This deliciously cheesy Courgette Lasagne is a wonderful veggie dinner option for those meat-free days or if you’re vegetarian.
It’s comforting, full of flavour and BONUS – it can be made in advance until you’re ready to cook and eat, making this a big tick in the ‘quick and easy’ category too (always a must).
I am all about collecting as many courgette recipes as I can because some years I get around to planting them, and because they’re so easy to grow, there’s always an absolute glut of them to use up.
But even if I don’t grow my own, I still find ways to get them into my cooking. I find courgettes to be great value, pretty long-lasting in the fridge (for vegetables, anyway), summery and delicious.
Kids often don’t complain too much about them either because they’re relatively light in flavour. However, because of that, there are a few tips I’d recommend when cooking this quick Courgette Lasagne dish to make sure it holds that flavour (more on this further down).
Why you’ll love this recipe
⭐️ Simple but delicious ingredients
⭐️ Comforting and packed with nutrition
⭐️ A different take on vegetarian lasagne
About this Vegetarian Courgette Lasagne
The addition of two cheeses – ricotta and mozzarella – make this a truly comforting dish and it really holds its own against a more traditional lasagne.
And if lasagne is a big hit in your house and it’s vegetarian recipes you’re after, you could also try my Slow Cooker Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne.
I don’t know why but I really like to experiment with lasagnes, so have a go at my Mexican Lasagne and my 10 Minute Tortellini Lasagne too.
Another VERY popular meat alternative is my One Pan Lasagne in my book ‘What’s For Dinner’.
Courgette Lasagne Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Onion – Fresh or pre-chopped frozen is OK
- Garlic – Same goes. Fresh or jar/frozen/paste
- Courgettes – You’ll need about 6
- Passata
- Dried oregano
- Balsamic vinegar
- Pesto
- Tomato puree
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Ricotta cheese
- Lasagne sheets
- Mozzarella
How to make Courgette Lasagne
- Finely chop or grate the courgettes.
- Fry the onion and garlic in hot oil until soft. Add the courgettes and cook until no longer wet (about 10 minutes).
- Add the passata, oregano, balsamic, pesto, tomato puree, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes until your sauce is thick.
- Layer the lasagne in a baking dish: first the sauce, then the lasagne sheets, then the two cheeses, salt and pepper. Repeat once more or until your ingredients have run out.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 180C until golden brown on top.
Other delicious courgette recipes:
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully by before serving.
In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Top tips
Cooking the courgettes
When you cook the finely chopped courgettes, you need to cook them for long enough to allow all of the water to come out and then cook away. This is what helps to keep the dish flavourful and not bland.
If there’s still water in the pan, cook for a little longer before adding the passata and other flavourings.
Chopping
The texture of the sauce for this lasagne makes a difference, so make sure you chop up your onions finely to get the right consistency. I use a mini food chopper for this job as it’s a fab piece of kit, but if you don’t have anything like this, just extra fine with a knife is fine.
Make in advance
This is the perfect make-ahead midweek supper. It can be assembled, covered and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days before cooking. If you prefer you can also cook, chill and freeze it for about a month.
You should defrost the lasagne thoroughly in the fridge before reheating. When reheating food, make sure it is absolutely piping hot throughout before serving.
FAQ
I’ve replaced the white sauce (aka béchamel) here with ricotta. It saves the extra step and adds extra cheesy flavour.
I’ve stated 4 people in the recipe, but this is 4 BIG portions. You may have some leftovers for lunch too.
I whizz mine up in a mini food chopper to get it nice and fine to make into a sauce mixture. It still has a little bite to it but isn’t too chunky. If you don’t have any equipment, just grate it or chop it very finely.
If I’m reaching you in America, we’re talking about Zucchini Lasagne here (yes – courgette and zucchinis are the same thing).
They might grow on different continents but they’re still the same vegetable (actually, technically a fruit), not only delicious but high in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium and fibre.
Courgette Lasagne {with Double Cheese Topping}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Large onion
- 4 Cloves of garlic
- 1 kg Courgettes (About 6 courgettes)
- 500 g Passata
- 2 tsp Dried oregano
- 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp Pesto
- 3 tbsp Tomato puree
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250 g Ricotta cheese
- 150 g Lasagne sheets
- 250 g Mozzarella Grated
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 180C.
- Finely chop or grate the courgettes.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add the courgettes and cook for 10 minutes until they are starting to colour and no longer look wet.
- Add the passata, oregano, balsamic, pesto, tomato puree and plenty of salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes until you have a thick sauce.
- Layer the mixture first in a lasagne dish, followed by the lasagne sheets, then the ricotta, mozzarella and more salt and pepper. Repeat again, and finish with a layer of cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy and golden.
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
This is tempting! We have courgettes from the garden coming out of our ears at the moment!! xx
Sheila says
Wow! This looks really delicious and would love to try this Mushroom Courgette Lasagne.
In fact, I will try this tonight since I have all the ingredients available. Thank you for this wonderful idea on what to cook next.
Laura says
This is great, perfect for a lasagna lover!
Jodie says
This was a hit with everyone, I used half the ricotta but needed an extra tin of tomatoes, really tasty.
Steph says
This is a fantastic easy recipe as I did it with a baby in a sling sleeping so could cook later ! Thank you.
Mrs Parker says
Sarah!! You’ve done it again! Have to admit I was a bit skeptical with a courgette lasagne. But this was amazing!! We all had clean plates and my family decided it was better than the normal Lasagne which they usually love! For me it was a winner not only because it tasted great but it’s like half the price and it uses one saucepan and dish rather than my usual recipe that uses most of my kitchenware!
This is an absolute game changer and a switch we are keeping in this household!! Thank you for making meal times cheaper, easier and yummier!
Sarah says
This is the only recipe on the meal plan I thought might be a gamble with my kids but they LOVED it. They won’t usually eat courgettes at all but my daughter asked for extra. Thank you so much! These meal plans are honestly changing my life!