Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

This vegetable lasagna with white sauce is made with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, tomato pasta sauce, silky béchamel, oven-ready lasagna sheets, mozzarella, and parmesan. It's hearty, comforting, and perfect for Sunday lunch, a casual dinner party, or a make-ahead vegetarian dinner.

Making lasagna from scratch is definitely a labor of love, but it is so worth it. Grant and I both love lasagna in any shape or form, and it's one of our go-to dishes when we want to drop off a meal for a friend, make something for a meal train, or cook ahead for a rainy day stash. Most of the time, we double the recipe and freeze one for later.

This roasted vegetable lasagna with white sauce is layered with sweet roasted vegetables, a simple tomato sauce, creamy béchamel, and plenty of cheese. The vegetables bring loads of flavor, while the white sauce keeps the lasagna rich, and comforting.

Scroll down for step-by-step photos, helpful tips, storage instructions, and wine pairing ideas!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Vegetable Lasagna
• What Is Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Seasonality: When Are Mediterranean Vegetables in Season?
• How to Make Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
• Substitutions, Flavor Variations or Add-Ins
• Best Wine Pairings
• Storage Instructions
• FAQ's
• More Lasagna and Pasta Recipes
• Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

Why You'll Love This Vegetable Lasagna

• Cozy and satisfying - A hearty vegetarian dinner layered with roasted vegetables, white sauce, and cheese. Even meat eaters won't miss the meat.
• Perfect for making ahead - Assemble it in advance, bake it later, or freeze one for a rainy day.
• Big roasted vegetable flavor - Roasting the vegetables first keeps the lasagna flavorful, not watery.

What Is Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce?

Vegetable lasagna with white sauce is a vegetarian lasagna made with layers of pasta, vegetables, béchamel sauce, tomato sauce, and cheese.

In this version, we use roasted Mediterranean vegetables and a classic white sauce instead of ricotta. The roasted vegetables add sweetness and depth, while the béchamel gives the lasagna a creamy, silky texture.

Ingredients You'll Need

This veggie lasagna with white sauce is made with simple components layered together into one cozy baked dish.

• Mediterranean roasted vegetables - Use one batch of our Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables. Roasting first adds flavor and helps cook off excess moisture.
• Tomato pasta sauce - Use our Homemade Napolitana Sauce, Spicy Pasta Sauce, or your favorite store-bought tomato pasta sauce.
• Lasagna sheets - Oven-ready lasagna sheets work well here.
• Mozzarella and parmesan - For creamy, golden, cheesy layers.
• Fresh basil - Optional, but lovely for serving.

• Whole milk - The base of the béchamel sauce.
• Onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns - Used to gently infuse the milk for extra flavor.
• Butter and flour - Cooked together to make the roux for the white sauce.
• Nutmeg - Just a pinch gives the béchamel its classic flavor.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Seasonality: When Are Mediterranean Vegetables in Season?

Mediterranean vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and onions are usually at their best from summer into fall.

This is the perfect time to make roasted vegetable lasagna because summer and fall vegetables are naturally sweet and full of flavor. Roasting them first adds depth and helps keep the lasagna from becoming watery.

In fall, this recipe feels like the perfect bridge between seasonal vegetables and cozy comfort food, with creamy white sauce, pasta layers, and melted cheese.

Want to learn more about seasonal produce? Explore the USDA Seasonal Produce Guide.

How to Make Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

Infuse the milk

In a saucepan, heat the milk with onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns until just below boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain before using.

Prepare the vegetables

Make the roasted vegetables as per our Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables recipe.

Make the béchamel sauce

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm infused milk, whisking continuously until smooth and thickened (3-5 minutes).

Season with nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.

Chef's Tip: Keep whisking while adding the milk - this prevents lumps and gives you a silky sauce.

Preheat oven

Preheat to 180°C (350°F)

Layer the lasagna

In a 22 × 30 cm (9 × 13 inch) deep baking dish, spread a layer of tomato pasta sauce. Add a layer of the roasted vegetables. Lay 3-4 lasagna sheets on top (depending on the size and shape of your dish).

Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce over the pasta, then sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. 

Repeat layers, finishing with béchamel on top. Reserve final cheese for later.

 Bake

Cover with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes.

Chef's Tip: Before removing the foil and adding the final layer of cheese, insert a sharp paring knife into the center of the lasagna to check that the pasta is cooked. If the knife doesn't slide in easily, cover the lasagna again and return it to the oven for another 5-10 minutes before adding the cheese. 

Remove foil, add remaining cheese, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Rest, serve and enjoy!

Let the lasagna rest uncovered for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Chef's Tip: Resting is key - it helps the layers set and makes slicing much cleaner.

Substitutions, Flavor Variations or Add-Ins

• Use different vegetables - Mushrooms, butternut squash, spinach, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and onions all work well.
• Use a ricotta layer instead of béchamel - We haven't tested this version ourselves yet, but you could try replacing the white sauce with a ricotta filling. For a lasagna this size, mix 900 g / 32 oz whole-milk ricotta, 1 egg, 50 g / ⅓ cup grated parmesan, 55 g / ½ cup shredded mozzarella, and a handful of chopped parsley. Season with salt and black pepper, then spread or dollop it between the pasta layers. 

What to Serve with Vegetable Lasagna

This vegetable lasagna with white sauce is hearty enough to serve on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with simple appetizers, fresh salads, crusty bread, and Italian-inspired desserts

• Appetizers - Start with our Tomato Bruschetta, Caprese Skewers, or Herby Whipped Ricotta Cheese Dip for an easy Italian-inspired spread.
• Bread - Serve it with our No Knead Focaccia Bread, Easy 3 Ingredient  No Knead Bread, or Homemade Cheesy Ciabatta Garlic Bread for soaking up the extra tomato sauce and béchamel.
• Salads - Pair it with a simple green salad like our Rocket Salad or French Bistro Salad, or serve it with Tomato Caprese Salad or Cucumber Feta Salad for something fresh on the side.
• Desserts - Finish with our  Homemade Italian Tiramisu, or try the fruity version Mango Tiramisu with Passion Fruit, or serve this Homemade Chocolate Salami, or Italian Almond Biscotti with coffee.

Best Wine Pairings

This vegetable lasagna with white sauce pairs best with wines that have good acidity to balance the creamy béchamel, tomato sauce, roasted vegetables, and melted cheese.

• Chianti Classico - A classic Italian red with bright acidity, cherry notes, and enough structure for tomato sauce, pasta, and cheese.
• Barbera - Juicy, fresh, and food-friendly. Its natural acidity works beautifully with the white sauce and roasted vegetables.
• Sangiovese - A lovely choice for Italian-style baked pasta dishes, especially when there is tomato sauce in the layers.
• Dry Rosé - A lighter option for summer or early fall, especially if you serve this lasagna with a fresh green salad.
• Vermentino - A crisp Mediterranean white wine that works well with roasted vegetables, herbs, and creamy béchamel.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Make Ahead: Assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Add an extra 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time if baking straight from the fridge.

Freezer, unbaked: Assemble the lasagna in a freezer and oven safe container, wrap it well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. Bake covered until the pasta is cooked through, then add the final cheese and bake uncovered until golden.

Freezer, baked: Cool the baked lasagna completely, then wrap individual portions tightly in cling wrap and foil or transfer to a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 180°C / 350°F until hot all the way through.

Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover and warm in the oven until heated through.

FAQ's

More Lasagna and Pasta Recipes

If you love cozy Italian-inspired recipes, you may also like our:

• Authentic Italian Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
• Creamy Pesto Chicken and Zucchini Lasagna
• Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
• Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash Sauce
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This vegetable lasagna with white sauce is cozy, hearty, and full of roasted Mediterranean flavor. It takes a little time to make, but it's the kind of recipe that always feels worth it once it comes out of the oven golden, bubbling, and ready to slice.

Give it a try and let us know in the comments how it turned out! Don't forget to Pin it for later or share it with a friend.

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.