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Creamy Vegetable Lasagna

A light and creamy lasagna filled with vegetables, perfect for family dinners or potlucks, featuring a béchamel-style white sauce.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Vegetarian
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lasagna Ingredients
  • 9 sheets fresh lasagna sheets (oven-ready) No boiling needed; regular sheets work if pre-cooked.
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped Small dice cooks quickly; frozen thawed carrots also work.
  • 1.5 cups baby spinach Can use frozen spinach, well-drained.
  • 1.5 cups broccoli florets, chopped Cauliflower is a fine substitute.
  • 4.5 tbsp butter, divided Salted or unsalted; use salted and reduce added salt.
  • 2.5 tbsp all-purpose flour For the roux.
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder Or 1 tbsp finely minced onion, sautéed.
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder Or 1 clove garlic, minced.
  • 0.5 cup vegetable stock Chicken stock can be used if not vegetarian.
  • 0.25 cup milk Whole or 2% for best texture.
  • 0.75 cup heavy cream For richness; half-and-half thins the sauce.
  • 0.33 cup ricotta cheese Gives body to the cheese layer.
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Plus 1 tbsp reserved.
  • 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese For meltiness.
  • 0.25 cup shredded Asiago cheese Adds tang; swap with Fontina if needed.
  • 0.25 cup shredded mild cheddar Optional for color and bite.
  • 0.5 cup Ritz crackers, crushed For the crunchy topping; panko or breadcrumbs can be used.
  • Salt and pepper, to taste Adjust seasoning as needed.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray a 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium saucepot, melt half the butter (about 2 1/4 tbsp) over medium heat.
  3. Add the flour and stir continuously. Cook the roux until it smells slightly nutty — the 'popcorn' aroma — about 1–2 minutes.
  4. Gradually whisk in the vegetable stock until smooth. Then add the milk and heavy cream in batches, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens to a gravy-like consistency, about 4–6 minutes.
  5. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Remove the pot from heat. Fold the chopped carrots, spinach, and broccoli into the warm sauce to coat the veggies evenly.
  7. In a bowl, combine the ricotta with the grated Parmesan, mozzarella, Asiago, and cheddar. Mix until evenly combined.
  8. In a small bowl, melt the remaining butter and stir in the crushed Ritz crackers and the reserved Parmesan to create the topping.
Assembly and Baking
  1. Assemble the lasagna: place 3 oven-ready noodles in the bottom of the prepared dish.
  2. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the vegetable-white sauce mixture evenly over the noodles.
  3. Dollop and spread half of the cheese mixture over that.
  4. Repeat with three more noodles, another 1/3 cup vegetable mixture, and the remaining cheese mixture.
  5. Top with the final 3 noodles and spread the remaining vegetable mixture across the top layer.
  6. Sprinkle the Ritz-parmesan topping evenly over the lasagna.
  7. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling along the edges.
  8. Let the lasagna cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing to allow the layers to set.

Notes

To reduce lumps in the sauce, warm the milk slightly before adding. For a crispier topping, broil for 1–2 minutes after baking. Let the lasagna rest before cutting for cleaner slices.