Servings: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
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This vegetable lasagna with white sauce is the ultimate cozy meal! The combination of colorful vegetables, layers of tender pasta and creamy white sauce creates a comforting and hearty meal that the whole family will love.
This easy vegetable lasagna is a delicious alternative to classic lasagna with rich, meaty, tomato sauce. It’s super cozy for the colder months, but I also sometimes call it a “springtime lasagna” because of its lighter color and abundance of garden vegetables.
Whatever you call it, and whenever you make it, it’s guaranteed to be a very special meal.
Recipe Ingredients
Let’s break down the 3 components of this white sauce lasagna recipe:
The Veggies
- Fresh broccoli
- Sweet onion
- Bell Peppers
- Fresh spinach
The Béchamel Sauce
- Butter
- Garlic
- Milk
- Parmesan Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Vegetable Broth
The Rest
- No boil lasagna noodles
- Ricotta cheese (I know that people ask about subbing cottage cheese, but I have not tested this recipe using it, so I cannot guarantee the results.)
How to Make Vegetable Lasagna
Cook the Vegetables
The most time consuming part of this recipe is simply chopping up all the veggies. Once your veggies are prepped, the rest is easy.
Saute them in a pan with extra virgin olive oil until they’re nice and tender. Now just set them aside while you make the bechamel sauce.
Make the Bechamel Sauce
Start the bechamel sauce by sauteing the garlic in melted butter. Add some flour, and it should start to bubble in about 1 minute. This is your roux, which is what helps to thicken the sauce.
Now, pour in the broth, milk, Parmesan and mozzarella. Stir it until the cheeses melt and the mixture becomes smooth. Then, take it off the heat. The bechamel will continue to thicken as it cools.
Layer the Lasagna
Layer 1
Grab a large casserole dish and spread a thin layer of the bechamel sauce onto the bottom. Now, start to layer the lasagna noodles.
Arrange the lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping layers of noodles so there are no gaps.
Now, sprinkle 1/3 of the vegetables onto the noodles, dot the veggies with some ricotta cheese, and cover everything with more bechamel sauce.
Layer 2
Arrange more noodles, followed by 1/3 of the vegetables, more ricotta cheese and bechamel sauce.
Layer 3
More noodles, followed by the remaining vegetables, remaining ricotta and bechamel sauce.
This time, do one more layer of lasagna noodles on top of the bechamel sauce and then cover the noodles with the remaining bechamel sauce.
Sprinkle plenty of cheese over top of the noodles, and your veggie lasagna will be ready to bake!
FAQs
Yes indeed! It becomes watery. The key, in my experience, to lasagna that’s never watery is using no-boil lasagna noodles. Keep reading for more details!
Although I have not tested this recipe using cottage cheese, you can expect the lasagna to be less rich and creamy if you use it. Cottage cheese will lighten things up a bit.
Because you didn’t let it rest. It is essential to let your casserole rest a minimum of 20 minutes after you remove it from the oven if you want to cut nice, clean squares!
Absolutely! Ground chicken or turkey would be delish!
Tips for Perfect, Never Watery Lasagna
Follow these steps to make perfect lasagna every time, that’s never watery:
1. Use no boil noodles. Traditional lasagna noodles, which require boiling, add too much moisture to a lasagne recipe. This results in a watery lasagne that falls apart when you cut into it. Fresh pasta sheets are an excellent choice. However, homemade pasta can be time consuming to make. And fresh pasta can be expensive to buy. No boil noodles (also called oven ready lasagna noodles) will give you perfect results every time.
2. Precook Vegetables: Sauté your veggies before layering them into the lasagna. This helps release excess moisture and intensifies their flavors.
3. Cover the noodles completely with sauce. No boil noodles need moisture to cook! That’s why it’s important to completely cover the noodles with sauce. Any uncovered noodles will become dry and hard to chew.
4. Make sure there’s pasta in every bite. Don’t ever hesitate to break up the lasagna noodles to make them fit the pan. If you see gaps, overlap the noodles. More gaps? Break up the pasta pieces and stick them where they need to go.
5. Let it rest. I can’t emphasize this enough! If you want nice, clean cuts, let your lasagne rest for a minimum of 20 minutes before you cut into it. Don’t worry, it will still be piping hot when you serve it!
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Can you make this Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely! Lasagna is an excellent make-ahead meal.
Prepare this white lasagna up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly and refrigerate. This allows the flavors to meld and makes for an easy dinner option.
When ready to bake, let the lasagna come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing it in the oven. Adjust baking times that you see in the recipe card accordingly.
How to Store Vegetable Lasagna
Storage: Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You could also leave it in its baking dish, covered with a double layer of plastic wrap.
Freezing: This lasagna freezes really well. For best results, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and place them into a large freezer bag. Alternatively, store the entire lasagna in an airtight container in the freezer. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating: To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight (if frozen) and bake in a preheated oven until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat individual servings in the microwave for a quick and convenient option.
Variations and Substitutions
Cheese Varieties: Experiment with different cheeses like provolone or fontina for unique flavor profiles.
Protein Boost: Add protein by incorporating layers of cooked ground meat, such as turkey or chicken.
Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles or replace them with thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant for a gluten-free alternative.
When you make this Vegetable Lasagna Recipe with White Sauce , I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more cozy pasta meals, try these:
- Lasagna al Forno Recipe (Baked Pasta Bolognese)
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Easy Crockpot Recipe)
- Easy Cream Blush Sauce (Pink Pasta Sauce Recipe)
For more vegetarian main courses, try these:
- Falafel Rice Bowl Recipe with Easy Tahini Sauce
- Indian Roasted Cauliflower Curry with Coconut Rice
- Cheesy Baked Pesto Pasta Recipe
Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe with White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz. no-boil lasagna sheets
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 4 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/4 cups each onion, bell pepper and broccoli chopped
- 3 3/4 cups spinach chopped
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese divided
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sautee the onions, bell peppers, spinach and broccoli in the oil until softened. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Stir in the garlic and let it start to sizzle. Add the flour and whisk constantly until it starts to bubble. Pour in the milk, salt, broth, parmesan and 3 cups of mozzarella. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and whisk, allowing mixture to thicken. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread a thin layer of the cheese sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer the lasagna noodles:Layer 1: On top of the cheese sauce, layer the noodles, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture. Dot the vegetable layer with ricotta cheese. Pour 1/4 of the white sauce over the ricotta, making sure all noodles are covered.Layer 2: Noodles, 1/3 vegetables, ricotta, 1/4 of the sauce. Layer 3: Noodles, remaining vegetables, ricotta, 1/4 of sauce. Finish with one last layer of noodles, remaining layer of white sauce, then remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45-50 minutes, until bubbly. For extra browning, remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
Michelle Pimentel says
This was so yummy! I did exactly as the recipe recommended and it was fabulous! Making it tomorrow for a potluck at work.
simmerandsage says
Hi Michelle, I’m so glad you loved the lasagna! It’s one of my favorites too. Thank you for your feedback:)
Michelle Pimentel says
can you assemble it and cook it the next day?
simmerandsage says
Absolutely!
Krista Barrager says
This was so good! I have an allergy to Bell Peppers and substituted with Zucchini. It was absolutely fabulous!
Jackie says
Hi Krista, I’m so glad you loved it! Zucchini is a great sub. Thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂