Description
This is the best vegetarian lasagna recipe ever! It’s filled with layers of tender lasagna noodles, chunky Italian marinara sauce, creamy ricotta cheese with a hint of lemon zest, fresh basil, and plenty of mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano. It comes out the oven hot and bubbly with a golden-brown crust that makes for the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the marinara sauce:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped or grated
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped or grated
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 28-oz canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand or with an immersion blender
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
For the lasagna assembly:
- 12 dried lasagna noodles (NOT no-boil)
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 cups (450g) full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 cup finely chopped basil
- 1 pound (450g) low-moisture freshly shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Make the marinara sauce. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and let cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring everything together.
- Add the canned tomatoes with their juices, bay leaf, dried oregano, and balsamic vinegar. Bring the sauce to a low boil, then turn the heat down low and let simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will reduce slightly in volume and thicken.
- Stir in the fresh basil and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or red pepper flakes if needed. Remove the heat and discard the bay leaf. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the lasagna noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the noodles and stir a few times to prevent them from sticking together. Cook the lasagna noodles until 1 or 2 minutes before the al dente cooking time. Drain the noodles into a colander and drizzle a little olive oil over the noodles. Gently toss to combine to prevent them from sticking together and set aside.
- Make the ricotta mixture. Add the ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh lemon zest, and fresh basil in a large bowl. Stir everything together until combined.
- Assemble the lasagna. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread one-quarter of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Place the cooked lasagna noodles in an even layer on top of the sauce, tearing them to fit if necessary. Use 3 to 4 lasagna noodles per layer (I use 4 noodles per layer).
- Spread another quarter of the marinara sauce over the first layer of noodles. Add half of the ricotta mixture over the sauce and spread it out to make an even layer. It’s okay if there are some gaps. Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella over the ricotta cheese layer.
- Add a second layer of noodles over the mozzarella layer. Spread another quarter of the marinara sauce over the noodles. Add the remaining ricotta mixture over the sauce and spread it out to make an even layer. Sprinkle another third of the mozzarella over the ricotta layer.
- Add the final layer of noodles over the mozzarella layer. Spread the remaining marinara sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce, then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the entire lasagna.
- Place the 9×13-inch baking dish on top of a large sheet pan to catch any drips. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 to 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Don’t have fresh basil? Use chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley instead.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: Traditionally, parmesan cheese uses animal rennet, which makes it non-vegetarian. If you need a vegetarian parmesan cheese, there are many vegetarian-friendly versions available. Look for the words “vegetarian rennet”, “microbial rennet”, or vegetable rennet” on the label. If you can’t find a vegetarian version, then leave out the parmesan cheese.
- I recommend using freshly shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese, which usually contains anti-caking agents like potato startch. This can affect its melting ability.
- Recipe adapated from the Six Seasons of Pasta Cookbook by Joshua Mcfadden.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian