This vegetarian lasagna is a fresh take on the classic. It’s rich, comforting, and so satisfying that even meat lovers will be reaching for seconds.
Table of Contents
- Best vegetable lasagna recipe
- Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe
- Ingredients for vegetarian lasagna
- How to make this easy vegetable lasagna recipe
- How to serve this veggie lasagna recipe
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Italian recipes
- Latest Recipes
Best vegetable lasagna recipe
Lasagna is built from simple layers: flat lasagna noodles, a bright tomato sauce, melty cheese on top and a creamy ricotta filling in the middle. The homemade ricotta elevates this dish — it’s fresher and creamier than store-bought tubs and worth the small extra effort.
Making ricotta at home is straightforward: heat whole milk and cream, add an acid like lemon juice to curdle, then strain through cheesecloth. While the ricotta sets, prepare a quick tomato sauce by sautéing onion and garlic, adding chopped Roma tomatoes, and simmering with fresh basil, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper, and a splash of red wine for depth. In about 30 minutes you’ll have a clean, homemade sauce with real tomato flavor.
For a meaty texture without meat, cremini mushrooms are ideal. Sauté them in butter, add spinach and a little wine, and reduce until the spinach wilts and flavors concentrate. As for noodles, boiled lasagna noodles give the best texture in this recipe; oven-ready (no-boil) noodles can be used, but pre-boiling produces a more reliable result.
This lasagna requires about 30 minutes of hands-on prep for the ricotta, sauce, and mushroom-spinach filling, plus roughly 35 minutes in the oven. The final dish is comforting, family-friendly, and satisfying even without meat.
Vegetarian Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tbls lemon juice
- 3 tbls olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 10 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbls fresh basil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 3 tbls butter
- 3 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Ricotta Cheese
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Boil: Bring the milk and cream to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t scorch. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and let it curdle for a few minutes.
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Pour: Line a mesh sieve with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the curdled mixture into the cloth and let it drain for about 30 minutes to form ricotta.
Tomato Sauce
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Saute: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and diced onion and sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes, until softened.
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Simmer: Add chopped Roma tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes, breaking them down as they cook.
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Finish: Stir in fresh basil, 1 tsp salt, pepper, sugar and 1/2 cup red wine. Simmer 10 more minutes to meld the flavors.
Mushroom-Spinach Filling
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Sauté: Melt butter in a skillet, add chopped cremini mushrooms and cook until tender and lightly browned. Add spinach, 1/4 cup red wine and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, then drain any excess liquid.
Assemble
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Layer: Place a layer of three noodles in a 13 x 9-inch pan.
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Spread: Spoon half of the tomato sauce over the noodles.
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Layer: Add three more noodles.
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Spread: Spread the homemade ricotta evenly over the noodles. The fresh ricotta is creamy and mild — it enhances the whole lasagna.
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Spread: Top the ricotta with the mushroom-spinach mixture.
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Layer: Add the final three noodles.
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Spread: Pour the remaining sauce over the top layer.
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Top: Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and Parmesan. If you used oven-ready (no-boil) noodles, cover the pan with foil before baking; if you boiled the noodles first, foil is optional.
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Bake: Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
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Finish: Increase oven temperature to 450°F for the last 10 minutes to brown and bubble the cheese.
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Rest: Let the lasagna rest 10–15 minutes before slicing to set the layers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Ingredients for vegetarian lasagna
- Whole milk: Used to make fresh ricotta.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness to the ricotta.
- Lemon juice: Curdles the milk to form ricotta.
- Olive oil: For sautéing garlic and onion.
- Garlic cloves: Minced for the sauce.
- Onion: Diced to build the sauce base.
- Roma tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes for the sauce.
- Fresh basil: Adds brightness to the tomato sauce.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sugar: Balances the acidity in the sauce.
- Red wine: Deepens the sauce flavor.
- Butter: For the mushroom-spinach filling.
- Cremini mushrooms: Provide a hearty, meaty texture.
- Spinach: Adds color and nutrients.
- Lasagna noodles: The layers of the lasagna.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: For savory topping.
- Grated mozzarella cheese: For melty, bubbly topping.
See the full recipe card above for servings and the complete ingredient list.
How to make this easy vegetable lasagna recipe
- Boil: Heat milk and cream to a gentle boil, then add lemon juice and allow the mixture to curdle.
- Pour: Line a sieve with cheesecloth, pour in the curdled milk, and let it drain about 30 minutes to form ricotta.
- Sauté: Heat olive oil, add garlic and onion, and cook about 5 minutes until softened.
- Simmer: Add chopped tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes.
- Simmer: Stir in basil, 1 tsp salt, pepper, sugar and 1/2 cup wine; simmer 10 minutes more.
- Simmer: Sauté mushrooms in butter, then add spinach, 1/4 cup red wine and 1/2 tsp salt; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
PRO TIP
Boil lasagna noodles ahead of time to speed assembly and ensure even texture.
- Layer: Start with three noodles across the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan.
- Spread: Add half the tomato sauce.
- Layer: Add three more noodles.
- Spread: Spread homemade ricotta over the noodles.
- Spread: Add the mushroom and spinach filling.
- Layer: Top with the last three noodles.
- Spread: Pour the remaining sauce over the top layer.
- Top: Finish with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil if using no-boil noodles.
- Bake: Bake 25 minutes at 350°F.
- Melt: Turn the oven to 450°F for the final 10 minutes to brown and bubble the cheese.
- Rest: Let the lasagna rest 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.
How to serve this veggie lasagna recipe
Serve slices with a crisp green salad and warm bread. A simple vinaigrette or a classic Caesar-style salad pairs nicely with the richness of the lasagna.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap the cooled lasagna tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a covered baking dish at 350°F until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Both baked and unbaked lasagna freeze well for up to 3 months. For unbaked lasagna, assemble it, wrap tightly with foil, and freeze. For baked lasagna, allow it to cool, wrap it securely, and freeze.
Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20–30 minutes until heated through. You can microwave individual portions, heating in 30-second increments until warm — cover with a paper towel to avoid splatters.
Yes. Bell peppers, zucchini, or yellow squash are great additions and pair well with the sauce and cheese.
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