Vegetarian Lasagna

This vegetarian lasagna recipe is my favorite dish to make for family and friends! Filled with savory roasted vegetables, it's healthy and delicious.

Vegetarian lasagna

Vegetarian lasagna was the first big dinner I learned how to make. When I was in college, a vegetable lasagna would always be the main event when I cooked a meal for a group. Fast forward to now, and I still like to make one when I’m serving a crowd, especially around the holidays. A veggie lasagna is comforting, flavorful, and great for making ahead. Plus, who doesn’t love to swap stories at the table over red sauce and pasta?!

I’m sharing my favorite vegetarian lasagna recipe below. It’s savory and satisfying, filled with roasted veggies, creamy ricotta cheese, ruffly noodles, and plenty of marinara sauce. I think you’re going to love it!

Recipe ingredients - fresh veggies, cheese, tomato sauce, and pasta

How to Make Vegetable Lasagna

My vegetarian lasagna recipe starts with these ingredients:

Vegetarian Lasagna Ingredients

  • Fresh veggies, of course! I pack this vegetable lasagna with roasted red bell peppers, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, and baby spinach. They add SO much flavor.
  • Lasagna noodles – No-boil noodles seem convenient—but trust me, the regular kind are better. They take less than 10 minutes to cook, and they have a perfect tender texture in the final lasagna.
  • Marinara sauce – Make homemade marinara sauce, or use a 24-ounce jar of store-bought sauce. I like Rao’s.
  • Ricotta cheese – It creates a creamy, cheesy layer between the noodles, sauce, and veggies. I season it with garlic and lemon zest for bright, savory flavor.
  • Shredded pecorino and mozzarella cheese – For topping the lasagna. Not a pecorino person? Parmesan cheese works too!
  • And fresh basil and/or parsley – For garnish.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Before you assemble the lasagna, complete these 3 prep steps:

  1. Roast the veggies. Toss the peppers, zucchini, onions, and mushrooms with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425°F until they’re tender and caramelized.
  2. Boil the noodles until al dente. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking!
  3. Make the ricotta filling. Mix the ricotta cheese with the lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper.

You’re ready to layer!

How to layer veggie lasagna - sauce, then noodles, then ricotta, then vegetables in baking dish

How to Layer Vegetable Lasagna

Start with a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom.

  1. Then, add a layer of noodles.
  2. Top the noodles with half the ricotta mixture.
  3. Layer half the spinach over the ricotta, and scatter half the roasted vegetables in an even layer.
  4. Dot the vegetables with 2/3 cup of the marinara sauce.

Repeat the layering process in the same order:

  1. Noodles
  2. Ricotta
  3. Spinach + roasted veggies
  4. 2/3 cup marinara sauce

Top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and the shredded cheese.

That’s it!

Vegetarian lasagna assembled in baking dish

How Long to Bake Vegetarian Lasagna

If using fully cooked lasagna noodles: Bake uncovered at 400°F for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

If using no-boil lasagna noodles: Cover the veggie lasagna with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

Let the vegetable lasagna stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Variation

To make vegan lasagna: Replace the ricotta mixture with this vegan ricotta. Skip the cheese on top of the lasagna. Bake, covered, until the pasta is tender and the lasagna is heated through, 30 to 50 minutes at 400°F.

Homemade vegetable lasagna

What to Serve with Vegetarian Lasagna

This vegetable lasagna recipe is a satisfying meal on its own, but it pairs well with all sorts of side dishes, too!

Serve it with a salad, such as

Or pair it with a veggie side dish like

You also can’t go wrong with garlic knots or garlic bread!

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Leftover vegetarian lasagna keeps well in an airtight container or covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or a 350°F oven.

To freeze vegetable lasagna: Assemble the lasagna in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost overnight in the fridge before baking. When ready to serve, bake, covered, for 20 minutes at 400°F. Uncover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the lasagna is heated through.

Vegetarian lasagna recipe

More Veggie Comfort Food Recipes

If you love this vegetarian lasagna, try one of these veggie comfort food recipes next:

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Best Vegetarian Lasagna

rate this recipe:
4.97 from 181 votes
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 8
The best vegetable lasagna recipe! This easy, homemade vegetarian lasagna is packed with roasted veggies, spinach, tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese. Use gluten-free lasagna noodles to make this recipe gluten-free. For a vegan variation, see the notes below.

Ingredients

Ricotta Filling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Place the mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini, and onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender and browned around the edges. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
  • Meanwhile, cook the noodles.* Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
  • Make the ricotta filling: In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
  • Assemble the lasagna. Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles, followed by half the ricotta mixture. Spread the ricotta in an even layer, then arrange half the spinach evenly on top. Top with half the vegetables and dot with ⅔ cup of the remaining marinara sauce. 
  • Repeat with another layer of noodles, followed by the remaining ricotta, spinach, vegetables, and another ⅔ cup sauce. Top with the remaining noodles.
  • Spread the remaining ⅔ cup marinara over the pasta, then evenly sprinkle with the mozzarella and pecorino cheeses. Bake in the 400°F oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Let stand for 20 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil or parsley, slicing, and serving.

Notes

*I recommend using regular lasagna noodles here. They are more tender than no-boil noodles in the final lasagna. However, if you prefer to use no-boil noodles, make these adjustments:
  • No-boil noodles tend to be shorter than regular lasagna noodles. Instead of counting noodles, expect to use about ¾ of a 1-pound box.
  • Change the bake time: Cover the lasagna and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, then uncover and bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
 
For vegan lasagna, replace the ricotta mixture with this vegan ricotta. Skip the cheese on top of the lasagna. Bake, covered, until the pasta is tender and the lasagna is heated through, 30 to 50 minutes at 400°F.

 

243 comments

4.97 from 181 votes (109 ratings without comment)

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  1. Victoria Watts
    10.15.2018

    5 stars
    This recipe turned out amazing! I did sub in ricotta cheese instead of the tofu but just out of personal preference! Will make this recipe many times more

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.15.2018

      Hi Victoria, I’m so glad you loved it!! Thanks for coming back to let me know – it makes my day!

  2. Sarah
    10.09.2018

    5 stars
    I was wild and made a weeknight version of this with spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, and leeks (of course!). I used no-boil noodles, which were a bit dry and chewy on the edges. Any advise? I am going to try it again (on a Sunday, so I can roast the veggies) with Chao cheese and covering the lassagne with foil for the last five minutes in the oven.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.10.2018

      Hi Sarah, I’d boil the noodles. In my experience, no-boil noodles have only worked with very cheesy lasagnas that bake for at least 45 minutes so that the moisture from the cheese has time to cook the noodles. Because of the tofu filling, this one has a shorter bake time, so I’d definitely recommend cooking the noodles through before assembling. Hope that helps!

      • Sarah
        12.25.2018

        Hey there. This was my 2018 Christmas Lasagna! Boiling the noodles makes a huge difference. I opted for dry basil given the time of year, eggplant for the zucchini, and vegan cheese. Wonderful recipe for a lazy afternoon – thank you.

        • Jeanine Donofrio
          12.27.2018

          Yay, I’m so glad that it worked better boiling the noodles 🙂

      • Angelique Cooper
        11.13.2019

        I know this is a year later .
        This recipe is wonderful!
        Just want to add that boiling no boil noodles is no good.
        They stuck together like nobody’s business.
        I’ll make this again with boil first noodles-because you are right- the no boil noodles if cooked as directed soak up so much liquid.
        Thanks for the great recipe- just thought I’d pass my experience along.

  3. Terri W
    10.02.2018

    Thank you for sharing. I love this recipe! I’m getting ready to prepare it for a big group so it’ll be interesting to hear what the comments from carnivores will be. ?. I’m not vegan but I prefer this mock ricotta to real ricotta. It’s now my go to veggie lasagna!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.03.2018

      Ha, I think the key is to not tell them it’s tofu 🙂

  4. Harki
    09.08.2018

    Does anyone happen to know the Nutritional Facts of this recipe? Can’t wait to try it!!

    • Linda
      01.22.2021

      0ne portion is

      403 Cals
      43.5 net carbs
      22 protein
      14.3 fat

      When I put it in my recipe import
      Hope it’s correct

  5. Karen
    09.05.2018

    Love your lasagna pan, what brand is it and where can I find it?

  6. Am going to make this lasagna soon! I have been switching to more meatless meals and am very excited to try this. Will let you know how it turns out. Great blog

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.19.2018

      Thanks Jill, I hope you enjoy the recipe!

  7. Susan
    05.09.2018

    5 stars
    Made this last night, it was delicious!

  8. Billy Parisi
    04.26.2018

    5 stars
    Is there anything more comforting than lasagna? This looks incredible!

  9. Maureen
    04.22.2018

    Can you use the no-cook lasagna noodles?

  10. Julie
    04.19.2018

    5 stars
    Made this tonight because (oddly enough) I had most of the veggies on hand; it was delicious! Not too heavy, lots of veggies – just right. I cut the tofu in half because I don’t like a lot of “ricotta” filling in my lasagne and used regular shredded motz because I had that on hand too. Thanks for a great recipe, I just started following your blog and I’m glad I did!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      I’m so glad you loved it! Welcome!!

  11. Lucy
    04.19.2018

    Looks amazing! Would it hold up if you prepped one or two days in advance and then kept in the fridge until ready to bake?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      hmm… I’m not sure. I *think* it would be fine, but I haven’t actually tried. The reheated leftovers were delicious all week though 🙂

      • Jeanette
        10.20.2018

        I made it two days ahead of time and it was delicious!

        Do you have any idea about the calories? Thanks so much!

        • Jeanine Donofrio
          10.21.2018

          I’m so glad you loved it! I don’t count calories, so I’m not sure (it takes the joy out of healthy eating for me).

  12. nice ingredients, I usually don’t put all of these together in anything, a lasagna is a good place to start, so thank you for this very creative recipe!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      thanks Sabrina!

  13. Alise from voguevegetarian.com
    04.17.2018

    5 stars
    This was SO good and flavorful. I made it last night and it tops my list for favorite lasagna! I followed the recipe exactly other than only using 9 noodles (because I didn’t overlap them as shown) and added more garlic to the “ricotta”. Your tofu ricotta is perfectly balanced and so delicious! I saved some of the leftovers (didn’t need it all) for dipping veggies into. It really tastes like creamy ricotta, better even! Brilliant recipe!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      HI Alise, I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for taking a minute to come back and let me know!!

  14. Gaby Dalkin
    04.16.2018

    Sunday nights aren’t complete without a filling dinner like this 🙂

  15. 5 stars
    Well you can bet that I will be trying this! I’m not a lasagna fan usually and I think that’s because it’s always so heavy and enriched in a little too much cheese. However, this creation seems to be the opposite and I cannot wait to try it this week 🙂

    http://www.beingisabella.com

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      This one is a little bit lighter, I hope you enjoy!!

      • Inne from Instagram.com
        11.21.2020

        5 stars
        So good and healthy!

  16. Laura
    04.16.2018

    Hi, Jeanine —

    I love that you made a vegan ricotta. Do you think I could make the whole thing vegan by just leaving the cheese off the top? Or would you recommend something else?

    Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      Hi Laura, you can leave the cheese off the top, no need to substitute (the ricotta is rich enough on it’s own). Just cover the pan with foil and bake it for less time so that the noodles don’t dry out. Hope that helps!

      • Laura
        04.25.2018

        Thanks so much! I’m excited to try it soon!

      • Kay Lee from loveandlemons
        04.25.2018

        Have you ever tried using the vegan “cheese”? I wonder if it melts as well as real cheese. I need vegan recipes for a grandson.

        • Fredrick
          09.30.2018

          5 stars
          I love this recipe, and I make it all the time as a vegan entree, leaving out the cheese altogether. I double the sauce, and the flavor balance is fabulous with everything else just as written.

          • Jeanine Donofrio
            10.02.2018

            Hi Fredrick, I’m so so happy to hear that you love it so much!

  17. Kathryn
    04.16.2018

    This looks perfect and I love that it can be customised to personal tastes and whatever is in season. I love that Staub dish too!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      ha, I’m quite obsessed with that dish too :). I hope you love the lasagna!

  18. beth
    04.15.2018

    This looks delicious! I’ve been trying to find a solid vegetarian lasagna recipe, and this fits the bill perfectly. Can’t wait to try it, thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2018

      I hope you enjoy it!!

  19. Mary Denis
    04.15.2018

    Curious -I might wanna try this!
    I know I’m not fond of zucchini, so that would be omitted straight off, my other concern is fennel …that it might have that licorice taste …that I’m also not very fond of!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.15.2018

      Hi Mary, you can use vegetables that you are fond of – just try to make the total amount of chopped raw vegetables about 5 cups. You could increase the amount of mushrooms, or use chopped red bell pepper, for example, instead. Hope that helps!

  20. Giovanna
    04.15.2018

    How much ricotta do I add?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.15.2018

      none, the filling is a creamy ricotta-like filling made with tofu 🙂

      • Margarita
        12.29.2021

        If you were to use ricotta, just because you have it have some left over or any other reason, how much would you recommend? Thanks in advance Jeanine and happy holidays!!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.