Vegetable Lasagna With White Sauce
This creamy Vegetable Lasagna With White Sauce layers tender noodles, vibrant veggies, and a dreamy béchamel sauce into the ultimate comfort food that’s perfect for a healthy dinner any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 9-12 lasagna noodles lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil; I like Barilla no-boil sheets for ease)
- 2 tbsp olive oil olive oil (extra-virgin for flavor)
- 1 small yellow onion yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced (fresh is best; Jarlsberg garlic paste works in a pinch)
- 1 red bell pepper red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup baby spinach baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms mushrooms, sliced (Cremini or white button)
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta whole-milk ricotta (Galbani)
- 1 large egg helps set the cheese layer
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan grated Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano if you can)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley to garnish
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk whole milk, warmed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Warm the milk in a small saucepan or microwave (warm milk mixes more smoothly).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add onion and garlic; sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss in bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are just tender—about 5 minutes—then fold in spinach and remove from heat.
- In a second saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes. Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking off lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer; the mixture will thicken in about 4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Spread a thin coat of béchamel on the bottom of your dish. Arrange lasagna noodles on top. Dollop and spread cheese mixture, sautéed veggies, and sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Repeat layers twice. Top final layer of noodles with remaining béchamel; finish with a generous blanket of mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–12 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Let lasagna rest 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle chopped basil or parsley before serving.
- Pair with a crisp green salad or garlic bread.
Notes
If your béchamel is too thick, stir in up to ¼ cup extra warm milk. No-fuss tip: assemble in disposable foil pans for easy gifting or potlucks.
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