Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Cheese (Printable Version)
Layers of tender pasta, roasted vegetables, and creamy cheese sauce baked to golden perfection.
# What You'll 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 cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Cheese Sauce
11 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
12 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 2 1/2 cups whole milk
14 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
15 - 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
16 - 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
17 - Salt, to taste
18 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Tomato Sauce
19 - 2 cups crushed tomatoes
20 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
21 - 1 tbsp olive oil
22 - 1 tsp dried basil
23 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
24 - 1/2 tsp sugar
25 - Salt, to taste
26 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Assembly
27 - 9 no-boil lasagna noodles (or regular, cooked per package instructions)
28 - 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (for topping)
29 - 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (for topping)
30 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss diced zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms with olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on lined baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring once, until tender and golden. Reduce oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat; blend in mozzarella and parmesan until smooth.
04 - Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer noodles, half of roasted vegetables, one-third of cheese sauce, and one-third of remaining tomato sauce. Repeat layers: noodles, vegetables, cheese sauce, tomato sauce. Finish with noodles and remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.
05 - Cover dish with foil; bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow to rest 10–15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted vegetables get sweet and jammy, so you actually want to eat them instead of just tolerating them.
- You can make it ahead and bake it later, which means stressed-free dinner.
- It's vegetarian but nobody will miss the meat because the cheese sauce is that good.
02 -
- Roast your vegetables before assembly—this step is not optional and transforms watery vegetables into caramelized gold.
- Stir the cheese sauce constantly while it thickens or you'll end up with lumps that never quite disappear.
- Letting the finished lasagna rest is not wasted time; it's when the layers set and flavors meld together.
03 -
- Mozzarella and parmesan have different melting points—combining both gives you creamy interior and crispy edges.
- If your cheese sauce breaks or gets lumpy, pour it through a fine sieve and start over; it's faster than trying to fix it.