Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (Printable)
Italian layered main featuring oven-roasted vegetables, tomato sauce, and silky béchamel.
# What You Need:
→ Roasted Vegetables
01 - 1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
02 - 1 large zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 red onion, sliced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Tomato Sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon sugar
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Béchamel Sauce
17 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
18 - 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
19 - 3 cups whole milk, warmed
20 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
21 - ½ teaspoon salt
22 - ¼ teaspoon white pepper
→ Assembly
23 - 9 to 12 no-boil lasagna noodles (or regular noodles cooked as per package)
24 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
25 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
26 - Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
03 - In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes without browning. Gradually whisk in warm milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.
04 - Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer with noodles, one-third of roasted vegetables, tomato sauce, and béchamel. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice more, finishing with noodles topped by remaining béchamel and cheeses.
05 - Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
06 - Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted vegetables caramelize into something almost sweet, and they're so forgiving to work with that you can't really mess them up.
- That creamy béchamel is the secret—it's what makes people ask for seconds and ask for the recipe.
- It actually tastes better the next day, which means you can prep it ahead and still look like a genius.
02 -
- The béchamel needs to be whisked constantly and never left alone or it will seize up and become grainy—I learned this the hard way the first time I made it.
- Spreading a thin base layer of tomato sauce first keeps the noodles from sticking to the dish and makes the whole lasagna easier to serve.
- If your milk isn't warm when you start whisking it in, the béchamel will break and you'll end up with little flour granules floating around—take the thirty seconds to warm it.
03 -
- Use no-boil noodles and your prep time drops significantly, but they only work if you have enough liquid in your sauces—which you do here with the béchamel and tomato sauce.
- Let the lasagna rest on the counter for those 10 to 15 minutes even though you'll want to dive in immediately—your slices will be neat and the whole dish will hold together beautifully.