A comforting and hearty vegetarian lasagne made with roasted pumpkin, kumara and capsicum layered with a mushroom and tomato sauce, fresh lasagne sheets and a cheesy white sauce.
Are you looking for the ultimate vegetarian meal? Do you have a vegetarian family member to cook for but don't want to make separate meals? Are you trying to add more plant-based recipes to your meal plans?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then I have the meal for you. This hearty and Vegetarian Lasagne is a complete vegetarian meal that doesn't compromise on taste. For other inspiration, check out the Vegetarian Category on my website which includes reader-favourites such as Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry and Satay Tofu Noodle Bowl.
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Ingredient notes:
- Lasagne sheets: Either fresh or dried pasta sheets will work in this recipe. I'm happy to pay a little extra for fresh lasagne when I'm saving money by not using meat.
- Roasted vegetables: Use you favourite combination of roasting vegetables from pumpkin, kumara and parsnip bulked up by capsicum, courgette or eggplant.
- Mushrooms: These beautiful portabello mushrooms add a lovely flavour and texture to the lasagne. Standard brown or white button mushrooms work perfectly well too.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
Roast vegetables: Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place the sliced kumara on one and the sliced pumpkin on the other. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil each and season well with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in the oven for 40-45 minutes until soft and cooked through. Place the chopped capsicum on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil then bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until soft.
Tomato sauce: Place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the diced onion and carrot. Sauté for 10 minutes until soft, then add the mushrooms and fry until softened.
Add the tomato paste and Italian herbs and fry off for a few minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, mix everything together and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced a little. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
White sauce: Place a large saucepan on a low heat and add the butter. Stir until melted then add the flour and combine. Keep stirring for a minute to fry the mixture. Start adding milk slowly, stirring between each addition. Once all the milk is added let it simmer until thick. Take off the heat. Add the mustard and grated cheese then season well with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Assemble: In the base of a large baking dish place the following layers: fresh lasagne sheets, half of the tomato sauce, kumara, roasted capsicum, half of the cheese sauce, lasagne sheets, remaining tomato sauce, pumpkin, lasagne sheets, remaining cheese sauce. Top with the extra grated cheese and bake for 50 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Allow the lasagne to rest for 10 minutes. Then serve with your choice of fresh salad.
Recipe FAQs:
No. This lasagne is vegetarian, not vegan, as it contains milk, cheese and egg in the pasta.
Yes, you would just need to substitute the lasagne sheets and flour for gluten free alternatives.
Storage:
Cooked lasagne will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow the lasagne to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat until piping hot either in the microwave or the oven.
This lasagne also freezes well. Simply assemble, then allow all ingredients to cool to room temperature. Cover with clingfilm, then freeze for up to three months. Allow the lasagne to defrost completely before removing the clingfilm and cooking in the oven.
Top tips:
This lasagne is huge so you may want to make it in 2 smaller baking dishes so you can freeze one for later.
It's important that you don't reduce the tomato sauce too much. If the liquid completely disappears the sauce won't sit as well between the layers.
If you wanted to get ahead, you could prep parts of the lasagne (or the whole dish) up tp one day ahead of time. Then simply bake when you want to serve it.
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Vegetarian Lasagne
A hearty vegetarian lasagne made with roasted pumpkin, kumara and capsicum layered with a homemade mushroom and tomato sauce, a cheesy white sauce and fresh lasagne sheets.
Ingredients
- 2 purple kumara, sliced 1cm thick
- ½ pumpkin, peeled and sliced 1cm thick
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 capsicums, chopped
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 200g mushrooms, sliced
- 50g tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp Italian dried herbs
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes, 800g
- 400g fresh lasagne sheets
- 100g grated cheese for topping
White sauce
- 50g butter
- 50g flour
- 500ml milk
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 cup grated cheese, 100g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
- Roast vegetables: Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place the sliced kumara on one and the sliced pumpkin on the other. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil each and season well with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in the oven for 40-45 minutes until soft and cooked through.
- Place the chopped capsicum on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil then bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until soft.
- Tomato sauce: Place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the diced onion and carrot. Sauté for 10 minutes until soft, then add the mushrooms and fry until softened.
- Add the tomato paste and Italian herbs and fry off for a few minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, mix everything together and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced a little. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- White sauce: Place a large saucepan on a low heat and add the butter. Stir until melted then add the flour and combine. Keep stirring for a minute to fry the mixture. Start adding milk slowly, stirring between each addition. Once all the milk is added let it simmer until thick. Take off the heat. Add the mustard and grated cheese then season well with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Assemble: In the base of a large baking dish place the following layers: fresh lasagne sheets, half of the tomato sauce, kumara, roasted capsicum, half of the cheese sauce, lasagne sheets, remaining tomato sauce, pumpkin, lasagne sheets, remaining cheese sauce. Top with the extra grated cheese and bake for 50 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Allow the lasagne to rest for 10 minutes. Then serve with your choice of fresh salad.
Notes
- Don't reduce the tomato sauce too much - you need some of the liquid to soak into the roast vegetable layers.
- If courgette and eggplant are in season you could add them in or substitute for any of the other roasted vegetables.
- This lasagne is huge so you may want to make it in 2 smaller baking dishes so you can freeze one for later.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 463mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 17g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Marg Timns says
Loved the vegetable lasagne. Used tortilla wraps rather than lasagne and only one can of tomatoes as I thought two cans might have made everything too moist. Will definitely make it again. Thanks for the inspiration and recipe.
VJ cooks says
That's awesome. Thanks for the feedback and tips, Marg.