Vegetarian roasted-vegetable lasagne with creamy béchamel
Layered lasagne of aubergine, courgette and mushrooms in a rich tomato ragù and creamy béchamel, topped with melted vegetarian cheeses.
This is my crowd-pleasing vegetarian lasagne — proper layers of roasted aubergine, courgette and chestnut mushrooms in a slow-simmered tomato ragù, finished with a silky béchamel and melty vegetarian cheeses. It’s comforting food that won’t leave you missing the meat.
Make it for a midweek family supper or cook it ahead for guests; it keeps and freezes brilliantly. The secret is patience in the sauce and letting the bake rest before slicing so every portion holds together.
Ingredients
- 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 50 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 600 ml whole milk
- 100 ml double cream
- 1 brown onion — medium, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — peeled and finely sliced
- 2 carrots — medium, diced
- 2 celery stalks — diced
- 1 aubergine — large, cut into 1cm dice
- 2 courgette — medium, cut into 1cm dice
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
- 200 g spinach leaves — washed
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes — two 400g tins or equivalent
- 30 g tomato purée — about 2 tbsp
- 200 ml vegetable stock — warm
- 250 g dried lasagne sheets
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml dried basil
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 0 ml grated nutmeg
- 250 g vegetarian mozzarella — torn or sliced
- 100 g grated vegetarian cheddar
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 15 g fresh basil leaves — to garnish
Equipment
- ovenproof baking dish (approx 23 x 33 cm)
- large frying pan
- large saucepan
- box grater
- kitchen foil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C conventional. Lightly oil an ovenproof baking dish (approx 23 x 33 cm).
Prepare the vegetables: finely chop the brown onion; peel and dice the carrots; finely dice the celery stalks; slice the garlic cloves; cut the aubergine and courgette into 1cm dice; slice the chestnut mushrooms.
Heat half the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium hob. Add the brown onion, carrots and celery and sweat for 10 minutes until softened and starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic, aubergine, courgette and chestnut mushrooms to the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes until the aubergine is soft and the mushrooms have released their juices.
Stir in the tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato purée and warm vegetable stock. Add the dried oregano, dried basil and caster sugar; season with sea salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce, uncovered, for 20 minutes until thickened into a ragù.
While the ragù simmers, make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the plain flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and double cream until smooth. Add the grated nutmeg and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then simmer gently for 10 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Wilt the spinach: in the frying pan used earlier, add a splash of the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and the spinach leaves and cook for about 2 minutes until just wilted. Season lightly with sea salt and drain any excess liquid.
Assemble the lasagne: spread a thin layer of ragù over the base of the prepared dish, then cover with a single layer of dried lasagne sheets. Spoon over a third of the ragù, dot with a little of the béchamel, scatter some of the wilted spinach and a handful of torn vegetarian mozzarella and grated vegetarian cheddar. Repeat twice more (lasagne sheets — ragù — béchamel — spinach — cheeses), finishing with a final layer of lasagne sheets, remaining béchamel and the remaining cheeses on top.
Cover the dish loosely with kitchen foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the top is bubbling and starting to brown.
If you want a deeply golden top, place the lasagne under a hot grill for 3–5 minutes until golden. Watch constantly to avoid burning.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Scatter with fresh basil leaves, slice and serve.
Tips
- Sweat the onion, carrot and celery long and slow — it builds the savoury backbone of the ragù.
- If your ragù looks a little sharp after simmering, stir in a teaspoon more caster sugar or a knob of butter to round the acidity.
- Assemble with slightly overlapping sheets and ensure each layer has a little sauce — this prevents dry pasta.
- Make ahead: assemble, chill overnight and bake straight from the fridge (add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time).
- To freeze: cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before baking.
Substitutions
dried lasagne sheets → fresh lasagne sheets in the same weight (reduce sauce slightly as fresh sheets absorb less moisture)
Stays closevegetarian mozzarella → ricotta (250 g) and a little extra grated vegetarian cheddar for creamier, lighter layers
Noticeably differentspinach leaves → 200 g frozen spinach (defrosted and well drained)
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend 1:1 for a gluten-free béchamel (ensure blend contains a starch)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 590
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 780 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this lasagne ahead of time?
Yes — assemble and chill overnight then bake from cold (add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time). It’s often better after a night in the fridge as the flavours marry.
Can I freeze the lasagne?
Absolutely. Cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before baking as normal.
Do I need to pre-cook the dried lasagne sheets?
No. The sauce and béchamel provide enough liquid for dried sheets to cook in the oven. Ensure layers are saucy but not swimming.
How do I stop the béchamel from going lumpy?
Whisk the milk in gradually off the heat until smooth, then return to a gentle simmer and whisk constantly. If lumps form, blitz briefly with a stick blender off the heat.
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