Savoury vegetable lasagna is a dreamy meatless version of the Italian classic. Vegetable ragu and layers of flavourful cheese combine in perfect, creamy layers. This easy vegetable lasagna recipe is a hearty and satisfying meal that will be a huge hit with the whole family!
The ragu used in this lasagna can be used in a whole range of ways. Check out my mushroom bolognese to see another way I used it!

Would you like to save this recipe?
This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.
No meal goes down better in my house than a lasagna. It is our go-to comfort food, and no matter how often I make it, it just doesn’t get old!
One of the reasons lasagna is so loved is because it is possible to remain faithful to the basic idea while playing around with ingredients. Recipes like this remain fresh because they are constantly being reinterpreted with all sorts of creative ideas.
I’ve created plenty of other lasagna recipes, including White Chicken Lasagna, Three Cheese Eggplant Lasagna and Seafood Lasagna. I even made a White Chicken Skillet Lasagna! All are incredibly tasty and go down very well every time they are served.
While I love getting experimental in the kitchen, sometimes only the classic version will scratch the itch. So for this vegetarian lasagna I’ve been inspired by the version I grew up with. For me, there is no food more comforting!

Vegetable lasagna
For this version, I wanted a vegetable lasagna that reminded me of of the way my mum makes it. But I also knew that I wanted a base made of mushrooms to make the most of their nutty taste and satisfying texture.
Mushrooms combine perfectly with carrots, celery, onion and tomato to create a fantastic ragu. A good ragu is a useful for all sorts of recipes, so not a bad idea to make extra for spaghetti bolognese or a pasta bake!
The best lasagna has a generous layer of creamy cheese. To keep this layer interesting, I’ve added a hearty amount of chopped basil. The basil brings a lovely fresh layer to the lasagna and cuts through the creamy ricotta mixture. (If familiar, it’s the same as I used for spinach and ricotta cannelloni!)
And of course no classic lasagna is complete without a hearty dollop of béchamel. I’m a sucker for béchamel, so this is a recipe I come back to often and used again in my white chicken lasagna.

How to layer lasagna
All of the components come together with layers of lasagna pasta, which is really no different from the meat version. I know that some people swear by fresh pasta, but I find that the dried version comes out best and is easier to keep from becoming soggy and unappetising. I also don’t find it necessary to boil lasagna pasta.
Once the different components have been made, it’s the easiest thing in the world to layer a vegetable lasagna. It’s best to keep the thickness of the layers fairly consistent so the flavours are evenly spread, but no need to be too careful.
Always start with a ragu on the bottom, with a layer of pasta on top. Add more ragu and spoon béchamel on top, then more pasta.
Now place the spinach ricotta layer and another layer of pasta. Add one more layer of ragu before topping with the rest of the béchamel sauce and a grated hard cheese of your choice. I like mine with lots of cheese!
The lasagna noodles should be placed between each layer, covering almost everything without being too anxious about gaps at the sides. You may need to break some of the pasta sheets to make them fit. The number of layers will depend on the depth of your lasagna pan.

Recipe tips and notes
- Mushrooms add a lot of substance to the ragu. Cut them in different sizes to add diversity to the texture.
- Using a variety of mushrooms will add complexity to the taste. I paired cremini mushrooms with a small number of shiitake mushrooms to get the best of both.
- I usually reach for fresh spinach to add to the ricotta cheese mixture, but frozen is great as well. I keep a bag of frozen spinach in my freezer to be ready for when I need it. If you do use frozen spinach, make sure to get rid of excess water before adding it to the lasagna.
- I use oven ready lasagna sheets, which do not need to be pre-boiled before layering into the lasagna. It’s so much easier to use and they hold an al dente texture after baking.
- It can be tempting to use pre-grated Parmesan cheese, but I beg you to avoid that stuff. It’s dry and carries very little flavour, and you’ll need to use much more to compensate. I prepare my own by running Parmesan cheese through a food processor. This is a great way to save yourself time and energy grating 2 cups of hard cheese.
- For a truly vegetarian lasagna, keep an eye on the cheese you use. Traditional Parmesan cheese uses animal rennet, but there are plenty of vegetarian versions coming available. Take a look at the packaging as vegetarian hard cheese should be clearly labelled.
- Using different kinds of cheese is a good way to add a twist to your lasagna. Mozzarella cheese melts perfectly, and when baked turns a lovely golden brown.
- Let the lasagna sit for 30-40 minutes for it to hold its shape when plated. Otherwise the ragu and cheese will ooze out when the pieces are removed.
Serving suggestions
Italians traditionally start their meals with an antipasti course, and I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t want to follow their good example. My recommendations are to make simple but delicious crostini or bruschetta or put together an Italian charcuterie platter.
A hearty lasagna goes well with a lovely fresh salad to balance it all of. A Tuscan panzanella salad or isalata caprese would be my choices! I also like adding a few pieces of garlic bread, perfect for soaking up any remaining red sauce!
And why not round things off with a salted caramel affogato or amaretti tiramisu?

Storage and leftovers
Vegetable lasagna may just be the perfect make-ahead meal. I sometimes make the sauce several days in advance since it takes a couple of hours to simmer.
It will store in a fridge or freezer for assembly later, letting me bake the lasagna whenever I am ready. Any remaining sauce can be eaten with spaghetti or any other pasta for an easy meal.
Leftover lasagna can be stored for 5 days in the fridge. Cover it in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container. It’ll warm in a microwave or oven set to 180C/350F. If heating in an oven, cover with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out.
Baked lasagna can also be frozen for up to a month. Keep frozen lasagna in the baking dish and let it come to room temperature before returning to the oven.
More vegetarian pasta recipes
- Pasta Cream Sauce
- Vegetarian Mushroom Carbonara
- 5 Minute Ravioli Sauce
- Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Pine Nuts

Vegetable Lasagna
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Lasagna pan
Ingredients
- 250g/8oz lasagna sheets
For the vegetable ragu
For the béchamel sauce
- 1½ tbsp butter
- 1½ tbsp flour
- 415ml/1¾ cup milk
- 1 This is an affiliate link.bay leaf
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the spinach ricotta layer
- 500g/2 cups ricotta
- 1 egg
- 50g/1/2 cup This is an affiliate link.Parmesan cheese grated
- 50g/1½ cups chopped spinach fresh or frozen
Instructions
For the mushroom ragu
- Cook the mushroom ragu, which could be made several days ahead. It could also be frozen. Dice the celery, carrots and onions, chop up rosemary and mince the garlic or take all the ingredients and pulse in a food processor.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or a deep pan and sauté the mixed vegetables above for 7-10 minutes over low heat until softened.
- Meanwhile take ⅔ of the mushrooms and pulse them in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped into ¼ inch pieces. Roughly chop the remaining mushrooms by hand for a varied texture.
- Add the mushrooms to the pot with the vegetables and cook them for 10 minutes until they are cooked and reduced in volume.
- Add the passata and a bay leaf with a pinch of salt, stir, cover with a lid and cook on low for 20 minutes, then uncover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until desired consistency.
For the béchamel sauce
- To a small saucepan add the butter and let it melt, then add the flour and mix well, continue cooking the mixture over medium heat while stirring for 2-3 minutes, then add the milk, one bay leaf and ¼ tsp of grated nutmeg, bring to a boil, then let it simmer until the sauce thickens and coats a spoon, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside till needed.
For the spinach ricotta layer
- In a medium bowl mix together ricotta, Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh spinach or defrosted and well drained frozen spinach and 1 beaten egg.
To assemble the lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Start layering your lasagna by adding ⅓ of the mushroom ragu to the bottom of a 9X13 inch rectangular baking dish. Then cover the sauce with the lasagna sheets. Then spread ⅓ of the mushroom ragu over the pasta and add ½ of the béchamel sauce.
- Top with another layer of the lasagna sheets followed by the spinach ricotta layer, then another another later of the lasagna sheets with the rest of the ragu sauce spread over them and top that ragu with the final layer of the lasagna sheets.
- Spread the rest of the béchamel sauce directly on the lasagna sheets, then top with the vegetarian Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Then uncover and cook for 10 minutes longer till the cheese is golden. Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it.
Leave a Reply