Roasted Vegetable Lasagna White (Printer-Friendly)
Oven-roasted veggies and creamy béchamel layered with pasta for a hearty and satisfying Italian main dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Roasted Vegetables
01 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 medium eggplant, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 red onion, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ White Sauce (Béchamel)
09 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11 - 3 cups whole milk, warmed
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
15 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Lasagna Assembly
16 - 9 no-boil lasagna noodles (or regular, cooked as per package instructions)
17 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
19 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and red onion with olive oil, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
02 - Roast the seasoned vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until tender and lightly caramelized. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until pale. Gradually add warm milk, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, salt, white pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer noodles, half the roasted vegetables, one-third mozzarella, and one-third white sauce. Repeat layers with noodles, remaining vegetables, another third mozzarella, another third white sauce. Finish with noodles, remaining white sauce, remaining mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese on top.
05 - Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.
06 - Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
07 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The vegetables practically caramelize themselves while you make the sauce, turning sweet and almost meaty in texture.
- Creamy béchamel holds everything together like edible gold, and you'll want to drink what's left in the pan.
- It feels fancy and involved but comes together faster than you'd expect, making weeknight dinners feel special.
02 -
- If your béchamel breaks or gets lumpy, you added cold milk too fast or the heat was too high, but you can salvage it by pouring it through a fine strainer into a clean pot.
- The vegetables will release moisture as they cool, which is why the sauce needs to be thick enough to hold its own without turning the whole dish soupy.
03 -
- Warm your milk before whisking it into the butter and flour mixture, it prevents lumps and helps the sauce thicken faster.
- Use parchment paper on your baking sheet when roasting vegetables so you get no sticking and zero cleanup, which is its own kind of kitchen joy.