Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (Inspired by Love & Lemons)

A lighter, flavor-packed lasagna loaded with roasted veggies, creamy ricotta, and a bright pop of lemon

I tried this vegetable lasagna yesterday after stumbling across a version from one of my favorite food blogs, Love & Lemons, and I’m not exaggerating when I say… Lou and I could NOT stop talking about it.

Like… mid-bite, look at each other, “wait, why is this so good?” kind of meal.

And Lou is a certified carnivore. And he says, “You will NOT miss the meat!” 😉

I ended up freezing half (future me is THRILLED – that’s easily 2 more meals 🙌), and I already know I’ll be making this again… with even MORE veggies next time.

🛒 Ingredients

Lasagna

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• At least 20 lasagna noodles (I used 2 boxes so I could build 3–4 layers)
• 6 cups marinara sauce (48 oz)
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella (low-moisture, part-skim)
• ½ cup grated pecorino cheese
• Fresh basil, for garnish

Ricotta Filling

• 4 cups whole milk ricotta
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

If you’ve never made a vegetable lasagna before, don’t worry – I’ll walk you through exactly how I layer mine.

👉 How to Layer Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (Step-by-Step)

👉 Step 1: Start with the base layer

Spread a layer of marinara, then lay down your noodles.
This gives everything a solid foundation.

👉 Step 2: Add Ricotta + Spinach

Spread on the ricotta, then add a generous handful of fresh spinach.
Don’t overthink it—this layer doesn’t have to be perfect.

👉 Step 3: Layer the Roasted Vegetables

Pile on those roasted veggies.
This is where all that flavor really starts building. Add more marinara.

Then repeat the layers.

👉 Step 4: Finish with Cheese

Top it all with mozzarella and a sprinkle of pecorino.
Be generous here – this is your golden, bubbly top.

👉 Step 5: Ready for Oven

Pop it in the oven until melted, bubbly, and beautifully golden.
Your kitchen is about to smell amazing.

💛 What Makes This Lasagna So Good

• Roasted veggies = deep, rich flavor
• Lemon zest = bright + fresh (seriously, magic)
• Not heavy like traditional meat lasagna
• Still cozy and satisfying without weighing you down

📝 Real-Life Cooking Notes

• More veggies next time — I want thicker layers
• 3 layers is perfect, but 4 works if your dish can handle it
• This freezes beautifully (huge win)
• Great for meatless nights (hello, Friday dinners 🙌)

🧠 How This Recipe Made It to My Kitchen

Fridays = no meat in our house, so I go into full “what are we making?” mode.

I check:

• My freezer inventory list
• My recipe lists in Joplin (tried, loved, and “want to try”)

I started thinking eggplant… then found this vegetable lasagna from Love & Lemons, a blog I’ve loved for years.

Meanwhile, Lou starts telling me about his grandmother’s vegetable lasagna… and that was it.

Decision made.

🍷 What I’d Serve With This

• Simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette
• Crusty bread
• A nice glass of white wine (you already know where I stand on that 😉)

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

A lighter, flavor-packed lasagna made with roasted vegetables, creamy ricotta, spinach, and a bright pop of lemon zest. Perfect for meatless nights and make-ahead meals.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Resting Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian-American

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

Lasagna

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz mushrooms stemmed and quartered
• 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ medium yellow onion cut into ½-inch pieces
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 20 lasagna noodles you may need up to 2 boxes for 3–4 layers
• 6 cups marinara sauce 48 oz
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese low-moisture, part-skim
• ½ cup grated pecorino cheese
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Ricotta Filling

• 4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 garlic cloves grated
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

Roast the Vegetables

• Preheat oven to 425°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Toss mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Spread evenly and roast for 20–25 minutes, until tender and browned.
• Remove from oven and reduce heat to 400°F.

Cook the Noodles

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles until al dente.
• Lay flat on a baking sheet, pat dry, and drizzle lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Make the Ricotta Filling

• In a large bowl, mix ricotta, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Assemble the Lasagna

• Oil a large baking dish. Spread 1 cup marinara on the bottom.
• Layer noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the spinach, half the roasted vegetables, and about ⅔ cup marinara.
• Repeat layers, then top with a final layer of noodles.
• Spread remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with mozzarella and pecorino.

Bake

• Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

• Don’t skip the lemon zest — it adds brightness that makes the whole dish pop
• 3 layers is ideal, but 4 works depending on your dish size
• Roast extra vegetables if you like a thicker veggie layer
• This lasagna freezes beautifully for future meals