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Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

Garden Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten Free)

Dated: July 17, 2019 Last Modified: March 24, 2022 This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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This gluten free Garden Vegetable Lasagna recipe is made with veggies like eggplant and spinach. It's the best vegetarian comfort food!

Lasagna is delicious in all forms but during the summer months I love this Garden Veggie Lasagna. It's made with spinach, peppers, and eggplant.

Garden vegetable lasagna with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on small white plates.

It's that point in the summer when all the hard work we've put into our gardens starts to pay off. Well, normally this is the case. We've been battling with a local woodchuck that keeps destroying the fruits of our labor.

This little critter has eaten his weight in Brussels sprouts, kale, and carrot tops.

To combat his ravenous appetite my husband dug a 2-foot trench around the garden and buried a fence UNDER the existing fence and attached an angled fence on top of the existing fence because it turn out those buggers can climb.

Hopefully the new fence is adequate and this 10-pound meatloaf will stay out of the garden so we can enjoy our vegetables and make things like this Vegetable Lasagna with them.

Jump to:
  • Which Vegetables Are Best For Vegetarian Lasagna?
  • How To Make Garden Vegetable Lasagna
  • How To Make The Ricotta Cheese Mixture
  • How To Layer Vegetable Lasagna
  • How Long Does Vegetarian Lasagna Take To Bake?
  • What To Serve With Vegetarian Lasagna
  • Can This Vegetable Lasagna Be Frozen?
  • Garden Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten Free)
Minced garlic, onions, banana peppers, green bell peppers, eggplant, and spinach on wooden cutting board with knife.

Which Vegetables Are Best For Vegetarian Lasagna?

This Garden Vegetable Lasagna does contain a lot of vegetables this recipe does require some chopping. I promise all that chopping is worth it.

Vegetable lasagna is versatile and you can use any veggies you like - Zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, carrots - You name it. Feel free to throw whatever you've got into this lasagna!

I decided to go with eggplant, banana and bell peppers, and spinach. I love eggplant in lasagna because it has a nice 'meaty' texture. I promise you won't miss the meat!

For this recipe you will need: 6 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 2 banana peppers (or sub 2 bell peppers), 1 bell pepper (any color), 1 large eggplant, and 2 cups of chopped spinach.

  1. Mince the garlic and onions.
  2. Dice the peppers into a uniform size.
  3. Cut the eggplant into small chunks (There is no need to salt the eggplant).
  4. Chop 2 cups of fresh spinach. You can also use Swiss chard, kale, or any type of hearty green you like.
Garlic, onions, peppers, eggplant, and spinach sautéed in skillet.

How To Make Garden Vegetable Lasagna

Once all those veggies are chopped it's time to sauté them. I like to pre-heat the oven and prepare the noodles at this point.

  1. Boil 1 package of gluten free lasagna noodles (or regular lasagna noodles if not gluten free). Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water when finished cooking.
  2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Heat a skillet to medium and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add the garlic and onions and saute for 4-5 minutes or until translucent, stirring often.
  4. Add the peppers to the pan and saute for another 5 minutes until slightly soften, stirring often.
  5. Add the diced eggplant to the skillet along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add ½ cup or so of vegetable broth at this point to deglaze the pan. Saute for another couple of minutes or until the eggplant is slightly softened.
  6. Add the chopped spinach and stir into the vegetable mixture. The skillet will be full but the spinach cooks down. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes or so.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

The vegetables smell amazing as they cook in the skillet!

At this point all the veggies should be soft but not mushy.

Ricotta cheese mixture in ceramic bowl with blue spatula.

How To Make The Ricotta Cheese Mixture

Once the vegetables are sauteed it's time to assemble the cheese mixture. This recipe uses ricotta cheese. Ricotta is a cheese that was created in Italy as a way to use up the whey that is produced during the cheese-making process.

It has a fresh taste and is smooth but a little grainy at the same time (it resembles cottage cheese). You can find ricotta cheese in the dairy section of your local grocery store.

  1. Place 2 cups of ricotta cheese in a small bowl along with 1 egg and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper.
  2. Mix all the ingredients until completely combined.

Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Don't miss these!

  • Cheesy Skillet Vegetable Lasagna
  • Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
  • Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
  • Lemon Leek Pasta
  • One Pot Veggie Pasta
  • Mushroom Olive Pasta
  • Cauliflower Tomato Pasta
Unbaked vegetable lasagna with marinara sauce in metal cake pan.

How To Layer Vegetable Lasagna

  1. Now for the layering process. Pour 1 Tbsp. of olive oil into the bottom of a 9x13 inch cake pan (the olive oil helps to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom. Spread the oil evenly across the bottom of the pan with your fingers or a small brush.
  2. Pour ⅓ jar of your favorite marinara sauce on top of the oil. The sauce and olive oil form the bottom layer of the lasagna.
  3. Add 1 layer of noodles to the pan. You can overlap the noodles a bit to make sure there aren't any gaps and you have a nice, solid layer.
  4. Spread half of the ricotta mixture on the noodles evenly.
  5. Add half of the sauteed vegetable mixture on top of that. Pour ⅓ of the marinara sauce on top of the vegetables.
  6. Now you do it all over again. Add another layer of noodles, the rest of the ricotta, the remainder of the vegetables and the rest of the sauce.

Whew - Time for a glass of wine!

Baked vegetable lasagna with melted cheese in metal cake pan.

How Long Does Vegetarian Lasagna Take To Bake?

You can't have lasagna without cheese and the final layer of it is composed of mozzarella.

Shred 1 ½ - 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the top. You can add as much or as little cheese as you like!

A ball of fresh mozzarella is also a great option for this recipe. Simply slice 1-2 balls of fresh mozzarella and place them evenly over the top.

  1. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
  2. That last 20 minutes is where most of the melting action takes place.
Garden vegetable lasagna with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on small white plates.

After the lasagna has finished baking remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve it by cutting into squares.

I love to top this vegetable lasagna with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some freshly chopped basil or herbs of choice.

What To Serve With Vegetarian Lasagna

This Garden Vegetable Lasagna is a pretty hearty meal and can certainly be enjoyed on its own.

If you are serving to guests and looking for a side I always recommend something light that complements it like this Pickled Beet Salad, Green Bean Tomato Salad, Marinated Tomato Salad or Fresh Pea Salad.

A simple side dish like roasted green beans, roasted cauliflower, or roasted Brussels sprouts is a nice pairing.

Anything with Italian or Mediterranean flavors such as this Kalamata olive tapenade or Roasted Mushroom Tapenade makes a nice appetizer.

Can This Vegetable Lasagna Be Frozen?

Lasagna makes a great freezer meal. It is a little time-consuming to cook and sometimes it's nice to have a batch of it prepared and waiting in the freezer.

How To Freeze:

  1. Bake the lasagna as detailed in this recipe.
  2. Allow it to come down to room temperature before freezing.
  3. Once it has cooled wrap it in a few layers of freezer-safe plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How To Reheat:

  1. Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw overnight. Remove the layers of plastic wrap.
  2. Place a layer of foil over the top and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

It may be slightly more dry when re-heated.

Garden vegetable lasagna on small white plates in front of cake pan.

I love this recipe during the late summer months when the garden is in full swing (and not being devoured by woodchucks).

It's also great for vegetables from the farmer's market or a CSA box!

If you like eggplant check out this Baked Eggplant Parmesan, Smoky Baba Ghanoush, and Air Fryer Eggplant Fries!

Love Italian dishes? Don't miss these recipes!

  • Sheet Pan Italian Chicken
  • Chicken Marsala Pasta
  • Italian Grilled Cheese
  • Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
  • Tuscan Vegetable Soup
  • Skillet Chicken Parmesan
  • Spinach Walnut Pesto
  • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
  • Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
  • Arugula Pesto Prosciutto Pizza
  • Spring Vegetable Risotto
  • Green Pasta Sauce

Looking For More Lasagna Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Classic Lasagna with Bechamel

Greek Skillet Lasagna

Low Carb Eggplant Lasagna

Lasagna Soup

The Best Vegan Lasagna

Garden vegetable lasagna with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on small white plates.

Garden Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten Free)

Christine Rooney
This gluten free Garden Vegetable Lasagna recipe is made with veggies like eggplant and spinach. It's the best vegetarian comfort food!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 546 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 2 banana peppers or sub 2 bell peppers
  • 1 bell pepper any color
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 2 cups spinach
  • ½ cup basil
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil split
  • ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 jar marinara sauce
  • 1 ½ - 2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1 package gluten free lasagna noodles or regular lasagna noodles if not GF

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Boil 1 package of gluten-free lasagna noodles (or regular lasagna noodles if not GF) according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
  • Mince garlic and onions.
  • Dice banana and bell peppers and roughly chop 2 cups of fresh spinach.
  • Cut 1 large eggplant into small cubes.
  • Heat a skillet to medium and add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.
  • Add the garlic and onions to the skillet and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the peppers to the skillet and saute for another 5 minutes or until the peppers have slightly softened.
  • Add the eggplant along with ¼ tsp. or so of kosher salt and pepper. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Deglaze with ½ cup vegetable stock and continue to cook until slightly softened.
  • Add the spinach to the skillet, stir, and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. The vegetables should be softened but not mushy. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Mix 2 cups of ricotta cheese, 1 egg, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until completely combined.
  • Assemble The Lasagna: Pour 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a 9x13 inch cake pan and spread evenly across the bottom.
  • Pour ⅓ jar of marinara sauce over the olive oil and spread evenly across bottom of pan.
  • Add 1 layer of lasagna noodles to pan (Noodles can overlap a bit). Spread half the ricotta mixture evenly on top of noodles. Add half the sauteed vegetables on top of that and then ⅓ of the marinara sauce on top of that. Repeat with another layer of noodles, vegetables, and sauce.
  • Shred 1 ½ - 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Spread evenly over the top.
  • Cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
  • To serve: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and some fresh basil.

Notes

This recipe is gluten free but can be made with regular pasta noodles if not GF.
You can use as much or as little cheese on top as you like. Fresh mozzarella can be substituted for shredded mozzarella.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 546kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 24gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 1025mgPotassium: 635mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2305IUVitamin C: 32.3mgCalcium: 411mgIron: 1.9mg
Keyword vegetarian lasagna, garden vegetable lasagna, gluten free vegetable lasagna
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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About Christine

My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly Asche

    July 10, 2018 at 8:38 am

    5 stars
    I love lasagna. The fact that I can have a healthier version that tastes just as good make this even better!

    Reply
  2. Anne

    July 18, 2019 at 2:24 pm

    5 stars
    I love All of the fresh veggies in this! So delicious

    Reply
    • Christine

      July 21, 2019 at 2:48 am

      Thanks, Anne! So great during the summer when all the fresh veggies are in season.

      Reply

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Thanks for stopping by! My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

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