Mediterranean Lasagna
This easy Mediterranean Lasagna is loaded with layers of creamy feta cheese sauce, classic ricotta, plenty of mozzarella, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, and herbs. It’s THE BEST vegetarian lasagna you’ll ever have and it’s SO simple to throw together!
You’ll Love This
- This easy Greek lasagna is one of our family’s favorite meals. It’s got that “Sunday night dinner” flavor but it’s easy enough for a busy weeknight dinner. If you have time, this is a really fun meal for the kids to help assemble also! Make sure an adult does all the slicing and prep work on the stove, but the kids can help spread the sauce and layer the noodles, cheese, and veggies!
- This veggie lasagna is loaded with – what else, VEGGIES! It’s a great way to enjoy that classic comfort food, while still getting a hearty serving of vegetables also. As you know, here at Midwest Foodie, we LOVE comfort food. But it’s always nice to sneak some veggies into that indulgent dish to make it more filling and a little lighter!
- It’s easy to customize based on what’s in your fridge. Use extra artichoke hearts if you don’t have sun-dried tomatoes. Add extra spinach in place of the sliced zucchini. Use this recipe as a blueprint and make it your own! Just DON’T SKIP that creamy feta cheese sauce! It’s like a Greek-inspired bechamel and it’s SO GOOD.
- If you loved this easy lasagna recipe, be sure to check out my Cottage Cheese Lasagna, my Lazy Ravioli Lasagna, or my No Boil Lasagna.
Instructions
Cook noodles according to package directions, just until al dente. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Add ricotta, egg, 1 teaspoon oregano, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper to a bowl.
Mix to combine and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add feta and heavy cream to the pan.
Stir to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the feta melts into a creamy sauce. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 a cup of Parmesan.
Stir until melted. Set aside.
Spread 1/2 a cup of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Layer 4 noodles on top of the sauce, overlapping them slightly. Spread half the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the noodles.
Then spread the spinach and artichoke hearts in an even layer.
Add 1/2 a cup shredded mozzarella and drizzle 1/2 a cup of sauce over the mozzarella.
Add 4 more noodles, overlapping them slightly. Spread all of the feta mixture in an even layer on top of the noodles. Add sun-dried tomatoes and add another 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
Add 4 noodles, overlapping slightly. Then spread remaining ricotta on top and arrange zucchini slices in a single layer.
Add another 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella. Then drizzle another 1/2 cup of sauce.
Add the remaining 4 noodles, overlapping slightly. Add remaining sauce, spreading it in an even layer.
Top with remaining mozzarella and add 1/2 a cup of shredded Parmesan.
Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes. Let baked lasagna rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Tips
- Use tongs to toss the cooked noodles and keep them separate. The noodles will try as hard as they can to stick together, which is why it’s important to toss them in oil right after they’ve cooked. Gently picking the noodles up with the tongs will ensure that they peel apart easily without breaking.
- It may seem like there’s a lot of liquid in the pan after it bakes. But don’t worry – as it sits and cools, the liquid will be re-absorbed. Veggies release a lot of moisture as they cook. But the lasagna will soak it right up after it sits for 10 minutes.
Make Ahead
- This easy vegetable lasagna is the perfect make ahead meal! You can assemble it completely, cover with foil and then pop it in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking.
- I like to let it come to room temp for about 30-60 minutes before baking, but if you bake it right from the fridge, just be sure to add an extra 10-15 minutes of cook time so that it’s warmed through.
Freezing Lasagna
- This Greek veggie lasagna also does great when frozen! Assemble the lasagna, cover it with foil, and place inside a large Ziploc baggy.
- Pop it in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
- You can thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking, and then just plan to add 10-15 minutes of additional bake time.
- Or you can bake it right from frozen and plan to add an additional 25-30 minutes of baking time.
When is Lasagna Cooked
- When you’ve made the lasagna ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen it, it can be hard to know when it’s cooked through.
- A few things to look for in determining if your lasagna is doneinclude:
- The sauce/liquid in the pan around the edges is bubbling
- The cheese on top is melted
- Try sticking a butterknife directly in the center of the lasagna all the way to the bottom of the pan. Remove the knife and carefully feel the blade of the knife to see if it is warm. If the center of your lasagna is warm, the blade of the knife will come out warm. If it is cold, your lasagna needs a bit longer.
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Mediterranean Lasagna
This easy Mediterranean Lasagna is loaded with a layer of creamy feta cheese sauce, classic ricotta, plenty of mozzarella, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, and herbs. It’s THE BEST vegetarian lasagna you’ll ever have and it’s SO simple to throw together!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top + Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 16 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
- 15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 oz. feta cheese
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan
- 24 oz. spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
- 1 small zucchini, sliced about 1/4” thick
- 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
- 12 oz. artichoke hearts, drained
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions, just until al dente. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1 teaspoon oregano, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add feta and heavy cream to the pan.
- Stir to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the feta melts into a creamy sauce.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 a cup of Parmesan until melted. Set aside.
- Spread 1/2 a cup of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Layer 4 noodles on top of the sauce, overlapping them slightly. Spread half the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the noodles.
- Then spread the spinach and artichoke hearts in an even layer.
- Add 1/2 a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and drizzle 1/2 a cup of sauce over the mozzarella.
- Add 4 more noodles, overlapping them slightly.
- Spread all of the feta mixture in an even layer on top of the noodles. Add sun-dried tomatoes and add another 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
- Add 4 noodles, overlapping slightly. Then spread the remaining ricotta on top and arrange zucchini slices in a single layer.
- Add another 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella. Then drizzle another 1/2 cup of sauce.
- Add the remaining 4 noodles, overlapping slightly.
- Add remaining sauce, spreading it in an even layer. Top with remaining mozzarella and add 1/2 a cup of shredded Parmesan.
- Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Let baked lasagna rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
Use tongs to toss the cooked noodles and keep them separate. The noodles will try as hard as they can to stick together, which is why it’s important to toss them in oil right after they’ve cooked. Gently picking the noodles up with the tongs will ensure that they peel apart easily without breaking.
It may seem like there’s a lot of liquid in the pan after it bakes. But don’t worry – as it sits and cools, the liquid will be re-absorbed. Veggies release a lot of moisture as they cook. But the lasagna will soak it right up after it sits for 10 minutes.
To make lasagna ahead of time, assemble, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking. Plan to add about 10-15 minutes of extra bake time when baking straight from the fridge.
To make ahead and freeze, transfer foil-covered lasagna to a large Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. If baking from frozen, plan to bake for 25-30 extra minutes.
You’ll know the lasagna is cooked through when the sauce/liquid in the pan around the edges is bubbling, and the cheese on top is melted. Also, you can try sticking a butterknife directly in the center of the lasagna all the way to the bottom of the pan. Remove the knife and carefully feel the blade of the knife to see if it is warm. If the center of your lasagna is warm, the blade of the knife will come out warm. If it is cold, your lasagna needs a bit longer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 287
- Sugar: 5.1 g
- Sodium: 488.4 mg
- Fat: 10.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.9 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 16.2 g
- Cholesterol: 47.1 mg
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Superb lasagna recipe!!!
We love this recipe in our home! We’ve made it for others such as friends with a newborn at home and my husband has made it at the firehouse. Everyone who tries it loves it (adults and kids alike) and wants the recipe! Thank you!
Hi, do you believe the lasagna will freeze well after it had been cooked and if so how long will it last in the freezer? I am the only person in my family that will be eating this, so I plan to freeze most after I cook it. Thank you! Super excited to try this out!
This lasagna should do great in the freezer! Check out my section about freezing the lasagna in the blog post.
The whole family loved this, even my meat and potatoes living man. I made this just as the recipe called for. The only thing is that I had to keep the feta warm because it thickened too much when I let it sit. This tasted amazing and will become a family favorite.
I prepared this the day before and cooked it after refrigeration, it turned out great and was delicious!
Can I use the no boil noodles for this recipe and do i need to make any adjustments if I do
I have not tried this recipe with no boil noodles, but I think they could certainly work! I would check the instructions on the box of noodles and see what they recommend as far as cooking time and temp. There is nothing “raw” or uncooked in this recipe so as long as everything is warmed through and the noodles are cooked, you’ll be good to go!
Can replace noodles with spaghetti squash, too!
I haven’t tried this before, but it’s worth a shot! Would love to hear how it turns out if you do!!
Great taste! A very nice combination but am I the only one who thinks the recipe needs re-organization? I found it terribly difficult to follow, I had to keep scrolling up to see amounts here and there and losing track of the layers – seems there is a bit of room for improvement on execution but the overall dish was excellent – of course I tweaked it a bit – oven ready noodles are fine but what I did that made a big difference was to drizzle EVO over each layer of (over ready) noodles but overall a BIG THANKS!
Thanks Mike! The amount of each ingredient is included in the recipe card along with the instructions. Once you prepare your ingredients you shouldn’t have to refer to the ingredient list again as the instructions state “1/2 cup of sauce”, “1/2 cup shredded mozzarella”, etc. I’ve very specifically laid it out like that so it’s easy to follow. Glad you enjoyed this flavor!
Are the artichoke hearts frozen? Canned? Marinated in a jar? Thanks!
I’ve never seen frozen artichoke hearts before, but I think those would work! Canned or marinated are what I typically use. Good question, Sue!
Love this receipe. I’m going to try it with eggplant. I really enjoy your receipts. Thank you
Can’t wait to hear how it turns out with eggplant! Thanks for leaving a review, Cassandra – I really appreciate it 🙂
Do you use the spinach leaves uncooked and layer them in?
Yes! The spinach goes into the lasagna fresh and uncooked 🙂
Excellent instructions and great taste. I did it because there was no eggplant and zucchini suit well this excellent lasagna. I think that as is, all the ingredients are well proportioned. I will do again.
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed, Daniel! This is one of our family’s favorites as well. Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Sounds yummy! What about using eggplant instead of zucchini?
I think that would work well! I think eggplant may have a bit more water than zucchini, so I might try salting the eggplant after slicing and then letting it sit out on paper towels for 20 minutes or so to draw out the water. Otherwise, you may end up with a soggy lasagna! Great question 🙂
The recipe looks delicious, I will definitely give it a try. Just wondering if I can use oven-ready noodles?
Thank you!!
I think oven-ready noodles would work just fine in this recipe – great question!
This is the first vegetarian lasagna I have liked. It did not turn out soggy like many others I’ve tried. The feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes were something I’ve not had in lasagna and so delicious.
The whole family liked it, including my “where’s the beef” husband.
Woohoo! I love it when the meat-eaters love the vegetarian meals too! I am so glad that your family enjoyed this recipe, Cathy. The feta and sun-dried tomatoes really do give it a special touch. Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it!
So the final verdict…. absolutely scrumptious. I doubled the spinach, the sauce and mozzarella which was not a mistake. Those ingredients where on sale, I had it on hand and it looked like it was needed (plus we love a juicy lasagna here). In the future I will triple the spinach, add an additional layer of zucchini on the bottom because it adds a much needed neutral, yet texturally pleasing base to balance the other strong, tangy flavors (feta, sun dried tomatoes, oregano), triple instead of double the sauce( just make sure it’s a very high quality sauce! Do not use Prego, Ragu or Classico ? It will be bland, overly sugary and salty… use Bertolli organic or Del Grosso or Rao’s or make your own YUM- I used Bertolli organic cause it was BOGO at Publix and it was amazing). Next time I will also dice the sun dried tomatoes or use a sun dried tomato paste spread thinly -those julianed pieces where kind of jarring and just a little too much. Next time I will add fresh basil instead of parsley. Fresh parsley was just not needed. The fresh basil and maybe some fresh mozzarella on the top layer would have taken this completely over the top. As it was my family devoured it including my super picky eater who hates tomatoes and sauce.
Thanks for the tip about the sauce. I took note of your suggestion next time if I am stuck without homemade sauce. I may double too but keep all other ingredients proportion as per the original.
Looks delicious! Do you think it would turn out ok if I used whole wheat noodles?
Yes, I think this lasagna would be just as good with whole wheat noodles. Great question, Kathy!