This Root Vegetable Lasagna recipe is healthy, hearty and most importantly, incredibly delicious! Turnips, carrots and parsnips star in this recipe, which is made and baked in the same skillet. 
This delicious vegetarian lasagna recipe is made from start to finish in one skillet, and it's hearty enough to stand on its own as a meal.
With a touch of heat from cayenne pepper and warming cinnamon, this Root Vegetable Lasagna is an ideal, scrumptious comfort food that bursts with flavor.
Far from a traditional lasagna, this is full of bite-sized chunks of root vegetables that are caramelized to perfection before being mixed with red wine and tomatoes.
Ever had a turnip lasagna? How about carrot or parsnip? It's almost like a hearty vegetarian stew in lasagna form, and it's amazing.
Why Make Root Vegetable Lasagna in a Skillet
Why not bake your whole lasagna in the same pan where you’ve caramelized the onion and garlic, browned the veggies, and deglazed with wine and tomatoes?
Skillet Lasagna is amazing!
Keeping all those wonderful flavors together is part of what makes this so fantastic.
Tips and Substitutions
- Gluten-free? Easy, there are a selection of gluten-free lasagna noodles available. This one is great.
- Don't have a 12-inch oven safe skillet? No biggie. After the sauce is made, layer everything as directed above into a 9 x 13 x 3-inch baking dish.
- Feel free to use more or less of the root vegetables, depending on your taste.
- The thyme is lovely in this recipe, but rosemary or oregano would also be great.
- If you'd like to use fresh herbs instead of dry, use about three times the amount.
- To save time, you can use "oven ready" lasagna noodles. You can find them in both regular and gluten-free.
- You can also purchase pre-roasted red peppers, if you'd like another time saver.
- I love the kick of heat from the cayenne pepper -- use as much or as little at you like, depending on the amount of heat you want.
Can you make it ahead?
Yes, Root Vegetable Lasagna is an excellent make-ahead dish. However, if you are making it ahead, you should bake it in a 9 x 13 x 3-inch baking dish instead of a skillet. Unless somehow you have room for a 12-inch (cast iron) skillet in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerator. Once the lasagna has cooled completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to about four days, but ideally you'll serve it the day after you've made it. Before serving, heat it in a 375°F oven just until it's hot.
- Freezer. Wrapped tightly, you can store it for about a month in the freezer. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator the day before you want to serve it. I would recommend this for any leftovers.
I hope you love this Root Vegetable Lasagna recipe as much as I do!
More delicious vegetarian lasagna recipes:
Root Vegetable Lasagna
Ingredients
- olive oil for the pan
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups parsnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups turnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 cup roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 4 cups crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup red wine
- 3¾ cups part skim ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup scallions, washed and dried, finely chopped
- about 15 cooked lasagna noodles
- 1¼ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the onion and garlic: Coat the bottom of a 12-inch oven safe skillet with olive oil. (Cast iron is best.) Place the pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Then add the thyme and cook until it's very aromatic, about 30 seconds. Season this mixture to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
- Cook the root vegetables: Add the carrots, parsnips and turnips. If necessary, add a little more olive oil and sauté, stirring every couple of minutes, until the vegetables are nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Now, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with foil (or a fitted lid), and let the vegetables steam until they're tender, about 10 minutes. Stir a couple of times during this steaming process so it doesn't get too dark.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Simmer: Remove the foil or lid, turn the heat to high, add the cinnamon, cayenne, roasted peppers, crushed tomatoes and wine. Mix to combine, bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken a bit, and then turn off the heat.
- Prepare the ricotta: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the ricotta with the eggs and scallions and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the lasagna: Remove all but a thin layer of the sauce in the pan, spooning it into a bowl as you go. Add about 5 lasagna noodles on top of the thin sauce layer. Cut some of the noodles if necessary to fill in any crevices and empty spaces. Then add about half of the removed sauce back into the pan and spread it evenly on top of the noodles. Top this with about one third of the ricotta mixture and one third of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat this process once and top with a third layer of 5 lasagna noodles, followed by the remaining ricotta, mozzarella and all of the Parmesan.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes. The lasagna should be bubbling along the edges and the top should be beginning to brown. If you'd like the top a bit more brown, place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds. Let the lasagna sit for at least 25 minutes before slicing and serving.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Phil Matthews
This was a great dish. My wife and I made whole wheat fresh lasagna noodles and your recipe. Outstanding dish!!
valentina
Hi Phil, Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy you and your wife enjoyed this dish. And it's so fantastic you make your own pasta! That can take a recipe to next level deliciousness! 🙂 ~Valentina
angiesrecipes
That looks incredibly warming, comforting and delicious with the humble healthful root veggies.
angiesrecipes
valentina
Thanks so much, Angie! Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Oh, how I love root veggies. And, of course, lasagna! What a delicious pairing! I can just imagine having a big serving of this with a glass of wine Saturday night. Looks absolutely divine, my friend!
valentina
Thanks, Dawn. Yes with a lovely glass of red wine. Perfect! 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
This is really a clever dish. Love the idea, first, of making lasagna using root veggies. Second, making the whole thing in a skillet. Genius!
valentina
Thanks so much, John! Hope you enjoy it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron
Valentina, root veggies are a way of life over this way, but I've never incorporated them in a lasagna. Brilliant idea!
valentina
Love that root veggies are a way of life. So healthy. Thanks so much. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
2pots2cook
Brilliant idea Valentina ! What an idea to incorporate more vitamins into our week end meals !
valentina
Thank you, Davorka. I love looking at it that way. 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
I love all the veggies in this! Fantastic idea! My old Lodge skillet is such a good friend and, with this recipe, I imagine we will be even closer!
valentina
Ha! My Lodge skillet lives on the stove-top. Love that. Enjoy and hope you had a great weekend, David! 🙂 ~Valentina
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I can just imagine how good your veggie lasagna is...different and delicious.
valentina
Thanks so much, Karen. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Chef Mimi
Love love love this. I’ve made a lasagna with just butternut squash, but never a mixture like this. It sounds amazing and it also pretty!
Valentina
Hi Mimi! Thank you for checking it out -- hope you love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha
What a delightful fresh way to make and enjoy 'lasagna' ! I'll never be a vegetarian but am trying to have 1-2 meat-less days a week and I love root vegetables - oh - like your spicing also !
Valentina
Hi Eha! Thank you so much. My 17-yr-old and now my husband are both vegetarian, so we're eating more plant based meals too. 🙂 ~Valentina