Garden Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten Free)

Slice of garden vegetable lasagna on white plate garnished with fresh basil.

5 from 3 votes

Garden Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten Free)

This gluten free Garden Vegetable Lasagna is full of healthy summer veggies! It's made with ricotta cheese, eggplant, zucchini, and spinach.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: gluten free vegetable lasagna, vegetable lasagna with eggplant, ricotta vegetable lasagna,

Servings:

Calories: 480kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

9x13 inch baking dish

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic
1 onion any color
1 bell pepper any color
1 medium zucchini or summer squash, yields 2 cups chopped
1 medium Italian eggplant yields 6 cups diced
2 packed cups spinach
6 Tbsp. olive oil split
1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt split
1 ¼ tsp. pepper split
7 oz. ricotta cheese full fat, equals 2 cups
1 egg
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 24 oz. jar marinara sauce
8 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded, equals 2 cups
½ - 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded, can sub Asiago or Romano cheese
1 package gluten free lasagna noodles or regular lasagna noodles if not gluten free
basil for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Eggplant:

Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut both the top and bottom off 1 medium-sized Italian eggplant and discard.
Dice the eggplant into chunks, making sure that they are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly (yields 6 cups diced).
There is no need to peel or salt the eggplant first.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the diced eggplant onto the baking sheet.
Drizzle the diced eggplant with 3 Tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle ¾ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper over it. Toss the eggplant until completely coated in the oil and spices.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast the eggplant for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and set aside to cool.

For The Vegetable Lasagna:

Reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place a large pot of water on the stove top and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, prepare 1 package of gluten free lasagna noodles (or regular lasagna noodles if not gluten free) according the package instructions, cooking just until al dente.
Remove them from the boiling water and transfer them to a strainer in the sink. Rinse the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). Dice 1 bell pepper (any color).
Dice 1 medium zucchini or summer squash. Make sure its cut relatively the same size to ensure that the zucchini cooks evenly.
Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the minced onions. Sauté the onions for 5-6 minutes or until translucent, stirring often.
Add the diced bell peppers and zucchini or summer squash, along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the veggies for 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
Add the minced garlic and 2 packed cups of fresh spinach to the skillet. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach wilts slightly and the garlic is fragrant, stirring often.
Add the roasted eggplant to the skillet and stir until combined.
The vegetables should be soft, but not mushy at this point.
To make the ricotta cheese mixture, place 7 oz. (or 2 cups) of full-fat ricotta cheese into a small bowl.
Add 1 egg, ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of the ingredients until completely combined.
Shred 8 oz. of mozzarella cheese along with 1 cup of Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese.
Pour 1 Tbsp. of olive oil into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish and spread it around evenly (this will prevent the noodles from sticking to the surface).
Pour ⅓ jar of your favorite 24 oz. jar of marinara sauce on top of the oil. This layer of sauce helps to keep the bottom of the lasagna moist.
Place a layer of the cooked lasagna noodles evenly across the bottom of the dish. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the first layer of lasagna noodles.
Place half of the sautéed vegetable mixture evenly over the layer of ricotta cheese. Pour another ⅓ of the marinara sauce evenly over the sautéed veggies. Spread half of the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the vegetable mixture.
Repeat the process again, adding another layer of cooked lasagna noodles, the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture, the remaining sautéed veggies, the rest of the marinara sauce, and the remainder of the shredded cheeses over the top of the lasagna.
Fold a piece of aluminum foil tightly around the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the vegetable lasagna to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it. This will allow some of the water to dissipate and the lasagna will hold together better when serving.
To Serve: Cut the lasagna into slices and garnish with fresh torn basil leaves (or fresh herbs of choice).

Notes

This recipe is gluten free but can be made with regular lasagna noodles if not gluten free.

Feel free to substitute mozzarella for any variety of cheese that melts nicely, such as provolone or fontina.

If freezing this lasagna, it's best to cook it in either a metal or ceramic baking dish. Glass baking dishes can shatter under extreme temperature changes.

Nutrition