Veggie Lasagna with White Sauce

A slice of veggie lasagna on a plate, in the background is the baking dish and broccoli florets.

Layers of lasagna noodles, cheese, and vegetables, smothered in a rich white sauce.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword recipe for lasagna white sauce, veggie lasagna with white sauce, white lasagna

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 20

Servings

Calories 467kcal

Author Lindsay Moe

Ingredients

16 lasagna noodles
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 ½ cups 2% milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¾ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of nutmeg
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
1 zucchini diced
1 ½ cups broccoli florets cut to bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
14 ounces canned baby artichoke hearts in water quartered
8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Crushed red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and prevent them from sticking together.
While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce and vegetables.
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. The flour should sizzle and begin to turn a pale brown color.
Slowly whisk in the milk and cream.
Add the Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Allow this to simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.
Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the spinach and artichokes and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning as needed.
To assemble the lasagna, spread ⅓ cup of sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add 3-4 lasagna noodles, then spread ⅓ of the ricotta cheese over the top. Scatter ⅓ of the vegetable mixture over this and sprinkle with ¼ of the mozzarella. Add a layer of sauce and repeat these layers two more times. Finish with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with the remaining sauce and cheeses.
Bake for 30 minutes or until hot, bubbly, and lightly browned on top. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Tips for customizing veggie lasagna with white sauce

- Swap the homemade white sauce for a jar or two of store bought white or red sauce

- Use whatever cooked veggies you have on hand such as corn, mushrooms, or bell peppers

- Instead of mozzarella, try provolone, asiago, fontina, or a combination of cheeses

- Make it spicy by adding up to 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes with the other seasonings in the sauce

- Skip the garlic powder in the sauce and cook 1 tablespoon of minced fresh garlic for 1 minute in the butter before adding the flour

- Add a can of rinsed and drained white beans to the cooked veggies, or meat eaters can add cooked chicken for additional protein

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