her heart is always and forever (and ever! and ever!) in the right place. And, unless you’re regularly consuming hot tapwater, the risk from a single steep here is rather minute. But, there’s also an easy side-step: heat cold tapwater until about 120-125 degrees F (maybe the point at which it starts to steam vigorously?), take the pot off the heat, dump in your noodles for their 10 min soak, and follow all of Deb’s cues from there.
I just made this, it’s in the oven! One question. It says to add 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom. Is it supposed to be 1/3 cup of sauce? I ran out of sauce, sadly.
Yes — whoops, sorry about that.
I have everything I need to make this, except I only have the no boil lasagna. I don’t want to go back to the store. But I will if I have to. So, will it be awful if I just proceed with the inferior no-boil noodles? My Valentine loves lasagna.
Yes, I want to know this too! It’s really hard to get no-boil lasagne sheets in the UK
Saw this on Facebook while I was trying to figure out dinner so it became my project for the night. It is SO GOOD. I made it with 2c mushrooms and 2c eggplant. The ricotta mixed with heavy cream is genius. Only suggestion I was unable to follow was waiting 45 min to dig in.
I’ve always wanted to do a vegetable lasagna but I chicken out when my husband side-eyes me; he’s a meat lover. So I’ve always gone halves-ies using meat and vegetables when I make it. It stretches the meat filling that way, too. I chop up frozen broad beans, zucchini, peas, mushrooms and onion to mix in the meat and let it all sort of stew together with a little sauce. I add wilted spinach to the ricotta with parmesan and mozzarella. I’ve always wanted to try it with a béchamel sauce, but I chicken out on that, too because I like a thick layer. I’ll definitely try your ricotta/cream mixture next time. I usually make one meat/veg layer and one cheese layer ..because I’m lazy. I go crazy with sauce in-between and serve some on the side as well. I love it lasagna!
Who gives a fuck what your husband wants. You’re the one fucking cooking it. He can make his own goddamn lasagna or get the fuck out of the house
wow, angry much?
Ok, let me try again… step 1: make the lasagna, ANYWAY YOU LIKE. Step 2: Get a big ass bottle of wine. Step 3: eat your lasagna & drink your wine, keeping that shit all to yourself. Step 4: if that mortherfucker wants any of your lasagna, he can fuck off and make his own
Hilarious! I think this addresses all the moms and wives who make compromises due to men and children who don’t eat the same things.
BR, you can come to my house for dinner any ole time.
Lasagna and wine for us, PBJs or cheese and crackers for everyone else. Thanks for the laugh.
Soak the normal lasagne noodles in hot water for 10 minutes!!! Genius!!! And that’s why you’re the Queen! Thanks Deb
Your comment at the start about the two types of peoples really reminds me of every time someone asks me what food I don’t like. I can definitely say I have eaten lasagnas that I don’t like (Oh you call this mountain of cheap cheese and tomato paste lasagna…), but that doesn’t mean I don’t like lasagna. So I class myself as a picky eater regarding quality, but I don’t think there is a single fruit or vegetable I won’t eat.
If you live in Europe then a good substitute for the cheesy part of this is fresh mozzarella cooked in crème fraiche until the mozzarella breaks down and you have a (somewhat) uniform white sauce. I always add a bit of pesto to that as well. Then the rest of the recipe is about the same. I usually add chickpeas for protein and use whatever veggies I have in the fridge.
Hi Deb,
I love the look of this. I think this would be really really great with a mix of wild mushrooms and the veggies that you mentioned. Instead of a marinara sauce I think I’ll make a sauce from the jarred roasted red pepper I have in the fridge. I’m going to make it for myself for dinner on my birthday.
If you are not using hot tap water, what temperature should it be heated to? I prefer to heat water with an electric tea pot so I don’t waste water running it down the drain waiting for it to get hot enough.
Thanks so much for the recipe. I have had so many bad lasagna dishes but this looks yummy!
I’d be interested in your recommendation here, too! (I have a kettle with different temperature settings, so I might just set it to the lowest setting, given that hot tap water isn’t that hot…) Unless you think boiling water would be a good idea?
Sorry, didn’t check temperature. Anything that feels hot to your fingers will do. No boiling, of course, we’re not trying to fully cook them.
Agree about the ricotta- love this and will have it on regular rotation!
I cannot wait to make this! We are having a family dinner this week and my daughter-in-law wants to have an Italian dinner. I’d like to make this ahead of time and freeze it. Can it be frozen before baking, or should I bake it and then freeze it?
Thank you!
Just read over the recipe. I am confused about the water. Do we add two tomato paste cans of water?
Yes
I just put this in the oven for the third time in the last two months. It’s so good. My people didn’t realize imeatless. A tip though – use parchment between the top of the lasagna and the foil. No oiling, no sticking, and you can compress the lasagna a bit before popping it into the oven.
Just wanted to say thank you for the parchment tip! Tried it tonight and it worked a treat, all the cheese stayed on so tidily this way.
I find that I’m a lasagna snob…lol. I haven’t boiled lasagna noodles in years, and I find it’s a waste of time. I know that results in having to cook things longer, but I don’t mind – it’s always worth the wait. I cover with foil for 55 minutes and then take the foil off and let it really golden up for 10 or 15 min more. I always use a baking sheet underneath, as yes, it does tend to boil over. I do more layers than it calls for. We use whole wheat noodles, and layer in between. i.e. – a layer for sauce, noodles, layer for cheese, noodles, etc. Ending with sauce and cheese on top – usually 2 1/2 boxes for 2 pans. I also use a combination of cottage and ricotta, probably for the dryness issue, but also for cost. I always cook two pans because we had 7 kids. One pan was never enough. Now we all want leftovers for lunch, lol. Needless to say, they are heavy pans! We have tried veggie lasagna several times, and haven’t quite got the sauce right (we like the white sauce with veggies), we like more of a garlicky Alfredo taste. Anyway – this is wordier than I meant. Thanks for sharing your great recipes!!
Very similar to this, which is very Wow. I used to make it a lot when I was actually cooking, as opposed to reading about cooking. But I don’t use the oven-ready lasagna it suggests, blah.
https://www.mastercook.com/app/recipe/WebRecipeDetails?recipeId=1871947
You linked to a lasagna with a bechamel, wine, no-boil noodles, and no tomato sauce. I mean, maybe it’s good but I wouldn’t call them similar. (Please note that I always credit sources and inspiration on SK and always have.)
Deb,
Here’s how to make lasagna noodles not stick together after boiling: Drain, put back in pot. Fill pot with cold water, drain again, and repeat rinse once more.
Then, when you drain them, leave the noodles in the colander and place the colander over your cooking pot to catch any drips. The noodles will not stick together, and are easy to work with. (You’ve removed the starch, which acts like glue.) Then every recipe is easy.
I have deep loyalty to your previously posted lasagna’s (especially the bolognese one, which is insanely amazing). One of the reasons I love them so much is that I feel like I also am constantly disappointed by ricotta, though I’ve never had it fresh before, so maybe that’s why? Excited to give this one a try!
My mom always uses cottage cheese and my aunt suggested adding an egg and nutmeg to it. so that’s what i do.
I always do that too!!
Question: this recipe looks amazing and I love the suggestion of making two and freezing. Is the previously-frozen lasagna watery when it defrosts? At what step do you freeze it – before or after cooking? Thank you! Can’t wait to try this.
You can freeze it before or after. I usually recommend on pasta bakes freezing it before, but since these noodles are uncooked (vs. pasta bakes with already cooked noodles), it might be a little awkward and the noodles might break. It shouldn’t be watery. Or, it might seem it while baking (as this one does too) but it should absorb back in as it rests before you cut it.
When you bake after freezing does it need to be defrosted? What baking instructions would you suggest? I’d like to gift a frozen homemade lasagna – and provide instructions for cooking- and make one for me too!
I’ve always added an egg to a carton of ricotta plus parmesan to make lasagna. I wonder if that improves the texture?
I usually beat an egg (or sometimes two) into my ricotta, which also works to make it creamier. I don’t usually buy heavy cream, so this works well for me.
I have and LOVE that baking pan. All my Pyrex pans are a mess; this pan cleans up beautifully.
Years ago Cooks Illustrated had a lasagna recipe that soaked no boil noodles in hot water before baking. I think they taste the closest to homemade. But I see that Deb doesn’t agree and now I’m thinking I should soak regular noodles. I also make Deb’s homemade ricotta and thin with milk or cream. Going to try this recipe!
Thank you for making our Valentine’s Day dinner so wonderful! Followed the recipe exactly and 4 adults and 3 kids devoured it! Deb, you’re invited to every party I throw.
“…and wondering why you didn’t just make baked ziti, which would never do you like this” had me giggling over my coffee this morning. You’re one of only two recipe mavens whose accompanying stories I make a point to read along with the recipe (Joy the Baker is the other). Thank you for keeping it real always!
Deb!! You hit the nail on the head with all my lasagna quibbles! And I currently have a fridge full of shrooms, fennel & spinach! Totally making this! However,I have one comment to add to this perfection—have you not seen the new extra deep Pyrex dishes?! They are beyond brilliant & precisely what you need to overcome scrubbing your oven floor! If I could, I would send you a set! They were on sale at Costco recently. They are worth seeking out! Ask your sweetheart to get you a set for Valentine’s Day!😉😁
Looks so yummy! Love the freedom to add whatever veggies are on hand!! I am definitely going to try this!!
Re: pre- cooking noodles-
I have always made my lasagna with regular whole wheat noodles and have never pre-cooked them. Or pre-soaked them.
I typically let the assembled dish sit awhile in the fridge before cooking, and often not.
It always bakes up perfectly.
Can this be prepared early in the day and then refrigerated for a few hours before baking?
This looks so great!! As a vegetarian, I’ve been trying to be better about having more protein in my main dishes so I’m not hungry 2 hours later. Any suggestions on what you think would work best here? I was thinking maybe black beans or white beans (I feel like tofu wouldn’t go). Thanks!
Actually, I think Tofu would be great mixed in with the ricotta cheese layer. Especially if you also add in a beaten egg and a dash of nutmeg. I think you could use either silken or firm tofu here.
If you want a TON of protein, you could try adding cooked lentils to the tomato sauce layer or cooked, smashed chickpeas or white beans to the ricotta layer.
If you just want a regular amount of vegetarian protein, just bump up the green veggies with some combination of protein-heavy veg like: shredded brussels sprouts, green peas, asparagus, artichoke, spinach, or broccoli. Per cup, the green peas are going to contain the most protein outside of legumes.
Thank you, those are great ideas!!
You could also try making a white sauce out of white beans, a la Anna Jones. She takes a can of white beans and whizzes the whole lot with some olive oil and lemon zest (including the liquid) and uses it in lieu of bechamel in one of her recipes – will see if I can find it.
here we are: https://www.countrywives.co.uk/ricotta-thyme-sweet-potato-bake/
I only read lasagna recipes as a voyeur, because my Italian grandmother taught me how to make lasagna, and that is how I’m always going to make it. But I have made a few adjustments over the years. If you live in an area where you can easily buy fresh pasta sheets, those work well. I hate boiling lasagna noodles, and I don’t care about the ruffles. The fresh sheets just go right in. If you do use fresh pasta sheets, though, run a knife through in a few spots so that steam can escape. I also always put an egg or two in the ricotta, to help it hold together, along with some garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. (I don’t change much else – my grandmother would not approve!)
I just have to make sure that you all have seen Paris Hilton cooking lasagna in her new video. Well worth the watch–it’s on YouTube.
Deb, you should really do your own video–don’t forget the dog, the driving gloves, and your hair all over the place ;)
I will be making this next weekend–thanks for the tip on soaking the noodles!
Oh wow. Yes, Deb, you now need to make a lasagne video. The PH one is so bizarre.
This was truly fantastic! Used crème fraîche instead of making a béchamel or using ricotta and it was a great substitute.
This was great! I used onions, zuchinni, and spinach. This was my first time making lasagna, and it turned out great! Waiting for 45 minutes really helps it solidify and come together.
You say spread “1/3 sauce” on the bottom of the dish. Should that be 1/3 cup or a third of the total amount of sauce? Thanks!
Having done 1/3 of the total amount, due to the ambiguity you mention and my own follow-up failure to do math on the repeated layers, I can confirm that it’s 1/3 cup of sauce in the bottom on the pan. I think mine will still taste fine, but with more sauce in the bottom it’s extra soupy and I had to skimp on sauce in the layers.
Soaking the noodles really works! This made making it much less of a hassle. I loved it and will use this method for all lasagnas now.
I registered for a lasagne pan when I was engaged 13 years ago, and ended up buying it myself when no one else sent it to my eagerly outstretched arms. It’s a straight-sided, three-inch high marvel of engineering and product design. It’s come in handy many times, but now I know it was waiting for this recipe. I can’t wait to unite them.
I just can’t stop staring at that perfectly set up square of deliciousness. Must. Make. This.
Also, I like to say that I am not a picky eater. But I am. And you captured the kind I am! “[T]he kind that finds their epicurean limitations to constrict like an uncomfortable jacket they’d love to shed if they could figure out how.”
Sigh.
This looks amazing! I think a number may be missing in the directions: “Add (??) tomato paste cans of water (1 1/4 cups)”
You’re right that the instructions omitted words as to the number of cans of water, but it specifies 1.25 cups. When Deb answered an earlier question about this, she said two cans of water. That would be 1.5 cups (12 ounces from filling a 6-ounce can twice), not 1.25 cups. Then again, I am not sure the 2-ounce difference is going to make or break the sauce or the lasagne.
When I make it, I’ll split the difference and cut Deb some slack — posting great recipes all the time earns her a few missed words here and there when they don’t affect the end result.
I once had someone suggest using a mixture of feta and mozzarella with fresh basil, salt, and pepper instead of ricotta in stuffed shells. I liked it so much that I use this mixture instead of ricotta in my lasagna, too.
I’ll try your recipe, but the second time, I might switch back to feta and mozzarella.
Decently tasty. The noodles taste undercooked to me though.
I am so excited for the dry-ricotta fix! We made this last night for our big dinner and it was FANTASTIC! Did zucchini, shrooms, and greens with an onion for the veg. Loved it. Thanks again!
in italy we only use bechamel with lasagne.. you can use oil instead of butter if you want to make it less heavy!!
I don’t like baked ricotta, too…
I will need to try this. I love the idea of vegetable lasagnas, but am often disappointed with undercooked veggies (eggplant particularly). For years, I have been making a heavily modified version of a Bon Appetit veg lasagne with layers of carrot/ricotta, spinach/ricotta, eggplant and a bright tomato sauce. I make a huge batch, doing each part over a couple of days. It’s yummy, but sounds quite different than this one.
I’d love to make this for book group this week, but I need to prep it in the morning and not bake it until around 5. What do you think? Would it get too soggy?
This was AMAZING – worked perfectly. Honestly delicious.
I made this tonight with cottage cheese – thanks for that tip, it worked really well! I so rarely make lasagne because it’s so much work … this was still quite a lot of work. Also the lasagne-sheet soaking really didn’t work for me, they stuck together like superglue by the end, so the top layer was really ugly. But I’ve spotted a tip here for avoiding this, if I make it again… though I may just use them uncooked…
This is truly excellent! Also, in case anyone else has a local supermarket that only stocks no-boil lasagne sheets in the dry section, but has fresh lasagne sheets, the fresh sheets work great here. (I left the foil off & reduces the cooking time to 30 minutes total – result was golden, crispy, bubbly deliciousness.)
WOW! This lasagna is delicious! Made it for the family tonight and we gobbled it up. So glad we have leftovers for tomorrow. I think I may like this better than the traditional meat lasagna.
I doubled the veggies and added a bit more cheese. So so good!
Thank you Deb for another amazing recipe! This came out perfectly and was a great weekend project.
Quick note – I think there’s a typo in the instructions for the sauce: “Add tomato paste cans of water” should read “Add 2 tomato paste cans of water,” I think?
I saw this recipe on Friday and decided it would be perfect for a group we had at a ski weekend, and it was amazing! I followed the recipe exactly except I did skip the ricotta & heavy cream, it just seemed…. decadent maybe? I did stir up the ricotta to give it more of a whipped texture which seemed to work. I used mushrooms and a red bell pepper. Rave reviews from the ski weekenders! Would definitely make again!
This really was perfect! I’ve been trying to avoid beef and this was honestly tastier than a meat lasagna. Received rave reviews and ate much more than I probably should have. What a great idea to add the heavy cream to the ricotta- I really think it made a difference. Thank you Deb!
Ooooh, that first photo of square brick of lasagna is so enticing!
I make my lasagna in my crockpot so I can use dry noodles right out of the box! I shortcut whenever I can to avoid cooking parts of recipes on stove and then baking.
My recipe is vegetarian with chard or spinach and then mushrooms. Really no need for meat with all the sauce/cheese/pasta yumminess.
Oh how I can’t wait to try this! Question: I have looked EVERYWHERE for red pepper flakes (you tend to use them a lot, Deb) but can’t find them anywhere… Are they called anything else? They’re not dried chilli flakes are they?
They are dried chili flakes. At least, that’s what the Google says :)
They are!
For a wintery version we added black kale instead of spinach along with diced carrots, leeks, fennel, zucchini and root parsley. Leafy brassica work astonishingly well in lasagna, and I can also imagine using regular kale or even collard greens.
What a genius idea to pre-soak the pasta – then there needs to be less liquid in the filling, but it’ll still cook! I’m usually faced with the dilemma of having sufficiently soft pasta with a too liquid filling or too al-dente pasta with the perfect filling.
Wanting to make this ahead for 4yo and me next week while husband is out of town. Think I can put the same amount in 2 8x8s instead? (doubt the two of us can polish off a 9×13)
Yes, just use a deep one.
I would like to make this for my birthday party! Is it alright to be made ahead and cooked a day later? Looks fabulous!
Yes — you could also reheat it later; lasagna reheats so nicely.
Totally with you about the wimpiness and rufflelessness of no boil noodles, and about the hot soak of “real” ones.
Agreed! Did you take a peek at Ina Garten’s Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (which uses goat cheese!!) Using homemade instead of storebought sauce, it’s pretty close to perfection – even for the zucchini and eggplant haters out there. And I live with 3 of them.
Two typos that confused me and seem to be confusing others too. Starred words are missing. “Add *two* tomato paste cans of water (1 1/4 cups) and stir up any stuck bits, cooking until smooth.” “Pour 1/3 *cup* sauce and spread it evenly.” Thanks Deb!
Last night’s dinner and 2 more in the freezer. What a winner. I used fennel and zucchini, king oyster mushrooms and the mix of greens out of the garden instead of spinach. Loved it. The only fault I see is the “2 hour” time. Maybe I’m just slow, but even with mis en place, it was 1/2 hour to cook the veggies, 1/2 hour to cook the sauce, 1/2 hour to assemble and then 40-50 minutes to bake, then 45 minutes to set. So it was a late dinner, but really enjoyable.
My own lasagna dilemma was finally resolved when I realized that what I wanted was a rather soupy skillet lasagna. Lots of gravy, in other words. With a hefty pinch of sugar, extra fennel, freeze dried basil (shelf stable!) and sweet Italian sausage crumbled in it. With Campanelle pasta, because it’s small enough to scoop with a spoon or stab with a fork, and ruffly and substantial enough to seem like regular lasagna noodles.
I serve mine with a blop of pureed cottage cheese and mozzarella melted over each serving.
Took me FOREVER to figure this one out, but now that I have, I can move on to trying to figure out whatever it is I actually like about some other dish.
I don’t know whether this makes me a smitten superfan, but I think you previously had at least *three* lasagna recipes. My favorite is this one: https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/01/baklasagne/
I like how you adapted it from 101 cookbooks…I want to say I appreciate the simplicity of it, but that seems an odd claim given the homemade noodles and sauce. Out of the oven, it just seems a straightforward and lighter lasagna than the usual.
I make this sauce at least once a month for spaghetti and the recipe is our special occasion lasagna. Thank you. :)
You have a good memory! I really want to revisit that because I love it so much but I think the recipe needs a tune-up.
I won over 4 skeptics including my 6yo son with this veggie lasagna recipe last night! I’m actually not a huge vegetables person myself, but I’ve had a veggie lasagna before that I loved and have always wanted to recreate, and then this recipe addressed all the things I usually hate about lasagna so it was a win win! I went all out and did a mix of broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper for my 4 cups (8 actually since I doubled and froze one, and then kept the spinach and onion in the recipe as well) and it was fantastic. I think the only other change I made was to add one egg to the doubled ricotta/cream mixture.
I did find in my standard 9×13 pan I only had enough noodles for 4 layers, buuuut I may have been placing them wrong? My very slightly smaller/deeper aluminum pan for the one I froze worked perfectly for 5 layers.
Love the look of this recipe. I’ve been searching for a meat alternative that’s kids friendly and this looks like the perfect substitute.
I made this last night for my family, which includes two vegetable-skeptic kids. Big hit! For veggies, I used mushrooms and spinach, and also threw in some zucchini. Added some citric acid to brighten up the canned tomatoes. And thank you so much for the brilliant new way to deal with sticky lasagna noodles!!! I will never boil them ever again. Made your foccacia (another favorite) as a treat to go along with it. Happy family. :) Thank you, thank you!
Made this last night and it was a hit. First time I have ever made vegetable lasagna and not had it turn out a watery mess. After I cooked the vegetables, I put them in a colander while I made the sauce, which I believe helped to reduce wateriness even more The soak noodle technique is so helpful. And I loved this quickie sauce. Thanks for this recipe.
Straining the vegetables in a colander is a great idea! I squeeze water out as I added to the lasagna but your idea makes way more sense…lol
How would you substitute canned whole peeled tomatoes for crushed tomatoes? Would 2 tins of whole peeled tomatoes blended be about the right amount? I never have crushed tomatoes but always keep canned whole peeled tomatoes.
I’d use the same size can. Either squish the tomatoes with your hands or plop them in a bowl, cut them into smaller pieces with a pair of scissors and use an immersion blender to lightly crush them without making a complete puree.
I love this lasagna and am including in my freezer meal prep for maternity leave. What advice do you have on baking after freezing? I plan to assemble, freeze, and then bake. Can I bake from frozen? Does the temp and cook time change?
No, it’s best to let it defrost in the fridge — give it a full day. Then warm it at 350. I prefer foil off for all or at least the second half of the time.
Thank you!!
I’d use the same size can. Either squish the tomatoes with your hands or plop them in a bowl, cut them into smaller pieces with a pair of scissors and use an immersion blender to lightly crush them without making a complete puree.
Hi, Deb,
My husband requested this recipe and wants to stock our freezer with it so he can bring it to work (he’s a ED doctor so no remote work for him…). All the stores are out of lasagna noodles. Would fresh lasagna noodles work or manicotti noodles?
Thank you!
Yes, fresh will. I haven’t used manicotti noodles before — I actually have to Google them now!
Use a 28-ounce can and either use kitchen shears to chop them up in the can or you can try you luck with an immersion blender — chopped small is good here, but not pureed.
Still a bit confused about the “Add tomato paste cans of water (1 1/4 cups)” direction despite non-Deb commenters trying to clarify, so would love it if this could be corrected/explained in the recipe! I accidentally bought a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes at the store instead of the whole tomatoes I needed for another recipe, so making this seems fated, so could you please help with what this means? I’m fine with adding 1.25 cups (or 1.5 cups as another commenter said) of water at that point, but don’t want to mess this up!
The word “two” was missing — sorry for the confusion. Now fixed. You’re adding 2 6-ounce cans of water or about 1 1/4 cups.
Not sure what I did wrong- my noodles are flaring up and hard as a sheet on top! Smells good though.
Was it my favorite lasagna ever? No. Was it a delicious mountain of cheese, pasta, and wonderful veggies (spinach, onion, fennel, carrot, mushrooms)? Yes! I’ll take it!
Made this tonight and it was a big hit. (Used fennel and a variety of mushrooms, per the note). I think that next time I’ll add an egg to the ricotta, per recipes I’ve made in the past. And more parmesan to the mozzarella. But those are quibbles. The one thing I’ll note is that to make 5 layers, per the recipe, I ended up using closer to 1⅓-1½ pounds of lasagna noodles, not 1. (I made two to of these and froze one; I used most of a third box of lasagna noodles, which luckily I had in the cabinet, for the end of the 4th layer of noodles and the 5th layer.)
Made this for dinner tonight and oh my, yes, yes, and yes! This will go into regular rotation. Thank you Deb!
I just made two of these, one for a new mom friend and one for my own family. It is delicious–I love the flavor of the vegetables and the creaminess of the ricotta + cream. Unfortunately, I interpreted “Pour 1/3 sauce” on the bottom as 1/3 cup. Looking back at the recipe, it’s pretty clear and I should have trusted my instincts that it looked scant as I ended up with a crispy and inedible bottom layer. Great recipe though!
I made this yesterday and it was a huge hit! I used mushrooms and broccoli. I didn’t have any ricotta on hand so I made a half batch of bechemel from Deb’s bechemal lasagna recipe and it was just perfect! One thing I noticed in the assembly – should it be 1/3 “cup” of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish instead of 1/3 of the sauce?
This was so good. I used a veggie mixture of mushrooms, squash, and red bell pepper. I am always worried that vegetarian food will be bland but this was an exceptional recipe and will now be my go to lasagna.
This was terrific! In addition to adding cream to ricotta I also added 10 oz frozen spinach which I had wrung the moisture out of. I used this rather than adding the fresh spinach to the vegetables. I used a mix of red peppers, zucchini, onions, and lots of mushrooms. Was best tomato based lasagna I have ever made!
This was really good – thank you for the recipe. I doubled it so I could freeze half in anticipation of a baby in May. My lasagna noodles must have been much thicker than yours, because once I put the second layer down on the first lasagna, I realized I already used more than half. Therefore, I increase the amount of filling in subsequent layers and didn’t have full 3rd and 4th pasta layers. But it still came out great! I might also 1.5x or double the vegetables next time. It tasted great as is, but I would do that just to feel less guilty about all of the cheese (which I definitely thought was enough)!
This Is a Major Success. My 3 years-old not food motivated, she won’t even finish a piece of cake, yet she asked for a second portion. I forgot to throw the spinach with the veggies so they went in the tomato sauce instead. I can’t make much of a difference I guess.
Oh that sounds great! We are big vegetable-lasagna-lovers and I definitely will try your take on it.
A tip about your noodle problem: have you ever tried fresh noodles? At least here in Germany you can get fresh lasagna plates in the refrigerates section of many supermarkets. And they are delicious.
This really was perfect! I used onion, small diced zucchini, red bell pepper and baby spinach. Soaking the noodles is a game changer, as is the cream in the ricotta! We loved it. Can’t wait to try it with different veggie combos. Thank you for this recipe!
Add on to my earlier comment – We had company over and last night I just reheated the frozen lasagna from the other day. Not only was it even better than the first day, it wowed the company. Easiest dinner ever and so tasty!
This is the vegetable lasagna I didn’t know I needed! I used equal parts mushrooms, carrots, and broccoli, and kale instead of spinach and it was delicious. The addition of the heavy cream to the ricotta really did make this so creamy. I’ve never had a lasagna recipe, but I do now.
This recipe is perfection! I used mushrooms and zucchini, in addition to the onions and spinach. My family loved it. I will forever more let future lasagnas rest for 45 minutes.
Yum yum yum! Made this tonight for dinner.
Smell in the kitchen was wonderful when it was baking
My vegetables were onion, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms and spinach. I only added a little cream to the ricotta. My pasta sheets didn’t need soaking, they worked well, perhaps different brand than yours.
So delicious. Best bit? The crunchy top
Made this last night for dinner & was blown away how good it was & how quick it came together. I make a lot of baked pastas in the fall/winter and lasagna is usually so time consuming I rarely make it. Used a pound of mushrooms (half button /half baby portobellos) for the vegetables. I ended up with closer to 5 cups of diced vegetables but I think with the higher water content of the mushrooms I needed a bit more volume. I added a few scraps of nutmeg to the ricotta with the cream. I had to make an emergency cheese substitution as my husband at some point ate an eight ounce brick of mozzarella one night for dinner (yes I am slightly concerned) and used a 12 ounce package of preshredded Italian cheese blend (Provolone , Asiago & Parmesan) that I had laying around with 8 ounces of brick mozzarella and the Parmesan. And will definitely do so again. Absolute winner.
Lasagne is one of my favourites and being a vegan it becomes so difficult to find the right kind of recipe and that’s when my close friend forwarded your recipe dear Deb. I am so thrilled to try this recipe at home. The more the vegetables the more excited I get I should say. The art of boiling Lasagne noodles is well explained and the sauces are mouth-watering even to read.
This is the vegetable lasagna to end all other vegetarian lasagnas. It really was perfect!
The first lasagna I’ve ever made, and it was SO good. Thank you so much for the recipe! I skipped the heavy cream because I’m not a fan, and it worked out superbly. For the vegetable filling: zucchini, mushrooms, baby spinach – yum. I saved some for lunch today and will have some left over for next week, as well- actually really looking forward to my lunch break for once, lol!
I can’t wait to make this! Totally agree about the ricotta – I much prefer to use cottage cheese in lasagna. It puts the “light” in delightful. :) Looking forward to making this with my toddler. Thank you!
Delicious! Used fennel and mushrooms, I didn’t have the recommended depth of pan, so I split the recipe in two 9″ x 9″ pans and it fit nicely. I found it a tad dry, I think the next time, I would cook the noodles, or add a bit more sauce. Maybe the pans I used contributed to this.
This is truly the perfect lasagna. I followed the directions exactly and had no trouble at all. The noodles cooked perfectly and letting it sit for at least 30 min before eating is key!
I will say the exactly amounts of ricotta, sauce, cheese, and vegetables for each layer is somewhat hard to follow, and I was sort 1 noodle. BUT, if you just eyeball it, you’re fine.
This was THE BEST veggie lasagna I’ve ever made. I used mushrooms and bell peppers. It was the most delicious dish I’ve made in a while. Thank you so much for this recipe! For good reason, you’ve been my favorite food blogger for many years.
As to the noodles, I’ve had great results with standard lasagne noodles without either boiling or soaking – I just add about 1/2 extra liquid (tomato sauce, broth, whatever) and tack about 15 minutes onto the covered baking time (so, 45-50 min). Works every time :)
This was fantastic! I used Trader Joe’s Lasagna. Don’t do this. No ruffle edges which makes it stick together a lot. This is one of the first lasagnas I’ve had that doesn’t feel super heavy or like you want to die afterward. We used shiitake mushrooms and a rather large eggplant and it made a heaping 4 cups. We got about 10 servings. Highly recommend!
I followed the recipe, except my little local grocery store didn’t have spinach. They had fava bean greens so I substituted that instead. (I couldn’t find a single recipe on the web for fava greens lasagna, but it works.) Came out great, very tasty and satisfying.
I made this for my family of 5 – they all loved it! Out of all of the veg lasagna recipes I’ve made, this is the best! The little tweaks Deb made with the ricotta, veggies and noodles took a little more time but made a difference in the final product and taste. Leftovers – cold or reheated – perfect! I’m sure it would have been something nice to freeze but it was all gone! The only thing I would say is that when prepping the noodles with hot water ( I used my kettle on lower temp setting vs. hot tap water), after the 10 minute period, pull them out and place on parchment paper layered not touching so they don’t stick.
I made this lasagna and am really enjoying it. The pasta/ sauce/ cheese/ vegetable proportions are well-balanced and it’s filling without being greasy or heavy. I used a mix of eggplant, mushrooms, and bagged mixed greens (mostly collards) and they held up well in the filling – which wasn’t too watery either. The dry pasta soaking technique is also easier than boiling and separating noodles and the cooked texture is good. It’s still a bit of work to prepare but I expect I’ll be making this again and probably try some variations.
Made this for the second time tonight with a different veg mix (cauli, zucchini and carrot) and just as fantastic as the first time! I loosen the ricotta up by mixing in some hot water instead of the cream and works really well. I’m so happy to find this recipe and finally crack the mystery of a great veg lasagna!
O.M.G. This IS perfect! I use crimini mushrooms, butternut squash, and one seasonal vegetable (asparagus, eggplant, cauliflower) and even my meat-and-potatoes husband doesn’t miss the meat. Since it’s usually just the two of us for dinner, I make the lasagna in 3 disposable loaf pans and freeze two. The
frozen-defrosted-reheated ones taste just as good as the one we eat “fresh”
and they slice more easily. I have discarded my 8 other veggie lasagna recipes
now that I’ve found perfection. Thanks, Deb!
I made this a few nights ago and it’s probably veggie lasagna attempt #17 for me…not even kidding! Since cutting meat out almost 20 years ago, I’ve never found a veggie lasagna that hits the spot the way traditional meat lasagna does. THIS IS IT!!! I served it to a large dinner party of meat eaters and they all raved about it. This is the last veggie lasagna recipe you will ever need!
I don’t usually comment on these things, but wanted to say: make this!
I was grumbling as I put this in the oven as I had stuffed up somewhere along the way so ended up with too many noodle sheets and not enough tomato sauce or cheese for the top layers. I had to improvise by adding some extra pasta sauce from a jar and spreading the cheese thinly on top and was annoyed that all my hard work was for nothing…
Moral of the story though, my Imperfect Lasagne still turned out freaking delicious! It worked somehow, and though I will strive for perfection next time, this is still the best lasagne I’ve ever made. Thank you Deb :)
For the first time in my entire (fifty year) life I made a delicious lasagna! I always felt like not-having a go-to lasagna recipe was a big hole in my repertoire of meals, but no more! I subbed cottage cheese for the ricotta because, although I live in Ohio amid news reports that dairy farmers are dumping milk, there was no ricotta at the store. It was fine, lovely, and now I have lovely dinner and / or lunch to look forward to as I return to distance-teaching tomorrow. The whole week just got better! Thank you, Deb, from the bottom of my heart.
This was so delicious, but the soak in hot tap water (my pipes are fine–we had them all redone in a big remodel 20 years ago) didn’t soften the noodles much. Then, they expanded during baking, making the lasagna wavy on top. My next go-round was a meat lasagna with the same noodles (Barilla), and I followed the package instructions and boiled them for 8 minutes. They were still very al dente and absorbed plenty of moisture from the sauce, but didn’t deform as much in the oven, making for a neater appearance. They were also enough wider and longer after boiling that each layer had just three noodles. The 1-lb box had 18 noodles, so there were a full six layers.
is the temp to cook it 400? it doesn’t specify other than to put that temp for the noodle prep.
Thank you!🙏🏼
Love his recipe. Could you advise me on what to do if I accidentally bought the no boil type lasagna noodles? Thanks!
Just use them without the 10 minute soak
Delicious! The tip to let the lasagna set after pulling out of the oven is so helpful, as well as mixing heavy cream into the ricotta!
I used no boil noodles as I already had a bunch on hand, and it worked perfectly – just skipped the soaking step mentioned in the recipe. However, next time I’d add an additional 1/2-3/4 c water to the sauce just to ensure out leftovers aren’t dry.
So, I just made this, and while I had to be a little creative with getting the lasagna noodles into my Corningware oval bakers, it tastes *perfect* and it helped me use up all of these leftover vegetables. I used zucchini, white button mushrooms, spinach on its last legs, a bunch of chard stems minced super small, and some walla wallaby’s sweet onions leftover from my CSA box. And while I forgot to season between veggie batches, the result is just lovely and it doesn’t taste overly slimy or too cheesy, which has been the sin of every other vegetarian lasagna I’ve ever had. Thank you, Deb!
Just seeing it already wants to eat. thank you for sharing this lasagna recipe, I’ll try to make it this pretty at home
Amazing recipe! Followed it exactly using only mushrooms for the vegetables. Everyone loved it and it’s the one leftover I haven’t gotten sick of eating.
I made this for the first time yesterday to help clean out my refrigerator and pantry. After gathering my random veg (zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, swiss chard stems, and one sad parsnip) I had over 6 cups, so I scaled everything up and used a 12×16 roasting pan. I used a pound of lasagna noodles along with a half box of no-boil noodles found in the back of the pantry, mixing them together in layers. And even though I didn’t follow the recipe as written, and it was not pretty to look at while assembling, this was THE BEST vegetable lasagna I’ve ever made. It was very difficult not to dig in right away, but waiting the 45 minutes really made a huge difference.
Do you have a lasagna pan you like? I’m planning to invest in one (the pans I have are not tall enough).
Absolutely, but it’s not much of an investment. It’s sturdy but not too heavy and washes up beautifully.
Excellent. Thanks!
Thanks Deb, it’s a good one, and affordable!
The recipes says there’s a note about the vegetables but I don’t see the note. I thought you were going to give suggestions on what kind of vegetables to use. Did I miss it?
The note is above the recipe:
This looks absolutely gorgeous, is there any chance you could add the weights in English measurements please?
I made this last night and it was FANTASTIC. My husband and his buddy, both die-hard meat eaters, LOVED it, and it was such a fun one to make! THANK you for always creating recipes that are delicious and work every time.
I could only get 4 layers of noodles out of my one-pound box, following the directions to overlap the edges a bit…I was supposed to get 5 noodle layers, right?
What brand? Maybe they’re different thicknesses.
Just the Safeway store brand!
Definitely 1 pound? Sorry, I don’t mean to insult your intelligence or label-reading, I’m just trying to figure it out in case anyone else has this problem. :)
I had the same issue – I started with 4 noodles in a layer, but that left about an inch of empty pan at each end of the noodles, so I broke another noodle into quarters to fill the space. Worked great until the end when I realized I was only able to do 4 layers. In your pictures, it looks like you’re able to lay your noodles horizontally in your pan, so maybe you have shorter, wider noodles? Mine only fit the long way in my 9×13 pan.
Different kinds of noodles. Some are wide, intended to be horizontal. Some are long, intended to go the long way. I just grab whatever the store has but it should all work out. If it doesn’t fit the pan, it’s either the pan size (less likely) or the noodle size. Was it definitely a 1-pound box? Not all brands come in 1-pound boxes anymore.
I’m ALMOST certain it was a one-pound box. My pan is a hair over 9×13 (not sure if that’s standard), so that may be the issue. I will say that it all worked out because I was playing a risky game knowing my pan was likely too shallow for the lasagna. So when I ended up with only four layers of noodles it fit in the pan a lot better. It was still amazingly delicious. I’m making it again tomorrow (definitely have a one-pound box this time) and I’ll even out the filling layers to compensate for only four noodle layers. I expect it will be delicious again.
I was disappointed. For the number of layers in the lasagna, I found that the amount of the various filling layers (ricotta, sauted vegetables, etc) could have been doubled. It just seemed to be mostly noodle. With the amounts given, if I made it again, I would cut the number of layers in half. I had the same experience when I made the lasagna bolognese….
I had a similar issue, i had pasta leftover and not enough veggies/red sauce .. then i watched the video and saw how little of each ingredient Deb actually spreads on each noodle layer …lighbulb moment! So I shall dial down the amount of topping per layer next time. Overall the dish tasted alright to me but i personally wasn‘t loving it. Other adults around the table really liked it, kids were in it mainly for then top layer. Full disclosure tho – i was hoping to be converted into a lasagna person (as an overall dish i find lasagna too stodgy) and this recipe didn‘t that – but that‘s not the recipe‘s fault!
Made this last night and it is SO GOOD! I’ll be using the cream + ricotta trick from now on. My 9×12 isn’t deep enough so I used a 10×13 and spaced the noodles way out – 3 or 4 noodles per layer. I will definitely make it again in the big pan with more veggies and more sauce. I’ll also use this tomato sauce recipe for other dishes, it is so flavorful!
I wanted the comfort of lasagna without the heavy meat and this was a really good vegetarian lasagna!
Here are my notes: I used about 5 oz mushrooms, 2 bell peppers, and 1 med zucchini ended up with closer to 5 cups of veggies (instead of 4) with no issues. I used 5 oz frozen spinach. I mixed my ricotta with whole milk instead of cream and added a sprinkle of parsley.
My dish was only 2″ deep so I made 4 layers instead of 5 and adjusted the ratio of ingredients per layer. I used 5 noodles per layer, cutting the 5th and laying it perpendicular to the others. For 4 layers, I was left with 2 unused noodles out of the 1-lb box.
Let it rest *at least* 30 mins out of the oven. I would definitely make this again.
Can one use part-skim ricotta, or would that yield something too watery?
It should be okay; you can always drain it a little if it seems too watery.
Super tasty! My family thought it was great. Thank you!
I made this yesterday and it was a huge hit. Now that it is cold outside I am looking for these warm yummy dishes. Thank you!
Side note: I used half the sauce (2 cups) and it was store bought. We liked how it tasted.
Perfect indeed! We used this recipe yesterday for a non-traditional Thanksgiving vegetable and turkey sausage lasagna. We followed recipe exactly but added about 3/4 lb crumbled turkey sausage (1/2 sweet, 1/2 spicy cooked on stovetop). We layered in cooked sausage following each vegetable layer. Soaking noodles worked well for us—we used tips from others using almost boiling water and laying noodles out on parchment. Look forward to making again as vegetable only.
Any suggestions on assembling the lasagna the day before and cooking off the day of? I don’t want to make things mushy or watery!
It should be just fine.
This was perfect and it will be my new go to lasagna recipe. We made it with 8oz cremini mushrooms and broccoli, plus the left over of a red onion we had. I can see how this recipe could easily be made with double the vegetables, which I might do next time. We waited 45 min to eat, as suggested, and we were glad we did. My 4yo who eats nothing-balks at everything-actually ate this!! Totally wasn’t expecting that but he actually it! My 10 month old took some nibbles but mostly threw it on the floor :)
Oh-and we used no boil noodles because that’s what Trader Joe’s has, it was easier, and it turned out just fine.
Made this perfection vegetable lasagna for Christmas Dinner this year…and we’ve decided to make it a tradition! Thank you so much!!
If I were to use store-bought fresh lasagna, as someone here suggested — any tips? Just skip the soaking step?
Did you try it Colleen? Wondering if I should soak the fresh pasta or just skip that step…
I made this last night while at the same time minding my six year-old AND trying to get work done remotely….I was totally distracted and forgot to put the spinach in and also was obliged to use no-boil Trader Joe’s lasagna noodles and diced, rather than crushed tomatoes (which is what I had on hand) and…..the recipe still came out wonderfully. I just had to bake it an extra 10 minutes covered before uncovering for 20. I used carrots, fennel, onion, red bell pepper and eggplant.
In my mind the best recipes are those that are forgiving (you can substitute ingredients), complex in taste, and simple to prepare. This checks all the boxes. I do not think that I will make any other lasagna recipe than this going forward.
I am not a big lasagna fan, but hints were being dropped, so I made this last night, and it converted me! I will not ever need another recipe for lasagna.
We don’t eat meat, and other veggie lasagna recipes I’ve made were either bland, or soggy, or otherwise not delicious. This one has all the right flavors and textures!
Wow, this really is perfect! Somehow this recipe seems like less work than other lasagnas. I used Deb’s veggie mix, frozen spinach, and no-boil noodles (yes I did, I like that they’re thinner). I used the full teaspoon of red pepper flakes and find it zesty not spicy (sooo good!). My cheeses were a mix of grocery story brand as well as better-quality cheese. DELISH
The tip for preparing the lasagna noodles is genius! Every element of your veggie lasagna, delicious sauce, variety of vegetables, and marvelous tips for browning the cheese and letting the lasagna sit goes together for the best lasagna ever. Thank you!
I am making this now. It is in the oven and it smells delicious! Unfortunately, I will not be able to try this. I am making a lasagna for a donation/charity event. I needed to find the best recipe so, of course I came here! Maybe I’ll make one for me next!!
Will it work if I use half & half and ricotta? I don’t have any cream.
Sure, absolutely.
We love this! We make it with courgette, aubergine, red and yellow capsicum, sauteed leeks and sometimes spinach – delish!
This turned out soooo good!
I’ll be making it again!
I was worried at first that the noodles would be undercooked but they were perfect.
I’m slightly lactose intolerant so I replaced the ricotta with a simple béchamel sauce I made with lactose free milk which worked great!
I really liked this. We made it with the suggested fennel and mushrooms, which is a perfect combo. My husband was giving it the side-eye because it was meatless, but he ended up agreeing it was great. I think the sauce needs more spice, but otherwise wouldn’t change thing.
I haven’t made this, although it looks delicious. I found myself wondering if you’ve tried the Cranks recipe that I use. It involves chopping and roasting 3 courgettes, 3 aubergines and 3 red peppers (the recipe says a fennel bulb and 2 red peppers but I’m not a fennel fan) in a generous amount of olive oil with a little tabasco until good and browned; you mix those vegetables with a tomato concasse (which I make by simmering 4 cans of chopped tomatoes in a decent amount of olive oil with 3 cloves of garlic chopped in, a little sugar if necessary and some fresh basil until thickened), and layer them with a bechamel sauce (enriched with a large egg yolk and with about 50g grated cheddar stirred in): 1/3 veg sauce, single pasta layer, 1/3 veg sauce, 1/2 bechamel, single pasta layer, 1/3 veg sauce, 1/2 bechamel and a scattering of about 50g cheddar on the top). I find the lasagne leaves don’t need any pre-cooking and it’s just like a plate of sunshine. It’s not as dry and sturdy as your traditional lasagne but none the worse for that.
(I don’t make the tomato concasse with fresh tomatoes because I live in the UK and fresh tomatoes just never get as sweet and red as tinned tomatoes are for pasta sauce, unfortunately.)
Holy cow! That was good! This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing, Deb. BTW, you are so right about that crusty top.
If you already have a homemade sauce ready can you sub that as long as it’s about four cups worth ?
I have been making this recipe for the last two years. It. Is. The. Best! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Fennel, omg. Used up 1/2 of small zucchini and red pepper, otherwise followed directions.
Divine, absolutely divine.
This lasagna is really good. I did get it to work in a standard 9×13 baking dish; I didn’t need the 3″ high one. I didn’t have heavy cream on hand, so I used a couple of tablespoons of half&half. I was making it for my somewhat picky kids, so I left out the fennel. I used, green bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini and shredded carrot. The kids loved it.
I usually agree with you on most things-but I strongly disagree with you about no boil lasagna sheets being too thin….I do not like bulky sheets of pasta, and the thin no-boil lasagna is not only a time saver, but results in tender, non starchy, lighter pasta. The other ingredients are able to shine…
I use cottage cheese instead of Ricotta in my lasagna and it works perfectly!
Could you use no cook lasagna noodles. I usually use the flat egg based o cook noodles. Thanks.
I made this today while the wind gusted and it poured rain outside, and the lights flickered multiple times. Thankfully our electricity held out! I used zucchini, onion, cremini mushrooms, and rainbow chard. As a short cut, I used a jar of Rao’s tomato basil sauce instead of making my own, which I think resulted in having less sauce to use. I went light on the mozz/parm, as my wife isn’t a huge melted cheese fan, but did use half and half to loosen the ricotta. I also managed to let it rest for about 1/2 hour. In total – it was amazing! Not too cheesy, not too saucy, well-flavored by the seasoned veggies. I served it with a little extra scoop of ricotta on the side, and it was a hit. Excellent for a weekend afternoon project! Thanks again, Deb!
I made this today – I also had the Trader Joe’s no boil noodles and skipped the soak. it’s really phenomenal. I love how adaptable it is – used eggplant, cabbage, and arugula from my csa box and it turned out amazing. Tried adding half and half to the ricotta and love how it improved the texture of the ricotta. Thank you Deb! Will be making this again for sure!
this looks delicious! I have not made veg lasagna for a number of years, but the most memorable was while I was up at summer camp working as the nurse. Without a recipe, I roasted eggplant, mushrooms, peppers in the oven. I mixed creamed spinach with asiago cheese and ricotta. Think I used alfredo sauce rather than red sauce. Mozzarella for the cheese. I boiled the noodles, since the veg were drier than sauteed would be. So, I find it interesting that you soak the noodles, which then absorb any excess liquid from your vegetables. I’m sure that adds to the flavor. I can’t wait to try your version!
This was excellent—a bit of a project but not overly fussy and WELL worth the effort!! I used peppers, eggplant zucchini and kale. I was really nervous about the idea of spillover since my pan is on the smaller side and actually it was totally fine, I lost a little bit of liquid that bubbled out onto the foil but didn’t lose any significant amount of sauce/cheese! This recipe is a keeper!
This is one for the recipe box! I used baby bella mushrooms and zucchini for the veggies, plus about 7oz frozen spinach that I microwave thawed and squeezed with my new potato ricer (I am determined to make it a multi-use kitchen item!). Soaking the lasagna noodles was a great tip and worked wonderfully. Thanks so much for another excellent recipe!
The recipe’s name DOES NOT LIE. This was the hands-down best lasagna I have ever made. Another keeper. I used 2 zucchini’s, 3 carrots, and a red bell pepper (with the onions and spinach). PERFECT! Thank you!!
Made this using onion, mushrooms, carrot, spinach, power green mix for the veggie sauté. I used brown rice lasagna noodles and soaked for 10 mins as directed in the recipe. Everything came together perfect. I’ve never used cream in ricotta before and it makes it much easier to spread. Thanks for another great recipe, Deb.
I made this recipe after watching the video (by the way, I LOVE your videos). It truly was perfect. I used an onion, a fennel bulb, a medium zucchini, and a container of cremini mushrooms. The fennel was surprisingly too mild so I think next time I will leave it out and double-up on the mushrooms. Soaking the noodles instead of boiling was perfect. The noodles were perfectly cooked. I am a vegetarian and will be making this for Christmas dinner because I know my meat-eating guests will love it. Leftovers were somehow even tastier. Thanks, Deb!
This is an excellent recipe. I love the tip on how to utilize water to “cook” the lasagna noodles; I used boiling water. The only change I would make next time, and there will definitely be a next time, is to add more vegetables.
Wow!! So good! I made with butternut squash, yellow quash, zucchini and spinach! I cheated a little and used Rao’s sauce. But I added the onion and garlic to the vegetables. I also cooked in an 8 x 8 because my oven can’t fit a 9 x 13 (Manhattan living). But can’t wait for leftovers!
First time commenting despite making so many SK recipes over the years!
I followed the recipe almost exactly (my veggies included mushrooms, bell peppers, some extra garlic, and diced carrots), and it came out wonderfully! Everyone loved it, and I can’t wait to make it again.
This has to be the best lasagna I have ever made, including meat lasagnas! I call it a “fridge veggie lasagna” because I used what I had on hand. I like ricotta and used whole fat ricotta, although the suggestion to loosen it with a little cream was genius. The tomato sauce was simplicity itself, and delicious! -no more using jarred sauce with all the added sugar. My version included onions, red peppers, mushrooms, cubed delicata squash and chopped chard, plus the cheeses. Thank you, Deb – you sent some comfort food my way in the midst of winter (although winter by the calendar starts two weeks from now). This recipe is a keeper!
Oh wow, Deb! This lasagna recipe sounds amazing! I’m making it for Christmas eve dinner for hubby and a couple of friends. Just wondering if when adding water to the pan after cooking off the tomato paste, can I substitute a can of red or white wine for one of the cans of liquid? Would let the alcohol cook off before proceeding, of course. :-) Thanks. Am really looking forward to making this healthy, vegetarian lasagna!
Hi Deb. Optional basil- when should I add and how? Excited to make this. Thanks
You can add it to the sauce as it simmers, or right at the end. Hope it’s a hit!
I made this yesterday and it was a hit for a 6 person meal! Used carrots, black oyster mushrooms, some fennel and broccoli. Followed exactly and used the ricotta + cream which was yummy! My dinner guests recommended large-curd cottage cheese thrown in a blender is cheaper and equally delicious–will try next time! Served with simple salad (greens + lemon, salt, oil) and Italian red wine : )
Made this with a pound of sliced mushrooms, one bell pepper, and one onion. It is SUBLIME. I don’t miss the meat at all, and the veggies truly sing. Definitely make sure to add a generous amount of red pepper so it has some kick and isn’t bland. I will absolutely make this again, although I might try it next time with bechemel instead of ricotta.
Temperature for veg. Lasagna is……
This is the PERFECT lasagna! We had a Smitten Kitchen Christmas dinner- this lasagna and the yule log/cake roll. My nephew and niece notified me at Thanksgiving that they are now vegetarians – I remembered seeing this lasagna recipe so it went on the menu. The lasagna was a hit with everyone – and was wiped out. I was told to keep it on the menu for next year. I used zucchini, mushrooms, red and yellow peppers and eggplant. The spinach shrunk down to maybe 1/2 a cup after cooking so may up the amount next time. I never soaked the noodles before and they turned out great – but I did have 3 left over after building the lasagna. I did let it sit 45 minutes and it was perfect for serving. So good! Thanks Deb!
This is the only lasagna recipe I’ll ever make ever again. I would love to know what parts I can do ahead, though, because this takes a bit of time to make.
I made this lasagna on Christmas and it was divine! I used store bought marinara — a simple one from Trader Joe’s with nothing but the basics (tomatoes, garlic, onion). For the veggies, I used broccoli and zucchini, plus spinach. I had 9oz of mozzarella on hand, so that’s how much that went in. I made up the difference with shredded Parmesan and Asiago. The trick about soaking regular lasagna noodles amazed and delighted me. My family raved about it, and we happily finished off leftovers today. Thanks, Deb! I love your site and have been a loyal follower for years and years and years. Your taste and guidance never fail. I celebrate you! Happy New Year to you and yours!
I am sad to say that this one fell flat for me. I made it according to the directions except my veggies were onions, spinach, eggplant and zucchini. The overall flavor was just…dull. No interesting flavors, no richness. It looked beautiful and I had high hopes. I did really appreciate the tip for soaking the noodles. Normally, I use oven ready noodles but also don’t like the flat shape…no more! I will always use this soaking method from now on.
Have made this so many times – never with the heavy cream! Its delicious – the perfect cozy winter meal! We make it with blend of ratatouille vegetables – you can almost convince yourself its healthy ;)
My son is heading back to college soon, and also has turned vegetarian, and also loves lasagna, so I made this for him last night. It was delicious and so well balanced – not overly cheesy or saucy and great flavor. Not too time consuming for a from-scratch lasagna too. I used eggplant, peppers, and mushrooms and a lot of fresh basil. Thanks Deb!
I followed your video and made this dish.
In video you say to cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes…
You forget to mention to oil the foil first. It is listed in the recipe, but I followed the video. I wrestled with the foil and lost all the cheese on top.
For newer cooks those details are important.
thank you anyway, it smells great!
Abbie
This was so good. I was a little wary of the 4 cups of veggies + entire bag of spinach + onion overwhelming the cheese + sauce goodness, but it totally didn’t, and was perfect. A couple of things I did that may have helped my good outcome: when I finished cooking the veggies, I transferred them into a strainer over a bowl to rest until I used them, and after I grated the mozz, I transferred it into a paper towel lined bowl to wait until I mixed it with the parm. Both helped take a lot of water out of the equation. The lasagna was perfect after the recommended cooking times, I made myself wait 45 min, and it was perfectly un-soggy and wonderful. Might slightly up the cheese amounts next time. Yum.
We’ve made this many times and it’s a favorite, so I now have a lasagna that’s in the oven and destined for the freezer, where it will await the arrival of our first child so we don’t have to cook for awhile! I hope our son loves it as much as we do. Thank you, Deb!
Your website is becoming a habit. We made this the other night and yum and even better as leftovers. I haven’t commented much since I just forget to do it. I find your recipes work and your flavor choices must be close to mine and my families since we have yet to find one we didn’t enjoy thoroughly. Thanks for all your efforts. Enjoy your lighthearted commentary also. We live outside a bigger city and mostly have chain restaurants near us so just find it easier to cook. We have a big vegetable garden on a really small lot. Who needs grass! So I am always looking for ways to use up a ton of whatever is in season. Thanks Terry
Thank you for the winning recipe. Both my kids (9 and 6) loved it and went for seconds which is rare in our household!
I made this following the recipe pretty closely (including the fennel, mushroom, spinach mix) and it was fabulous! Definitely recommend it!
The bottom of my PERFECT VEGETABLE LASAGNA burned! What the hell?!!!
Can you successfully substitute béchamel for the ricotta mixture in this recipe?
I haven’t tested it but I’d think you absolutely can. I don’t, personally, think bechamel lasagnas need mozzarella.
Hi Deb. Thank you so much for all the recipes. We made the perfect Vegetable lasagna today, (second time)…we loved it! But have you noticed an error in the amount of Parmesan cheese? It says one cup, then it says ‘four ounces’. We used a cup but I thought you might like to know.
It’s a great meal, we froze some in a bread loaf pan and enjoyed a month later.
Thank you again for being so gracious to share with us.
jay
I’m so glad it was a hit. My cups of parmesan usually weigh 4 ounces, sometimes less (it will depend on how they’re grated and packed).
I just wanted to say “thank you” for this recipe. I cook primarily from your website, but I have made this lasagna more times than I’ve probably made anything ever. It’s my go-to to thank helpful neighbors, welcome new babies, and make bad days better. It truly is perfect.
This turned out exactly as I hoped it would. I used frozen spinach, asparagus, mushrooms and zucchini in addition to the onion. I grated my own cheeses, but used Rao’s marinara because I’d never tried it and had a two pack from Costco.
The tip about soaking the lasagna noodles in hot water was so easy and worked perfectly. I added half and half to the ricotta, and the overall texture and flavor of the dish was the best I’ve ever made. I love béchamel, but the tomato sauce was the right choice for these veggies and it didn’t feel heavy or overly rich. Thank you for an excellent recipe and as always the flexibility to make some ingredients you already have, work very well. Indeed it, was a perfect vegetarian lasagna! .
Made this and it did not disappoint. Solid version of Classic lasagna. Thank you!
If you were going to include broccoli rabe, would you blanche it first?
Blanche or saute, yes.
Thank you. I recently tried Melissa Clark’s roasted broccoli rabe and what a discovery! Highly recommend if you haven’t already! (though you probably have; I’m always late to the party)
I find that food blogs play a bit fast and loose with terms like “best ever” or “perfect,” but this is, in fact, the PERFECT veggie lasagna. I’m usually too lazy to make lasagna because the outcome isn’t delicious enough to justify the time it takes, but this one is worth every minute.
Delicious and so easy!
WOW. Great, rewarding recipe! Thank you!
Thanks to commenters for great tips: I strained the vegetables as recommended above and got almost 1/2 c of liquid out of them that didn’t need to be in the dish. Next time I’d like more depth of flavor in the sauce, might add balsamic vinegar or wine or butter or just a lot more herbs. Setup time was perfect, my squares looked just like the photos.
This cut better than any lasagna I’ve ever made. I think it’s because I actually followed the recipe, but also the soaking instead of boiling the noodles was a game changer!
This was the best lasagna I have ever made. Really, it was.
It does take more time than your typical standard lasagna, but it’s worth it.
(Even my. husband who is a dedicated carnivore said it was delicious. I just about fell off my chair when he said that.)
The cheesy top. OMG the cheesy top. SO GOOD.
If using eggplant, do you need to salt it first?
I don’t but some people prefer to.
A one pound box of lasagna noodles gives you 16 noodles so using 4 for each layer means only 4 layers. If you did 3 noodles for each layer then no problem for 5 layers. I had to add a whole bunch of stuff at the end because using 4 noodles in the layers left me with lot more of all the other stuff. Sigh. I should have worked that out before putting the lasagna together. So maybe specifying that 20 noodles are required would be the optimum way to do this. I still haven’t cooked it so we’ll see how it comes out.
Please provide nutritional information for this amazing recipe. I am on a strict meal plan, logging calories and knowing what a slice of this piece of heaven in a pan would be very helpful. Thanks
THIS IS THE BEST. PERIOD. Fantastic recipe and although I’ve made it multiple times, watching the video really helped me with some questions I had about noodle placement. I always go over 4 cups on veggies (they are so good in this!), but think I’ve been making mine longer as I tore noodles to try to fill up the 9X13 pan completely. Oops. I’ve also made and added in more sauce, again probably because I made it too long.
Thank you so much Deb!
Question for anyone: Do you think this could be made in a slow cooker/crockpot? I recently acquired a large one and have been thinking about what I could make in it and wondered if I should give this recipe a shot.
If someone has made this in a slow cooker, what did you change and when did you add ingredients?
HI
I made this again, a few years later and it is even better than last time. I made extra sauce and dollop a bit on top ( even on the pieces I freeze). I feel it needs it. Really delicious.
Made this for the first time yesterday and I’m seriously contemplating making it again for Christmas Eve dinner! It is SO. FREAKING. GOOD.
I had previously made the sauce from this recipe to serve with spaghetti so I knew it was a keeper. Made the lasagna on Christmas Eve to serve for Christmas dinner and it was a hit! (I find lasagna is always better reheated the next day) A real crowd pleaser. Only modification I made was to use Penzy’s Italian Herb Mix in place of Oregano and Basil. The technique for soaking the noodles to soften, and adding a bit of dairy to smooth the ricotta were ingenious. Looking forward to experimenting with different veg combination in future makings! Thank you Deb!
This was my first time making lasagna, and it turned out awesome! Lots of flavor and I love that it’s a veggie version. Also nice to have a vegetarian lasagna with a red sauce. I used mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper, in addition to the onion and spinach. Noodles were the perfect consistency too!
Have made this many times with fabulous results! My personal tweak is to blend the ricotta with raw spinach as this gives the dish an added brilliant green color and gets veggies into texture wary kids (and adults). Thanks so much!
A large gaming community is praising a really alluring game when you’re looking for a nice one to play.
I followed this recipe instead of my usual no-recipe vegetable lasagna and this one was ** much better ** than mine hahaha. Watching the video was helpful: I didn’t realize the noodles didn’t have to fill the pan end to end. They really did expand, and they sucked up what seemed like too much liquid during the cooldown period. Amazing and delicious!
Absolutely delicious. Will be making this again and again! The instructions are clear and easy to follow, as always.
You are a star! Well-done!
Continued success.
A Flawless recipe. The 45 minute rest time at the end should be Required!
This was a big hit here tonight Chez Jenn. I used one shallot, fennel, mushrooms, red pepper, and zucchini. It was not watery AT ALL. I didn’t use all of the ricotta/cream mixture – only about 2/3rds. Also, I think it could have used 45 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered in the oven, as I would have preferred it a little hotter. I look forward to experimenting with different vegetable combos. Thank you. This is a keeper.
I’ve made this recipe five times now! Obviously, we love it. I use one onion, one large yellow squash, one large zuchinni, two large portobello mushrooms, one large red bell pepper, and a large amount of fresh spinach. It has been fabulous each time I have made it.
Delicious! I am not normally a big fan of veggie lasagnas, but this one is outstanding. I used mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, egglant & spinach. Doubled the veggies. Only problem I had was stretching the sauce to cover all of the layers. So just made it 4 instead of 5. Dare I say that I might even prefer this to my OG meat lasagna recipe.
If I want to freeze this lasagna and serve a few days later, how far would you go in the process? Bake, then freeze?
For a few days, I’m not sure it’s necessary to freeze. But I’d recommend maybe defrosting it in the fridge for a day (it won’t do the job fully) then reheating it with foil on at 350. Once it’s hot, more time foil-off to restore the crisp.
Hi! I love to make double recipes and freeze meals for later, so I was browsing your freezer recipes. I notice you have a 9×13 pan linked as a fav here and it’s on your shopping list but it doesn’t have a lid. Do you have favorite freezer pans with lids that you use for freezing meals?
I don’t have a favorite freezer pan; I usually use foil ones and wrap them well.
I need to make this ahead by a day, and I’m wondering — should I assemble, put in fridge, and bake the next day? Or bake and then reheat the next day?
Either will work!
This came together so well and so quickly. I used zucchini and mushrooms and the extra mozzarella. My people loved it.
I made this for the 5th time today. Each time it gets better and juicier.
Thank you for an outstanding, delicious veggie lasagna!
Delish!! I made this with GF noodles. I used: mushrooms, broccoli, yellow pepper and zucchini – and not as much spinach since my dad was eating it and on a blood thinner. I also used cottage cheese in place of ricotta. I just mixed all cheeses together (before I paid enough attention to the detail of separating). Since I was using GF noodles, I didn’t pre-soak, but followed the package instructions for adding a 200 mg water to the sauce, and how to stack. I didn’t have fresh basil, so didn’t add that. I didn’t see where to add the oregano, but added toward the end of warming the sauce. I did add some garlic powder and Italian seasoning to the cheese mix. My 93 yo dad, who has to have meat with every meal, scarfed down 2-3 pieces of this vegetable lasagna. That should tell everyone how good it was!
Delicious!! We made this for family dinner and used onions, zucchini, bell peppers and spinach (following the 4 cups of veggies guideline) and it was hearty, tasty and filling. Perfect lasagna recipe.
If you wanted to add some ground beef or another meat to this, how you would recommend going about that?
You could make the sauce the way I do for this baked ziti.
I made this over the weekend as “self care”: weekend dinner + lunches for the week! So delicious and everything came together just the way you said. I watched video beforehand and was pretty much able to run with just that. I used basic white button mushrooms, some sad back-of-the-fridge kale, and garden squash. I think I could eat this before breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next three days and still be obsessed with it.
Argh! Why did I wait so long to make this??!!?? It was so, so good. I used up what I had left from my CSA: a small head of broccoli, 2 small bulbs of fennel, half a pound of mushrooms, and 2 tiny end-of-season zucchini. This is now my favorite veggie lasagna recipe – and I have tried THEM ALL. Thank you, Deb! Amazing.
That last line is really cute. My husband, incapable of veering from a recipe, didn’t check the lasagna before the stated cooking time, and it obtained brown top and edges. I told him not to worry that he was just baking it for people like you. hehe
The half and half trick is a keeper! I’ve always had that problem. Thanks for solving. We had some cottage cheese in the fridge, so i threw that in too. Everyone loved this dish.
I made this today (with bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and shallots) for a potluck dinner party. The Italian-American woman enthusiastically told me it was really good, and now I feel like I can run the world.
so warning to anyone who’s thinking about making this, it comes with a side-effect of Power and Validation
This is unreal amazing. I use your Bolognese sauce instead of this tomato sauce though. So a meat and veggie pie. With fresh noods it’s out of this world. I’m making it yet again this coming weekend.
Thanks for such fabulous recipes!
What are your thoughts about making this sauce 5 days ahead of time and then assembling and cooking? Should I wait until the day-of to make the sauce? Thinking of making sauce on a Sunday to serve on a Friday. Thank you!!!
Fourth Christmas in a row that I have made this. I am still told to make it again next year!
I DID switch it up a bit this year – I added some asiago cheese to the ricotta along with 2T fresh chopped parsley (my mother-in-laws lasagna recipe does this). I did use some “jarred” marinara sauce. I did “prep” the veggies the day before and then put it together about 3 hours ahead of time to pop in the oven. The 45 min “wait” is exactly right! It won’t be cold – don’t worry!
All these years I thought I was “messing up” with the layers but I THINK the last layer is just a layer of noodles, sauce and the mozz/parm mix. I use a lasagna pan that is a bit larger than 9×13 so I increase all ingredients by 20%. I use onion, fennel, mushrooms, eggplant, red pepper, zucchini and yellow squash (I know, way overboard). I also use 3x as much fresh baby spinach (I like the green in the mixture and it “shrinks” so much cooking it down).
Cheers!
I made this for a dinner with friends recently. It turned out beautifully and I’m grateful for the recipe. I am in agreement with all your issues with other recipes!
This will be the one I make from now on.
BTW I have all you books! Big fan.
I’m sorry, I know there were previous questions about making ahead, but I read through all the comments and I’m still not sure. I’d like to make an extra lasagna to freeze for a later date(I bought a 2lb. container of ricotta). Should I bake it all the way, cool and then freeze? Or freeze it unbaked, thaw and then bake to warm? Thanks.
You can freeze it unbaked, too. It’s up to you.
Thank you!
This is the best lasagna I’ve ever made. I used about 4 cups onion, bell pepper, portobello mushrooms and the recommended 5 ounces of spinach. I’ll use a bit more next time. I used only 1/2 pound of mozzarella because I bought the wrong amount, but it was still cheesy enough for us. Thanks, Deb. :)
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it six times now and love it more each time. I use one large onion, two large zucchinis, one large yellow squash, one large red bell pepper, at least 8 oz of portobello mushrooms, and 5 ounces of spinach. That adds up to more veggies that the recipe calls for–and it is just great. This last time I made it, I made it early in the day for a evening dinner. I put it in the refrigerator, pulled it out to bring it to room temperature before baking. It turned out great. The last two times I’ve made this recipe I’ve used short wide lasagna noodles without ruffles. They fit the 9X13 perfectly as they can be placed horitzontally. I love them! Also, I warm water in my tea kettle to pour over them. Thank you Deb for this superlative recipe. It is absolutely the best!!
I doubled the recipe and made two to put in the freezer before baking. Just baked up one (the other is going to another family) and it was a HIT with all my friends! I used bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, and fennel as my veggies and it’s so flavorful!
Deb – I have been a loyal follower for as long as I can remember. My theory in life is that if you post a recipe or put it in a book it’s going to be great. This one took me til now to make. I stopped eating meat in January. This is the BEST lasagna recipe ever (don’t tell my Dad). AND that lasagna noodle trick is excellent. Thanks for another winner. You are the best!
The attitude that vegetarians only need to take the meat portion out of a recipe to make it a vegetarian meal is so annoying! I love how you have added vegetables to this lasagne to turn it into a true vegetarian dish. I made it and loved it.