Description
This Best Vegetarian Lasagna is a hearty, flavorful dish layered with roasted vegetables, creamy ricotta filling, fresh spinach, tangy marinara, and a blend of mozzarella and pecorino cheeses. Perfectly baked to bubbly, golden perfection, this lasagna serves as a comforting main course that vegetarian food lovers will adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ medium yellow onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 15 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups marinara sauce (24 ounces)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups grated low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated pecorino cheese
- Fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Ricotta Filling
- 3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (24 ounces)
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini, and onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, then toss to coat evenly. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes or until tender and browned around the edges. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the noodles and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Make Ricotta Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well until evenly mixed.
- Assemble Lasagna – First Layer: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top of the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta filling evenly over the noodles. Evenly distribute half of the fresh spinach, then layer half of the roasted vegetables on top of the spinach. Dot ⅔ cup of marinara sauce over the vegetable layer.
- Assemble Lasagna – Second Layer: Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta filling, the remaining spinach, and the remaining roasted vegetables. Dot with another ⅔ cup marinara sauce. Top with the remaining noodles.
- Top and Bake: Spread the remaining ⅔ cup marinara sauce evenly over the top noodles. Sprinkle the mozzarella and pecorino cheeses evenly over the sauce. Bake the lasagna in the 400°F oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it stand for 20 minutes to set. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Use regular lasagna noodles rather than no-boil noodles for a more tender texture in the final dish.
- If using no-boil noodles, use approximately ¾ of a 1-pound box and adjust bake time: cover and bake for 50 minutes or until noodles are tender, then uncover and bake until cheese is browned and bubbling.
- For a vegan version, substitute the ricotta filling with vegan ricotta and omit the cheeses on top. Cover and bake for 30 to 50 minutes at 400°F until heated through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
