Garden Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten Free)

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.

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)

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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• Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
• Tuscan Vegetable Soup
• Skillet Chicken Parmesan
• Spinach Walnut Pesto
• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
• Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
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Looking For More Lasagna Recipes? Don't Miss These!

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The Best Vegan Lasagna