Vegetarian lasagna with basil pesto and ricotta

Vegetarian lasagna layered with creamy ricotta, aromatic tomatoes, vegetable sauce and mozzarella cheese is the perfect meat free dinner recipe.

Vegetarian lasagna

Ingredients

Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Onion.
  • Mushroom.
  • Eggplant. Aubergine/Brinjals.
  • Garlic.
  • Crushed tomatoes / Chopped tomatoes.
  • Herbs: I used oregano and thyme. Rosemary, basil, sage and parsley are all good choices too.
  • Ricotta cheese.
  • Cream. Heavy/Whipping cream.
  • Parmesan.
  • Lasagna sheets. I used no-boil lasagna sheets.
  • Basil pesto.
  • Mozzarella.
  • Salt and pepper.

What other vegetables to use in vegetarian lasagna:

  • Mushrooms
  • Eggplant/Aubergine
  • Zucchini/Courgette
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Cauliflower
  • Peppers
  • Broccoli
Super cheese meat free lasagna

How to make vegetarian lasagna

  1. Make the sauce: Saute the onion in a splash of olive oil in a large, deep pan. Cook until soft and translucent then add the mushrooms and eggplant. Cook until the vegetables start to turn golden brown. Add the garlic, tomato and herbs. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has reduced slightly.
  2. Make the ricotta cream: Combine the ricotta with Parmesan, cream and seasoning in the bowl of a food processor. I prefer using the food processor to make sure it’s really smooth. Mix well and set aside.
  3. Assemble the lasagna: Spoon some of tomato sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish then top with a few lasagna sheets. Add a layer of ricotta and dollop on 2-3 teaspoons basil pesto. Scatter over some of the mozzarella then add a layer of tomato sauce. Reserve 1 cup of mozzarella for the top. Add another layer of pasta and continue to layer. Finish with a layer of sauce then cover with foil and place in the oven.
  4. Bake: Allow to bake for 30-45 minutes or until a knife can easily be inserted. Top with the remaining mozzarella, bake for another 10-15 minutes until melted and golden then remove from the oven. Allow to rest for 10 minutes then serve.

Can you freeze vegetarian lasagna?

Yes, this lasagna freezes very well. Assemble the lasagna fully (except for the last layer of mozzarella cheese) in a foil roasting container. Press a sheet of parchment paper onto the surface then wrap tightly with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: Remove the sheet of parchment paper then cover with the foil and bake until a knife can easily be inserted. Top with grated mozzarella and bake until golden brown.

Do I need to cook lasagna noodles/pasta?

Most lasagna sheets don’t need cooking before layering with the sauce. I never preboil lasagna sheets. Unless the packaging instructs you to cook the pasta, I wouldn’t bother. Baking it for long enough will ensure the pasta will be cooked through.

Vegetarian lasagna with basil pesto and ricotta

Vegetarian dinner recipes:

  1. Creamed spinach stuffed butternut squash
  2. Pasta with basil cream sauce
  3. Eggplant involtini
  4. Creamy spinach baked ravioli
Vegetarian lasagna with basil pesto and ricotta

Vegetarian lasagna with basil pesto and ricotta

Vegetarian lasagna layered with creamy ricotta, aromatic tomato and vegetable sauce and mozzarella cheese is the perfect meat free dinner recipe.
4.54 from 32 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Vegetarian dinner, Vegetarian lasagna, Vegetarian lasagna recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Alida Ryder
Servings: 8

Ingredients

for the mushroom-tomato sauce

  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 500 g mushrooms sliced
  • 2 medium eggplant peeled and cubed
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced
  • 800 g (28oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 fresh oregano/rosemary sprig
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ cup water

for the ricotta layer

  • 2 cups (approx 500g) ricotta cheese
  • 3 tbsp heavy/ whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
  • salt and pepper to taste

to assemble

  • 250 g (½lb) uncooked lasagna sheets
  • ½ cup basil pesto
  • 2 cups mozzarella grated

Instructions

  • To make the tomato sauce, sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and eggplant and cook until golden brown then add the garlic, tomatoes and herbs. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes then season to taste.
  • In the meanwhile, combine the ricotta, cream and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
  • To assemble, add a bit of tomato sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish then top with a few lasagna sheets. Add a layer of ricotta and dollop on 2-3 teaspoons basil pesto. Scatter over some of the mozzarella then add a layer of tomato sauce. Reserve 1 cup of mozzarella for the top. Add another layer of pasta and continue to layer. Finish with a layer of sauce then cover with foil and place in the oven.
  • Place in the oven and allow to bake for 30-45 minutes until a knife can be inserted easily which indicates the pasta is fully cooked. Top with with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 817mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 724IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 2mg