Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Feed Me Dearly

April13,2014

4

4 Ratings

  • Serves 8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

My most daring feat as a cook so far was to subscribe to a CSA box back in 2011. Each Tuesday for 22 weeks, I faced an epic encounter with massive amounts of sustainably-grown veggies -- and I was pregnant for the third time. That summer I must have made truckloads of vegetarian lasagnas like this one, with grilled zucchini and Italian eggplants. Even if the recipe looks long, it doesn’t take much time, and you can do your preparation ahead of time. —Feed Me Dearly

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Feed Me Dearly’s favorite cooking technique is grilling, which makes this recipe particularly appropriate. (FYI: Her least favorite is poaching.)
WHAT: Lasagna gets suited for summertime with the help of the market's bounty.
HOW: Grill zucchini and eggplant until striped and charred. Layer the vegetables with homemade tomato sauce, noodles, and three types of cheese, then bake in the oven until hot and bubbling.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We love summer vegetables, but there are only so many times per week that we can eat them straight off the grill with only salt and pepper. This vegetarian lasagna adds new substance to the omnipresent zucchini and eggplant, transforming them into a dinner hearty enough to satisfy a crowd, yet fresh enough to eat with summer watermelon. —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved
  • Your Best Grilled Vegetable Dish Contest Finalist

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • For the sauce
  • 2 tablespoonsolive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1/4 cupwhite wine
  • 28 ouncescanned whole tomatoes
  • 28 ouncescanned tomato purée
  • 1 teaspoondried thyme
  • 1 tablespoonsalt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • For the lasagna
  • 4 to 6 tablespoonsolive oil
  • 3 to 4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/3 inch thick (they’ll shrink when cooked)
  • 2 Italian eggplants, sliced 1/3 inch thick
  • 1 egg
  • 15 ouncesricotta cheese
  • 9 ouncesno-boil or oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • 4 ouncesgoat cheese (I love the Vermont Creamery brand)
  • 1 poundfresh mozzarella, sliced (you should have enough slices to cover the whole top of the lasagna)
  • 4 tablespoonsgrated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  1. To make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add onions and carrots. Sautée for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
  2. Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Stir the liquid and wait for it to reduce by half. Next, add the tomatoes, the tomato purée, and the thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover partially, and cook while you prepare the other ingredients.
  3. After about 20 minutes, the vegetables should be soft enough to puree with a handheld immersion blender. If you don’t have one, break up the whole tomatoes using a wooden spoon. Taste again for seasoning -- it should taste a little on the salty side, but this will work to flavor the noodles.
  4. To make the vegetables: Preheat your grill (or grill pan) to medium-high heat. Rub olive oil into the sliced vegetables, and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables for a few minutes on each side, until the grill lines are pronounced. Transfer the vegetables to a plate, and turn off the grill (or grill pan).
  5. To assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 350º F. In a medium bowl, crack the egg into the ricotta, season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and mix well. Set aside. Then, set up your lasagna assembly station. You should have at the ready: tomato sauce, noodles, vegetables, and goat cheese.
  6. In a large casserole dish, start your layering. Start with the tomato sauce, spreading enough to cover the bottom of the dish (about 1/2 cup). Next, layer your noodles, overlapping them slightly. (My pan usually fits 4 noodles across.) Spread 1/3 of your ricotta mixture over the noodles.
  7. Top with a layer of zucchini (you’re aiming for 2 total layers of zucchini). Crumble half the goat cheese on top of the zucchini. Add more sauce to cover the vegetables and cheese.
  8. Repeat with the noodles and ricotta, and then layer your eggplant (you only need one layer of eggplant, so feel free to use it all). Cover the eggplant with sauce, and repeat the next layer: noodles, ricotta, zucchini. Crumble the remaining half of the goat cheese on top of your zucchini. Add more sauce to cover the vegetables and cheese, then top with a final layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce.
  9. Add the mozzarella slices and sprinkle the Parmesan. If you’d like, drizzle a little olive oil over the whole lasagna, and season once more with salt and pepper.
  10. Cover with foil, and bake in the oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. If the mozzarella isn’t fully melted at this point, turn on the broiler. Watch the lasgna carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
  11. Most importantly, rest your lasagna for 5 minutes before slicing so that the pieces stay intact. Serve and enjoy!

Tags:

  • Pasta
  • Lasagna
  • Italian
  • Carrot
  • Goat Cheese
  • Mozzarella
  • Thyme
  • Vegetable
  • Make Ahead
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Spring
  • Summer
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Grilled Vegetable Dish

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Bob Quinn

  • Dee Greeley

  • AJD8129

  • dymnyno

  • EmilyC

Popular on Food52

13 Reviews

Laura January 7, 2023

Hi 28 ounces of puree sounds a lot - I guess not paste but the smooth sauce that comes in large bottles. I'm British - sometimes American words are not the same in English.
So puree here means a loose smooth tomato sauce??

Alyssa November 29, 2019

Subbed mushrooms for eggplant and also added spinach. I ended up needing less than half the mozzarella. Was great! Everyone loved it.

Bob Q. August 25, 2018

Making this today, instead of another recipie I found here...sans the eggplant. Using fresh harvested mushrooms (lemon and grey oysters, lions mane and some shatakies) tomatoes, and summer squash. Just the things ready in the garden. Can't wait to get my vegitarian guests "feed"back!

Toral P. July 3, 2017

Cant wait to try this one. Can you recommend a Veg soup to go with this? I would like to serve this with a chickpea salad, garlic bread and soup. Thanks

Hallie L. April 28, 2017

Made this for friends and it got RAVE reviews! So, so good! Unfortunately I don't have a grill or grill pan - so I roasted the veggies in the oven which worked just fine, although I imagine grilled is even better. I'd love to try making a meat version - is it as easy as just substituting ground beef for the veggies, or any other suggestions? Can't wait to make this again - thank you!

Dee G. February 24, 2016

So good! This was wonderful with the four different cheeses layered in it. I used lightly smoked mozzarella which added a different dimension but didn't take away from the other flavors. Did a little pesto sauce on one layer. Definitely making this our standard veggie lasagna recipe. Thank you!

AJD8129 September 11, 2014

Yum! Made this tonight and it was great! The goat cheese was a really nice addition. I was a little worried that the final product would be too salty because there was so much salt in the ricotta mixture (even though I used only 1 tsp instead of the recommended 1.5 tsp). In the end it was fine but I might take it down to 1/2 or 3/4 tsp next time. I added red pepper to the vegetables to eggplant and zucchini since I had it on hand and also added some fresh basil to the top layer. Would probably add even more next time or maybe some pesto in between the layers. Great, flexible recipe!

Kristen August 6, 2014

Just made this tonight and it was so, SO good. We used 2 zuccs and 2 yellow squashes from our over flowing garden along with some Asian eggplant (and .5 lbs leftover ground pork to simmer in the sauce). The flavors were fantastic and we loved all the roasted veggies. Thanks for such an awesome recipe. Will be saving this one again for the future!

Feed M. August 7, 2014

Fabulous, I'm glad you liked it!

dymnyno July 4, 2014

I am always looking for new vegetarian lasagne recipes and this one sounds perfect. I am always hesitant about using sautéed zucchini because they become mushy; grilling first sort of firms up the zucchini and gives them a lot more smokey flavor. Congratulations on being a finalist.

Feed M. July 6, 2014

Thanks so much :)

EmilyC July 4, 2014

Congrats! It's such a good idea to grill vegetables for lasagna. Looking forward to making this for my family!

Feed M. July 6, 2014

Thanks, I hope you like it!

Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep veggie lasagna from getting soggy? ›

For this recipe, we help reduce excess moisture by using no-boil noodles, cooking the mushrooms, onion and bell peppers before adding them to the lasagna, and squeezing the liquid out of the cooked spinach with a kitchen towel. You want your veggies as dry as possible so you are not adding more moisture than necessary.

Should lasagna sauce be thick or runny? ›

So, to achieve the perfect lasagna, the consistency of the sauce is absolutely essential. Both the ragù and béchamel sauce should be dense and creamy. Avoid sauces that are too liquid and slide to the bottom of the dish. A thicker consistency of the sauce will allow the pasta to be flavoured in the best possible way.

How long to cook frozen vegetarian lasagna? ›

Cook Frozen (0°F) product for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes/Thawed (40°F or less) product for 50-55 minutes. CONVENTIONAL OVEN 400°F (Preheated): Tent lid. Place tray on a baking sheet. Remove lid during last 10-15 minutes.

What is in Stouffer's vegetable lasagna? ›

INGREDIENTS: SAUCE & VEGETABLES: SKIM MILK, WATER, PART-SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE AND MODIFIED CORNSTARCH (PART-SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE [CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SKIM MILK, FLAVORS), CARROTS, BROCCOLI, SPINACH, ONIONS, PARMESAN CHEESE (CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED ...

How do you make lasagna not crispy on top? ›

How do I prevent the top lasagna noodles from crisping? Put a thin layer of sauce atop the noodles, then top with cheese (there's no law saying you have to end the lasagna with a bare top). Be sure to cover the raised edges of the lasagna noodles, which is always what seems to get crunchy.

Can you leave vegetarian lasagna out overnight? ›

How long is lasagna safe at room temperature? Perishable food items, including lasagna, which lack preservation methods like high levels of acid or sugar, should not be exposed to the danger zone of 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit for longer than 2 hours to ensure food safety.

What makes lasagna taste better? ›

Five Secrets of Building the Ultimate Lasagna
  1. Secret #1: No-Boil Noodles Actually Taste Better. ...
  2. Secret #2: For a Rich Sauce, Use Pork Sausage Instead of Ground Beef. ...
  3. Secret #3: Fresh Mozzarella Actually Makes a Difference.
Jan 6, 2015

What not to do when making lasagna? ›

A well-made lasagna can be a delicious and satisfying meal, just as long as it's cooked correctly.
  1. Not cooking the noodles correctly. ...
  2. Not having all the ingredients ready. ...
  3. Not browning the meat. ...
  4. Using the wrong cheese. ...
  5. Skipping the dairy sauce. ...
  6. Skimping on the amount of marinara. ...
  7. Improperly layering the noodles.
Feb 21, 2023

Should you bake lasagna covered or uncovered? ›

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until cheese is golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

How long is vegetarian lasagna good for? ›

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.

Do you bake lasagna at 350 or 375? ›

Assemble the lasagna in an oven-safe container and store it in the refrigerator. The temperature should be at or below 40 degrees. When you are ready to cook the lasagna, bake it in the oven for approximately 60 minutes at 375 degrees.

Should I cook veggie lasagna before freezing? ›

You can take one of two approaches when it comes to freezing lasagna: assemble and freeze it unbaked, or bake the lasagna and then freeze it. Either way, plan on baking frozen lasagna within three months (any longer, and the quality starts to deteriorate).

What happened to Stouffer's lasagna? ›

Nestle whittled down the ingredient list in Stouffer's lasagna with meat and sauce to 15 from 19 by removing autolyzed yeast extract, carrageenan, dextrose and bleached wheat flour.

Does Costco sell vegetarian lasagna? ›

Amy's Organic Vegetable Lasagna, 9.5 oz, 6 ct | Costco.

What vegetable goes well with lasagna? ›

Vegetable Side Dishes to Serve with Lasagna
  • 1 / 20. Green Beans Almondine. ...
  • 2 / 20. Parmesan Crusted Carrots. ...
  • 3 / 20. Easy 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini. ...
  • 4 / 20. Easy Sautéed Spinach. ...
  • 5 / 20. Roasted Broccoli. ...
  • 6 / 20. Roasted Parmesan Asparagus. ...
  • 7 / 20. Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • 8 / 20. Garlic Green Beans.
Jan 17, 2024

How do you make lasagna stay firm? ›

The smooth and creamy center needs time to settle and firm up. That means you should let your lasagna cool for at least 30 minutes before digging in. I know, I know.. the agony! But if you're going for aesthetically pleasing pasta, patience is required.

How do you keep lasagna from getting watery? ›

Whether you're making a tomato and meat sauce from scratch or using a jarred sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch to prevent the problem of a soupy lasagna. Cornstarch is a classic binding ingredient that won't affect the sauce's flavor and is much more effective than flour.

How do you add moisture to lasagna? ›

There are four tried and true methods to prevent dry lasagne.
  1. Par cook the noodles. Don't cook them all of the way, just until they are pliable. ...
  2. Use enough sauce. ...
  3. Cover your lasagne with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil before you bake it. ...
  4. Bechamel sauce.
Apr 4, 2017

What makes lasagna soggy? ›

Watery tomatoes aren't the only culprit for soupy lasagna: Oils from cheese and meat and water from lasagna noodles and vegetables can affect your lasagna's consistency.

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