Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

When a vegetarian guest is staying for dinner, I tend to go a little over the top for them. I was a vegetarian for over eight years, so I know what it’s like to have my food taste like an afterthought. But this vegetable lasagna with white sauce is one of the most impressive vegetarian dinners out there—even meat eaters will want the recipe.

Like any lasagna recipe, expect layers of thick lasagna noodles. Instead of red sauce, a cheesy white sauce (made from scratch) sits in its place. It’s layered with a ricotta filling, shredded mozzarella and a mixture of four types of vegetables: bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and carrots. Endlessly cheesy, loaded with vegetables and stick-to-your-bones cozy, this hearty lasagna is a masterpiece in meatless cooking.

Ingredients for Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

• Lasagna noodles: Before cooking and draining the lasagna noodles, check the box to make sure it doesn’t say “oven-ready,” which indicates that they don’t need to be boiled. If you made the lasagna noodles from homemade pasta, boil them before cooking.
• Vegetables: The four vegetables in this vegetable lasagna recipe with white sauce are bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots and zucchini.
• Butter: The creamy white sauce starts from a roux, which is a mixture of equal parts butter and flour. You’ll need half a stick of butter to make the roux.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the best type of flour to use when making a roux. Use gluten-free flour if you’re making this veggie lasagna with gluten-free noodles.
• Whole milk: Once milk is added to the roux, it becomes a bechamel (one of the seven mother sauces), which is the creamy white sauce that makes this lasagna so irresistible.
• Cheese: Parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella are layered into this substantial lasagna. Shred your own mozzarella and Parmesan for best flavor.
• Seasonings: This lasagna is packed with flavor, from Italian seasoning to garlic powder, onion salt and basil. Veggies and white sauce tend to lean mild-flavored, but these seasonings bring out their best flavors.
• Egg: An egg binds the ricotta, helping to hold the lasagna stack in place.

Directions

Step 1: Cut the noodles

Cut three of the lasagna noodles widthwise in half. Cut the remaining noodle widthwise into thirds.

Editor’s Tip: Slightly slick the noodles in olive oil to prevent them from sticking to each other while preparing the rest of the lasagna ingredients.

Step 2: Cook the vegetables

TASTE OF HOME

In a skillet, saute the carrots, zucchini, red pepper, mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil until they’re tender. Set the vegetables aside.

Step 3: Make the white sauce

TASTE OF HOME

In a saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the all-purpose flour until it’s completely smooth.

TASTE OF HOME

Gradually add the milk while stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook and stir until it has thickened, about one to two minutes.

TASTE OF HOME

Add the Parmesan cheese, basil, onion salt and garlic powder and stir to incorporate them.

Step 4: Mix the ricotta filling

TASTE OF HOME

In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, cheese and Italian seasoning.

Step 5: Assemble the lasagna

TASTE OF HOME

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Spread 1/4 cup of the white sauce in an ungreased 7x5x1-1/2-inch (3 cup) baking dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with two large noodle pieces and one of the small pieces.

TASTE OF HOME

Layer with 1/3 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the white sauce, half of the vegetables and half of the ricotta cheese mixture.

TASTE OF HOME

Repeat the layers once, starting with the noodles. Finally, top with the remaining noodles and white sauce.

Step 6: Bake

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the lasagna and continue baking until it’s heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Take the lasagna out of the oven and let it stand for five minutes before cutting it.

TASTE OF HOME

Recipe Variations

• Use other vegetables: There are many other vegetables you can use in place of—or in addition to—the ones in this vegetable lasagna recipe with white sauce. Try broccoli, peas, kale, onions, eggplants or, during autumn, butternut squash.
• Omit white sauce for red: Want something closer to classic lasagna, just with more veggies? Try our vegetable lasagna that uses a mix of six different vegetables instead of meat, while still staying true to the usual red sauce.
• Add some meat: If you’re not vegetarian, feel free to layer in cooked ground beef, turkey or chicken.
• Change the noodles: A creative way to change up this recipe is to use ravioli instead of lasagna noodles, as we do in our ravioli lasagna. Also, feel free to use gluten-free lasagna noodles if needed.

How to Store Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

To store vegetable lasagna with white sauce, allow it to cool completely to room temperature after baking. Transfer slices to an airtight container or cover the lasagna in its pan with storage wrap. The lasagna can be refrigerated for up to four days.

Can you freeze vegetable lasagna with white sauce?

Yes, you can freeze a cooked vegetable lasagna with white sauce. Let the lasagna cool completely to room temperature, then cover it tightly with storage wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, or transfer slices to airtight containers. Freeze the lasagna for up to two months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then warm it through in a 375° oven or microwave.

Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce Tips

TASTE OF HOME

Do you have to boil the lasagna noodles before baking?

Yes, your lasagna noodles must be boiled before baking in this recipe. However, some lasagna noodle brands are oven-ready, meaning they don’t need to be boiled. Check the box! Oven-ready lasagna noodles will need more sauce, so adjust accordingly.

How do you keep the vegetable lasagna with white sauce together?

To keep the veggie lasagna with white sauce together (so it’s not slipping and sliding when a slice is served), do not omit the egg from the ricotta mixture, and let the lasagna sit for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so it can set up and solidify a bit.

Why is my vegetable lasagna watery?

If your creamy vegetable lasagna turned out watery, you may not have cooked the vegetables enough to release their excess water. Also, avoid rinsing the noodles after cooking. In fact, it’s best to make sure they’re as drained as possible before layering.