Delia Smith Vegetable Lasagne Recipe

This comforting Delia Smith Vegetable Lasagne is a rich, satisfying vegetarian dish layered with tender pasta sheets, a hearty vegetable tomato sauce, and a creamy béchamel topping. The texture is wonderfully soft and cheesy with golden edges on top and flavourful vegetables throughout each layer. It is a medium-difficulty recipe that feels impressive but is straightforward to prepare with a little patience. From start to finish, the lasagne takes about 1 hour 30 minutes including baking time.

Ingredients

For the Vegetable Tomato Filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 courgette, diced
• 200g mushrooms, sliced
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

For the Béchamel Sauce

• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 75g grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Assembling

• 9–12 dried lasagne sheets
• 75g grated mozzarella or cheddar
• Extra butter for greasing

How to Make Delia Smith Vegetable Lasagne

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 190°C or 170°C fan. Lightly grease a medium baking dish so the lasagne layers do not stick while baking.
• Cook the vegetable filling: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, carrot, pepper, courgette, and mushrooms, cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables soften.
• Add tomatoes and seasoning: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes rich and fragrant.
• Make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens. Add nutmeg, grated cheddar, and seasoning to taste.
• Assemble the lasagne: Spread a thin layer of vegetable sauce in the base of the dish. Cover with lasagne sheets, then add more vegetable sauce followed by a layer of béchamel. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel on top.
• Add the topping: Sprinkle the grated mozzarella or cheddar evenly over the top so it melts into a golden crust during baking.
• Bake the lasagne: Place the dish in the centre of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbling around the edges and beautifully golden on top.
• Rest before serving: Allow the lasagne to stand for 10 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers settle and makes serving much easier.

Tips for the Best Vegetable Lasagne

How do I prevent watery lasagne?

Cook the vegetable sauce long enough for excess moisture to evaporate. A thicker sauce helps the lasagne hold its shape when sliced.

Can I add more vegetables?

Yes, spinach, aubergine, or sweetcorn work very well. Just sauté them first so they release excess moisture before layering.

How do I get a golden top?

Use a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar and bake uncovered during the final 10 minutes so the cheese browns nicely.

Should I cook the lasagne sheets first?

Most dried lasagne sheets soften perfectly during baking as they absorb the sauces, so pre-cooking is not necessary.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a crisp green salad and light vinaigrette
• Add warm garlic bread on the side
• Pair with roasted vegetables for a heartier meal
• Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and herbs

Storage

Room Temperature

Lasagne can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours after baking. After that it should be refrigerated to maintain freshness and safety.

Refrigerator

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C until heated through.

Freezing

Vegetable lasagne freezes very well. Wrap tightly or store in freezer containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 38 g
• Protein: 16 g
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Sodium: 520 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Delia Smith Vegetable Lasagne Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Main CourseCuisine: Italian, BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A rich and comforting vegetable lasagne layered with hearty tomato vegetables, tender pasta sheets, and creamy cheese béchamel. A satisfying vegetarian classic perfect for family dinners.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 1 courgette, diced

• 200g mushrooms, sliced

• 400g chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 600ml milk

• 75g grated cheddar cheese

• 9–12 lasagne sheets

• 75g grated mozzarella or cheddar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C Fan) and lightly grease a baking dish.
• Heat olive oil in a large pan and cook onion and garlic until softened.
• Add carrot, pepper, courgette and mushrooms. Cook until vegetables soften.
• Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree and herbs. Simmer until thickened.
• In a saucepan melt butter, stir in flour then gradually whisk in milk to create béchamel.
• Season the sauce and stir in grated cheddar until melted.
• Layer vegetable sauce, lasagne sheets and béchamel in the baking dish.
• Repeat layers and finish with béchamel and grated mozzarella.
• Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Allow the lasagne to rest before slicing so the layers hold together.
• You can add spinach or aubergine for extra vegetables.
• Leftovers freeze well for up to 3 months.