Vegetable Lasagna With White Sauce
A creamy, veggie-packed twist on classic Italian comfort food that’s as nourishing as it is satisfying.
Ingredients
- 9-12 lasagna noodles lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil; Barilla whole grain recommended)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil olive oil (use Pompeian Avocado Oil for extra depth)
- 1 small yellow onion yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves garlic cloves, minced (about 1½ teaspoons)
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms sliced mushrooms (cremini or baby bella)
- 1 medium zucchini zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot carrot, peeled and grated
- 4 cups fresh spinach fresh spinach (or 2 cups frozen, squeezed dry)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for a gentle kick)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk whole milk (or unsweetened almond milk for lighter version)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese grated Parmesan cheese (Sargento works great)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg nutmeg (freshly grated if you have it)
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella shredded mozzarella (part-skim or full-fat for extra creaminess)
- ½ cup grated fontina or provolone grated fontina or provolone
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9×13” baking dish.
- Cook noodles per package directions (reserve ½ cup pasta water). Drain and set aside on a drizzle of olive oil so they don’t stick.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; stir until fragrant (around 30 seconds).
- Toss in mushrooms, zucchini and carrot. Cook until veggies soften but still have bite—about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir in spinach until just wilted. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, make the white sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add milk, whisking to avoid lumps. Once it thickens (4–5 minutes), stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. If sauce feels too thick, whisk in reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
- Spread a thin coat of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add noodles, veggie mix, sauce, and mozzarella in layers. Repeat and finish with cheese topping. Cover with foil and bake.
- Bake covered, then uncovered until bubbly and golden on top. Let it rest before slicing. Serve warm.
Notes
• I learned that resting the lasagna before slicing makes a world of difference—no messy drips!
• If your sauce splits, whisk in a splash of milk off-heat until it comes back together.
• Feel free to use part-skim cheese, though full-fat yields a silkier melt.
• When testing, I found cutting the veggies uniformly ensures even baking and a balanced bite every time.
• If your sauce splits, whisk in a splash of milk off-heat until it comes back together.
• Feel free to use part-skim cheese, though full-fat yields a silkier melt.
• When testing, I found cutting the veggies uniformly ensures even baking and a balanced bite every time.
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