Vegetable Lasagne — with Courgette, Spinach and Béchamel, Not Watery
Yvonne Ammann VegetarianFry the courgette and pepper hard, wilt the spinach and squeeze it — all the water must come out first. Thick tomato sauce, thick béchamel, lasagne sheets, cheese; 180 °C for 40 minutes, rest 15. Raw vegetables in the lasagne are why it swims.
Vegetarian lasagne is now searched for as often as the meat version — and it almost always fails at the same point: vegetables release water in the oven and the lasagne turns to soup. The fix is to fry every vegetable beforehand until dry. Then it slices cleanly, tastes of vegetables rather than water, and nobody at the table misses the meat.
Ingredients
- 12 pieces Lasagne sheets (no-boil)
- 2 pieces Courgettes
- 2 pieces Bell peppers
- 400 g Leaf spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 250 g Mushrooms
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
Tomato sauce
- 1 piece Onion
- 2 pieces Garlic cloves
- 2 tins Tomatoes (chopped, 400 g each)
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1½ tsp Salt
Béchamel
- 60 g Butter
- 60 g Flour
- 8 dl Milk
- Nutmeg
- 200 g Mozzarella (grated)
- 80 g Parmesan (grated)
- Pepper
Method
- 1
Fry the vegetables
Slice the courgettes, cut the peppers into strips, slice the mushrooms. Fry one after another in 1 tbsp oil each over high heat until browned and no liquid remains in the pan — 5 minutes each. Salt, set aside.
- 2
Spinach
Wilt fresh spinach in the hot pan, or thaw frozen. Tip into a sieve and squeeze firmly by hand until no more water comes out. Roughly chop.
- 3
Tomato sauce
Chop the onion and garlic, soften in the remaining oil, add the tomatoes, oregano and salt. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes until thick.
- 4
Béchamel
Melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook 1 minute, add the milk gradually, simmer 5 minutes until thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- 5
Layer and bake
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Béchamel on the base, then sheets, tomato sauce, a third of the vegetables and spinach, béchamel, mozzarella — three times. Top with sheets, béchamel, Parmesan. Bake 40 minutes, rest 15.
Tips
- The vegetables are up to you — aubergine, pumpkin, leek, broccoli. The rule stays: fry or roast everything first until dry. Yesterday's roasted vegetables are the perfect base.
- With 250 g ricotta mixed into the spinach, the lasagne is creamier and higher in protein — then skip one layer of béchamel.
- It keeps three days in the fridge and freezes perfectly in portions. For guests, layer the day before and bake on the day.
What can I substitute?
Blanch and squeeze both the same way. Boil chard stalks 5 minutes longer.
Aubergine soaks up oil — 2 tbsp for frying. It makes the lasagne meatier and is the southern Italian version.
Feta suits the spinach and makes it saltier — halve the salt in the sauce. Gruyère is stronger and crisper.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my vegetable lasagne turn watery?
Because raw vegetables went in. Courgette, spinach, mushrooms and peppers are 90 percent water, which comes out in the oven. Fry every vegetable hard until the pan is dry, and squeeze the spinach by hand. Then the lasagne stays firm.
Can I make the vegetable lasagne vegan?
Yes: béchamel with margarine and oat drink, cheese replaced by vegan grated cheese or 3 tbsp nutritional yeast in the béchamel. Lasagne sheets from Barilla and the big retailers are usually egg-free — check the pack.
Which vegetables suit lasagne?
Anything that can be fried or roasted: courgette, aubergine, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, pumpkin, leek, broccoli, fennel. About 1 kg raw vegetables in total for one dish. Tomatoes only as sauce, not in slices — too watery.
How much does vegetable lasagne cost per person?
About 2.50 CHF per person in summer with Swiss vegetables — roughly a third less than the meat lasagne. The cheese is the biggest item.
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