Easy Mediterranean Lasagna Recipe
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This Easy Mediterranean Lasagna Recipe is a vegetarian lasagna layered with roasted eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, spinach, Italian tomato sauce, and a four-cheese filling of ricotta, mozzarella, feta, and Parmigiano. Lemon zest and oregano add a bright Mediterranean flavor, while fresh basil finishes each slice. The vegetables are roasted before layering to concentrate their flavor and help prevent a watery lasagna.
To complete your meal, check out my Favorite Dishes to Serve with Lasagna. If you love this recipe, you should try my Spinach Lasagna, Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce, and Pesto Lasagna.
Quick Look: Easy Mediterranean Lasagna Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Servings: 8 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Roasted vegetables + layered baking
- Technique: Roast the vegetables until tender, combine the cheeses with lemon zest, cook the noodles, then layer the vegetables, tomato sauce, cheese filling, and pasta before baking.
- Flavor/Texture: Savory, cheesy, herbaceous, fresh, hearty
A Fresh Mediterranean Take on Lasagna
I love this lasagna because it brings together the comfort of a classic baked pasta with the fresh flavors I associate with Mediterranean cooking!!
Roasting the vegetables first is an extra step, but it gives the eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and onion deeper flavor while removing some of their excess moisture. I also love the combination of creamy ricotta and mozzarella with salty feta and Parmigiano, while a little lemon zest keeps the filling bright. It is a lasagna I make for family and friends when I want something hearty, colorful, and full of vegetables.
Try my White Chicken Lasagna and Lasagna Soup next!
Made With Amore,
“This recipe was AMAZING!! It was the easiest lasagna I have ever made and everyone loved it! I can’t say enough good things about it.”
– Andreea
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
Easy vegetable lasagna with fresh, healthy roasted vegetables loaded with colorful roasted vegetables and four different kinds of cheese.
- Roasted Vegetables: Eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, and spinach create the vegetable layers and bring savory flavor.
- Four-Cheese Filling: Ricotta, mozzarella, feta, and Parmigiano create a creamy filling with a balance of mild, salty, and savory flavors.
- Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo al Pomodoro): A flavorful tomato sauce ties the ingredients together while keeping the lasagna moist.
- Lemon Zest and Oregano: Add brightness and a Mediterranean-style herbal flavor to the roasted vegetables and cheese filling.
- Lasagna Noodles: Create sturdy layers that hold the ingredients together.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Meat: Add meat to the red sauce, such as crumbled and cooked Italian Sausage, ground beef, or diced leftover Baked Chicken Breasts.
- Veggies: Feel free to add other vegetables, such as mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, spaghetti squash, fresh tomatoes, or carrots. Simply add to the vegetable mixture and roast alongside the rest of the vegetables. You’ll love my Baked Pasta with Vegetables.
- Greens: Substitute kale or Swiss chard for the spinach. If using sturdier greens, cook them until tender before adding them to the roasted vegetables.
- Cheese: Add other cheeses such as fontina, provolone, or Pecorino Romano. If you don’t like ricotta, try subsituting it with cottage cheese.
How To Make Mediterranean Lasagna
This Mediterranean lasagna comes together by roasting the vegetables first, mixing the four-cheese filling, then layering everything with tomato sauce and pasta before baking. Follow the step-by-step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Make the Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo al Pomodoro) and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion to a large bowl—season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, toss, and set aside.
- Combine ricotta cheese (remove any excess moisture), 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, 1/2 cup of parmigiano cheese, and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until combined.
- Transfer the veggies to a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Roast until the vegetables are soft and slightly browned, about 25 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and immediately add the spinach.
- Toss with tongs to mix and wilt the greens. Alternatively, using the same method, you can sautee vegetables in a large skillet.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (skip these steps if using no-boil noodles). Boil lasagna noodles (6 at a time for dried pasta) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes). Set the cooked pasta flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Grease a 9×13 rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and spread it around the bottom of the pan. Put a single layer of pasta (use 4-5 depending on size of the dish) in the dish.
- Top with an even layer of tomato sauce and one-third of the vegetable mixture.
- Top with a third of the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
- Add more sauce and finish layering.
- Repeat the layers three times with the remaining ricotta and other ingredients. For the top, cover with remaining mozzarella and parmigiano cheese.
- Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 35-40 minutes if it gets too brown, tent with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes (up to 1 hour) before serving. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
Vegetarian Mediterranean Lasagna FAQs
Mediterranean lasagna is a Mediterranean-style variation of traditional lasagna that emphasizes vegetables, olive oil, herbs, tomato sauce, and cheeses commonly used in Mediterranean cooking. This version is vegetarian and combines roasted vegetables with ricotta, mozzarella, feta, and Parmigiano.
The best way to prevent watery vegetable lasagna is to roast the vegetables before layering. Eggplant, zucchini, and other vegetables release moisture as they cook, so roasting them first helps concentrate their flavor and remove some of that excess water.
Roasting concentrates the vegetables’ flavor and helps remove excess moisture. This gives the vegetables lightly browned edges and helps prevent the finished lasagna from becoming watery.
Yes! Make sure to add an extra ¼ cup of water to the sauce so the noodles can cook without drying the lasagna. Lasagnas containing no-boil noodles should be tightly covered with a lid or foil during baking so the steam can help cook the noodles. Take off the cover for 5-10 minutes to brown the cheese layer.
The vegetables can be roasted up to 1 day ahead, or the assembled lasagna can be covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours before baking.
Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, cool the lasagna completely, wrap it well, and freeze for up to 1–2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout.
Serving Suggestions
This Mediterranean vegetable lasagna pairs well with fresh salads and sides that balance the rich, cheesy layers. Serve it with Tuscan Roasted Broccoli, Oven Roasted Zucchini and Yellow Squash, or Mediterranean Cucumber Salad. Complete you meal with a dessert like this Creme Caramel or Poppy Seed Cake with Glaze.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Roast the vegetables until lightly browned. This develops deeper flavor and helps remove excess moisture.
- Drain excess moisture from the ricotta. A drier ricotta creates a creamier filling and helps prevent watery layers.
- Use freshly shredded cheese. It melts more smoothly than many pre-shredded cheeses. Read more about why you should shred your own cheese.
- Don’t overcook the noodles. They should be tender but still slightly firm because they continue cooking in the oven.
- Let the lasagna rest before slicing. At least 15 minutes gives the layers time to set.
More Dinners With Mediterranean Flavor
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Mediterranean Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1 recipe Italian Tomato Sauce, 4 cups
Mediterrarean Lasagna Filling
- 2 bell peppers red, green, orange, or yellow, diced
- 2 small zucchini, diced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, kale, or chopped Swiss chard leaves
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk ricotta, 450 g
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, 225 g
- ½ cup feta cheese, 225 g
- 1 cup grated fresh parmigiano cheese, plus additional for serving
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Pasta
- 12 sheets lasagna noodles
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
- Make the Italian tomato sauce and set aside.
Mediterrarean Lasagna Filling
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion to a large bowl—season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and roast until the vegetables are soft and slightly browned, about 25 minutes. Take out of the oven and immediately add the spinach. Toss with tongs to mix and wilt the greens. Alternatively, using the same method, you can sautee vegetables in a large skillet.
- Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F. to get ready for the lasagna.
- Combine ricotta cheese (remove any excess moisture), 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, 1/2 cup of parmigiano cheese, and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until combined.
Cook Lasagna Noodles
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (skip these steps if using no-boil noodles)
- Boil lasagna noodles (6 at a time for dried pasta) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes). Set the cooked pasta flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Assemble Lasagna
- Grease a 9X13 (or 8X8) rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and spread it around the bottom of the pan.
- Put a single layer of pasta (use 4-5 depending on size of the dish).
- Top with an even layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the vegetable mixture, and a third of the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
- Repeat the layers three times with the rest of the ingredients. For the top, cover with remaining mozzarella and parmigiano cheese.
- Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 35-40 minutes if it gets too brown, tent with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes (up to 1 hour) before serving. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Enjoy!
- Storage: cool completely, cover well, refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.
Notes
- Roast the vegetables until lightly browned. This develops deeper flavor and helps remove excess moisture.
- Drain excess moisture from the ricotta. A drier ricotta creates a creamier filling and helps prevent watery layers.
- Use freshly shredded cheese. It melts more smoothly than many pre-shredded cheeses. Read more about why you should shred your own cheese.
- Don’t overcook the noodles. They should be tender but still slightly firm because they continue cooking in the oven.
- Let the lasagna rest before slicing. At least 15 minutes gives the layers time to set.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best lasagna recipe ever!! Super delicious!!
Yay! SO happy you loved this twist on a classic lasagna recipe. I can’t wait to hear what you try next time.
This was a huge hit, one of my favorite lasagna recipes!
Thank you! It is fresh and packed with veggies which I love.
It tasted better than I’d expected! I wasn’t sure about the red sauce and feta combination but wow! I will be making this again!
Yes, I tested the recipe with and without, and I loved the combination and yummy flavor twist. Happy you loved it.
This recipe was AMAZING!! It was the easiest lasagna I have ever made and everyone loved it! I canโt say enough good things about it. The only thing I forgot was the basil which I was very disappointed about because I have a lot of fresh basil in my garden but I canโt wait to make this lasagna again and this time I wonโt forget the basil. Delicious lasagna!!
Yay! It is an easy and super yummy meal that everyone enjoys. Thank you.
I made this for my friends. Great recipe however we didnt like the lemon flavor.
Happy you liked it- I think it adds a little freshness, but feel free to leave it out.
Easily on top 3 lasagnas Iโve ever had. Such a delicious, flavorful and satisfying dish!!
Wow! That’s a huge complement! Thank you.
One of the lasagnas Iโve ever had. Iโm a big meat eater, but this lasagna hit the spot and itโs vegetarian! Yum.
I make this recipe for friends and family, and it is a hot hit every time!!