Name: Vegetarian Lasagna With Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 3 hours, plus cooling time
Yield: 8–10 servings
Ingredients: 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. sugar; 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp.; Morton kosher salt, plus more; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 1 lb. fresh pasta sheets (8–10 9x4" sheets) or 1 lb. dried lasagna noodles; 2 10-oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, or 1½ cups chopped cooked greens; 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 2 cups whole-milk ricotta (from about one 15-oz. container), divided; 2 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated; 1 lb. sliced provolone cheese, divided

Slices of vegetarian lasagna being served on small plates.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce

This, dear reader, is a vegetarian lasagna recipe for people with someplace to be. When we think of lasagna, we picture ourselves gathered with friends and family, tucking into layer upon layer of the carefully prepared cheesy, saucy feast—and just like that, our troubles melt away faster than fresh mozzarella. Unless you’re the one cooking: Homemade lasagna can mean a whole day spent in the kitchen, losing your mind as you endlessly stir a bubbling pot of sauce, burning your fingers on hot, slippery noodles as you attempt to pick them off the bottom of the pot, ultimately facing a pile of dishes so high you’ll want to quit carbs altogether. But this is a lasagna that home cooks can enjoy, too, not only because it’s delicious, but because it’s simple and stress-free to prepare.

The easy tomato sauce here gets its depth of flavor from reducing in the oven—you’ll wonder why you ever stood there stirring the day away. It won’t take much longer to make a double batch of sauce, so you might want to do yourself that favor. Freeze the other half for next time and make this recipe even easier. If you do make a double batch, increase your sauce’s cook time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.

One of the great things about this vegetarian lasagna recipe is its flexibility. The sauce is so flavorful that it holds up well to any green veggie, but a dark leafy green like spinach works best. If you’re using frozen, just defrost two 10-oz. packages and drain thoroughly, making sure to squeeze out as much excess water as you can. If using fresh greens, quickly steam, then cool and chop, straining all excess water. No spinach around? Try kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard, removing any tough stems. Maybe you have a bag of frozen peas that have been staring at you for the past month or two, just begging to get used? Defrost and drain any excess water, then throw them in for a total of 1½ cups vegetables. Even last night’s leftover garlicky broccoli rabe is a good contender.

The best vegetarian lasagna starts with fresh pasta sheets, which not only have a superlative silky texture but also save time. If you can find them at a specialty store—or want to make them yourself—that would be my first choice for this recipe. But don’t despair: This recipe also works with boiled and drained dry lasagna noodles. The oven cook time will be the same for both versions. If you have access to good local ricotta, use that here. If your store-bought ricotta is a little watery, decrease the amount to 1¾ cups and mix in ¼ cup mascarpone for extra richness.

Note: We cover the lasagna with parchment, not foil, because aluminum does not react well with tomato. Be sure not to skip this step, and also do not use wax paper in place of parchment.

This lasagna recipe appears as part of our Vegetarian Comfort Food Meal Plan.

Recipe information

Total Time
3 hours, plus cooling time
Yield
8–10 servings

Ingredients

Sauce

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, plus more

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Assembly

1 lb. fresh pasta sheets (8–10 9x4" sheets) or 1 lb. dried lasagna noodles

2 10-oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, or 1½ cups chopped cooked greens

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

2 cups whole-milk ricotta (from about one 15-oz. container), divided

2 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated

1 lb. sliced provolone cheese, divided

Preparation

Sauce
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°. Mix together 1 small onion, thinly sliced, 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, two 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes in a 13x9" or 3-qt. baking dish. Bake, stirring halfway through, until sauce is bubbling, tomatoes break easily when pressed, and onion is translucent, 40–50 minutes.
Step 2
Let cool slightly, then break up tomatoes with a fork to form a chunky sauce. (If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend with an immersion blender or in a regular blender or food processor.) Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Do ahead: Sauce can be made 5 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill, or freeze up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Assembly
Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°. If using 1 lb. dried lasagna noodles, cook in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally and separating to keep from sticking together, until al dente; drain.
Step 4
Meanwhile, mix two 10-oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, or 1½ cups chopped cooked greens, 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine.
Step 5
Stir together ½ cup tomato sauce, remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, and ¼ cup water in same (no need to clean) or another 13x9" or 3-qt. baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles from cooked noodles or 1 lb. fresh pasta sheets (8–10 9x4" sheets) over sauce in dish. Ladle 1¼ cups tomato sauce over noodles and spread into an even layer. (Some water may rise up and mix with the sauce; this is fine.) Dollop tablespoonfuls of ⅔ cup whole-milk ricotta evenly over sauce. (You don’t need to spread them out; this will keep each bite interesting.) Top with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle one quarter of 2 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated, evenly over. Layer one quarter of 1 lb. sliced provolone cheese on top. Starting with noodles repeat layers 2 more times. Top with another layer of noodles, then evenly spread 1½ cups tomato sauce over and sprinkle remaining Pecorino Romano and remaining provolone cheese on top. Press a sheet of parchment paper directly onto surface of lasagna, then cover baking dish with foil and crimp tightly to seal.
Step 6
Place lasagna on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake until center is warmed through and cheese is beginning to melt, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove foil and parchment paper and continue to bake lasagna until cheese is starting to brown and sauce is bubbling around the edges, 25–35 minutes longer. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Do ahead: Lasagna can be assembled 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.