Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Cheese (Printable)
Layered lasagna with roasted vegetables, creamy cheese sauce, and tender pasta sheets for a filling meal.
# What You Need:
→ Roasted Vegetables
01 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 medium eggplant, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
05 - 1 red onion, chopped
06 - 2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Cheese Sauce
10 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 2 1/2 cups whole milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
14 - 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
15 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Tomato Sauce
17 - 2 cups crushed tomatoes
18 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
19 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
20 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
21 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
22 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
23 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Assembly
24 - 9 no-boil lasagna noodles or regular noodles cooked according to package instructions
25 - 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese for topping
26 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
27 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss zucchini, eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms with olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and tender. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - While vegetables roast, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, basil, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - In another saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, then add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir continuously until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in mozzarella and Parmesan until smooth.
04 - Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer noodles, half the roasted vegetables, one-third of the cheese sauce, and one-third of the tomato sauce. Repeat layers once more. Top with remaining noodles and cheese sauce, then sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
05 - Cover assembled dish with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's completely vegetarian but rich and filling enough that no one notices what's missing.
- You can prep everything ahead and assemble it right before baking, which takes the stress out of weeknight cooking.
- The roasted vegetables actually taste better than in many meat-based versions I've had.
02 -
- The most important thing I learned the hard way: don't skip letting the lasagna rest after baking, or the whole thing will fall apart when you cut into it.
- Your vegetables should actually look golden and a little caramelized, not just soft; this takes 30 minutes, and rushing it makes the dish taste flat.
- If your cheese sauce seems too thick before adding the milk, you've either made the roux too thick or aren't adding milk gradually enough—whisk in more milk until it's creamy but not soupy.
03 -
- Layer your cheese sauce slightly thinner than you think you should; it expands and redistributes as it bakes, and you want to taste vegetables and sauce in every bite, not just sauce.
- If you're using regular lasagna noodles instead of no-boil, cook them a minute under what the package says—they'll finish cooking in the oven and won't turn to mush.