Pioneer Woman Vegetable Lasagna: A Hearty and Delicious Veggie Delight

Vegetable lasagna is a timeless comfort food, and this recipe, inspired by the hearty and flavorful style of the Pioneer Woman, takes it to the next level. Imagine layers of tender vegetables, rich homemade tomato sauce, and gooey, melted cheese, all baked to golden perfection. This isn’t just any veggie lasagna; it’s a family-friendly, crowd-pleasing dish that even meat-lovers will adore.

A quick video showcasing the ease of making this delicious vegetable lasagna recipe.

For years, this vegetable lasagna recipe has been a cherished staple in our home. It’s the kind of dish that friends request after the first bite, and it’s perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or a cozy night in. What makes this recipe stand out is its simplicity and versatility. You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to create a lasagna masterpiece. We start with a from-scratch tomato sauce that’s bursting with flavor and pack it with fresh, vibrant vegetables.

While we’ve used zucchini and summer squash in the photos, feel free to get creative with your veggie choices. Think of this recipe as a delicious template, ready for your personal touch. If you appreciate this veggie-packed filling, you might also enjoy our veggie spaghetti recipe, which draws inspiration from the same flavorful foundation.

Close-up of a slice of easy vegetable lasagna, showing layers of vegetables, tomato sauce, and melted cheese.

Key Ingredients for Your Pioneer Woman Inspired Vegetable Lasagna

To create this exceptional vegetable lasagna, you’ll need a few key ingredients that work together to build layers of flavor and texture:

Lasagna Noodles: The foundation of any great lasagna! You can use traditional lasagna noodles that are pre-cooked, or for extra convenience, opt for no-boil noodles. We personally love the ease of no-boil noodles, but either will work beautifully. Some cooks prefer regular noodles, incorporating them directly without pre-boiling, but we find thinner no-boil noodles give the best texture. Choose what you prefer!
A Medley of Fresh Vegetables: This is where you can really customize your lasagna. Aim for 4 to 5 cups of chopped vegetables in total. Our go-to mix includes zucchini, summer squash, and roasted red peppers from a jar for a smoky sweetness. However, don’t hesitate to experiment with other vegetables you love or have on hand. Check out our variations section below for more inspiration.
Homemade Tomato Sauce (from canned crushed tomatoes): A simple, flavorful tomato sauce is the heart of this lasagna. We make ours from scratch using canned crushed tomatoes, and it only takes about 20 minutes to simmer to perfection. The difference in taste compared to store-bought sauce is truly remarkable.
Creamy Ricotta Cheese: The creamy layer of ricotta provides a wonderful contrast to the vegetable and sauce layers. For the best flavor and texture, we recommend using high-quality whole milk ricotta, such as BelGioioso, Sorrento, or fresh ricotta if you can find it. If ricotta isn’t your favorite, cottage cheese makes an excellent substitute.
Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese: A generous blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheese creates that irresistible cheesy topping and gooey layers within the lasagna. For a truly vegetarian lasagna, you can easily omit the parmesan cheese, ensuring it remains meat-free.
Eggs (Optional): Eggs are used in the ricotta mixture to help it set and firm up as the lasagna bakes. If you prefer an egg-free lasagna, you can simply leave them out. The taste will still be fantastic, but the ricotta layer will be a bit softer.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Best Vegetable Lasagna, Pioneer Woman Style

Creating this easy vegetable lasagna is surprisingly straightforward and faster than you might think. Let’s break down the process:

Start with the Homemade Vegetable Sauce: The sauce is where the flavor foundation is built. Begin by sautéing chopped onions in olive oil until they become soft and translucent. Then, add minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle warmth (adjust the amount to your spice preference). Next, add your chopped vegetables – zucchini and summer squash in our case – and cook them until they are slightly softened but still retain a bit of their bite.

Sautéing vegetables in a skillet to create the base for the vegetable lasagna sauce.

Simmer the Sauce: Stir in the crushed tomatoes and roasted red peppers to the skillet with the vegetables. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook until it has thickened slightly and the vegetables are tender but not mushy. This usually takes about 5-8 minutes. Just before taking it off the heat, stir in a handful of fresh basil for a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor. Remember, the vegetables will continue cooking in the oven, so we want them to have a little texture at this stage.
Prepare the Cheesy Ricotta Layer: In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs (if using), and a pinch of salt. Mix everything together until well combined and creamy. This mixture will create the luscious cheese layer in your lasagna.
Assemble the Lasagna: Now for the fun part – layering! Begin by spreading a thin layer of the vegetable sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. This prevents the noodles from sticking and adds flavor to the bottom layer. Then, arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly if needed to fit your dish. Next, spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle a generous amount of the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese blend over the ricotta. Top with another layer of noodles, followed by the remaining ricotta mixture, more cheese, and then another layer of noodles. Finish with the remaining vegetable sauce and a final sprinkle of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese blend on top. For a slight variation, you might want to explore our veggie lasagna roll-ups, which use the same delicious filling but in a fun, rolled presentation.

Hands assembling vegetable lasagna in a baking dish, layering noodles, sauce, and cheese.

Bake to Golden Perfection: Cover the lasagna dish tightly with aluminum foil. This helps to steam the lasagna and ensures it cooks evenly. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted, bubbly, and beautifully golden brown. For an extra touch of golden-brown cheesiness, you can broil the lasagna for the last 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye on it to prevent burning.

Vegetable lasagna covered with foil, ready for baking in the oven.

Rest Before Serving: This is crucial! Once the lasagna is out of the oven, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting time allows the lasagna to set, making it easier to slice and preventing it from being too runny.

Veggie Lasagna Recipe Variations: Make it Your Own!

One of the best things about this meatless lasagna recipe is its incredible flexibility. It’s easy to adapt based on what vegetables are in season, what you have in your refrigerator, or your personal preferences. Remember, you’ll need approximately 4 to 5 cups of chopped vegetables in total. While our recipe features zucchini, summer squash, and roasted red peppers, here are some more veggie ideas to spark your creativity (for a meat lasagna option, check out our ultimate homemade lasagna):

Mushrooms: Add earthy flavor and meaty texture with chopped cremini, white button, or portobello mushrooms.
Leafy Greens: Boost the nutritional value and add a delicate wilted texture with spinach, kale, or other greens. (We also have a dedicated spinach lasagna recipe if you love spinach).
Winter Squash: For a fall-inspired lasagna, incorporate chopped butternut squash, delicata squash, or pre-roasted squash. Roasted squash adds a touch of sweetness and creamy texture.
Carrots: Add sweetness and vibrant color with chopped or shredded carrots.
Bell Peppers: Fresh bell peppers or roasted bell peppers (we particularly love roasted red peppers for their sweetness) add a wonderful flavor and texture.
Eggplant: Cubed eggplant or roasted eggplant can add a smoky and substantial element to your vegetable lasagna.

What to Serve Alongside Your Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable lasagna is a satisfying meal on its own, but it’s even better when paired with complementary side dishes. A simple salad is a classic and refreshing choice. Toss together your favorite salad greens, such as baby lettuce, with crisp cucumbers, bell peppers, and juicy tomatoes. Drizzle with your favorite salad dressing. Our family favorites include homemade Italian dressing, a creamy Caesar dressing, or a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

For a heartier meal, consider serving your veggie lasagna with a side of bread. Classic garlic bread, cheesy garlic bread, or homemade focaccia bread are all delicious choices that soak up the flavorful sauce beautifully.

A beautifully plated serving of easy vegetable lasagna, ready to be enjoyed.

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This vegetable lasagna recipe is a guaranteed family favorite! The combination of fresh vegetables, a flavorful tomato sauce, and plenty of cheese makes it the best veggie lasagna you’ll ever taste. Don’t be afraid to customize it with your own favorite vegetables – we’ve provided plenty of suggestions in the article above.

8 Servings

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

14 lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (140g) chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 to 4 cloves
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
One (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 heaping cup
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
Generous handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
One (15-oz) container ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
2 large eggs
2 ounces (60g) parmesan cheese, grated, about 2/3 cup
8 ounces (230g) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded, about 2 cups
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook Noodles
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. To prevent sticking, add two teaspoons of olive oil to the pasta water. Drain and lay flat on aluminum foil.
Make Vegetable Sauce
1. Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly oil a 13×9 inch baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, zucchini, yellow squash, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened but still have some crunch, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Stir in roasted red peppers and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook until liquid has thickened and reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Add basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Prepare the Cheeses
1. While sauce cooks, stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
2. Toss parmesan cheese with mozzarella. Set aside.
Assemble Lasagna
1. Spoon about 1 cup of vegetable mixture into the baking dish. Arrange four noodles lengthwise to cover the base. Cut to fit if needed.
2. Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with a third of parmesan and mozzarella. Top with a third of remaining vegetable sauce.
3. Add another layer of four noodles. Spread rest of ricotta mixture and half of remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Top with half of remaining vegetable sauce.
4. Add final layer of noodles and rest of vegetable sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
5. Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is crusty.
6. For golden-brown top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

Storing: Leftover vegetable lasagna keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Make ahead tips: Assemble unbaked lasagna and store in fridge up to 2 days. (Add parchment paper before covering). Prefer freezing baked lasagna.
Reheating: Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes to an hour (or until heated through). Thaw frozen lasagna overnight before reheating.
Noodles: Cook 12 lasagna noodles, plus 2 extra.
Vegetarian lasagna: Skip parmesan cheese.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles or eggplant/zucchini slices as “noodles.”
Dairy-free/egg-free: Almond ricotta (Kite Hill) for ricotta. Nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor. Omit egg for egg-free.
Nutrition: Nutrition facts are estimates using USDA database.

Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/8 of lasagna / Calories 381 / Total Fat 20.9g / Saturated Fat 11g / Cholesterol 104mg / Sodium 773mg / Carbohydrate 28.2g / Dietary Fiber 4.3g / Total Sugars 6.5g / Protein 20.7g

AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher