Easy Roasted Ratatouille Lasagna with Eggplant

Easy Roasted Ratatouille Lasagna with Eggplant

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

As a responsible adult, I am always looking for new ways to incorporate vegetables into our diet. I’m not super big veggie fan, and I particularly don’t like them steamed or boiled and plunked down on a plate. This Easy Roasted Ratatouille Lasagna with Eggplant is an absolutely delicious way to enjoy not just one vegetable, but many, layered between tender pasta noodles and smothered with tomato sauce and two kinds of gooey, melty cheese – TWO! What’s not to love? 

The filling is a delicious mix of vegetables from my Easy Oven Roasted Ratatouille with Herbes de Provence, a combination of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, plum tomatoes, red onion, and herbes de Provence, slow roasted until super tender and jammy. Unlike traditional ratatouille which often has a lot of excess liquid, roasted ratatouille is pure vegetable goodness, fork tender and flavorful, the perfect filling for a vegetarian lasagna. Make the roasted ratatouille ahead of time and freeze it to have on hand when the need for veggie lasagna strikes. This is truly one of those make-ahead recipes that will give classic lasagna a run for its money as one of your favorite comfort food meals. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will love its depth of flavor! And the melty cheese. Did I mention that?

Some of the best features of this recipe:

Simple but flavorful filling: The oven roasted ratatouille that serves as the filling practically makes itself. Simply rough chop the veggies – no peeling necessary – toss in some olive oil, and let the oven do the rest. An occasional stir and a sprinkle with some herbes de Provence is all it takes to create this delicious filling. 

Easy: Layer boiled lasagna noodles, jarred sauce, roasted ratatouille, and two layers of cheese. It all comes together in just minutes!

Amazing leftovers: The flavors are even better the next day once they’ve had time to blend together. If you have leftover ratatouille filling, serve it as a super tasty, healthy side.

Healthy…ish: This dish is absolutely bursting with a variety of fresh vegetables – eggplant, two types of squash, tomatoes, bell peppers.

As with all of my recipes, Easy Roasted Ratatouille Lasagna with Eggplant is super simple to make with no complicated cooking techniques, no special equipment, and with ingredients you can find in any grocery store. 

Recipe Ingredients

Easy Oven Roasted Ratatouille with Herbes de Provence

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp salt

6 lasagna noodles

​24 oz jarred marinara sauce

​1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

16 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

Helpful Tools

• Stock pot
• Colander
• Medium bowl
• Baking dish
• Tablespoon
• Dry measuring cup
• Sharp knife
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Aluminum foil

Ingredient Notes

When I make oven roasted ratatouille, I let it cook for about 2 1/2 hours until “jammy” meaning very soft with enhanced flavor. For this recipe, I let the veggies cook for closer to 3 hours to make them super jammy and flavorful. This also ensures that there is no extra liquid in the dish. Be sure to keep an eye on the ratatouille mixture, stirring every 10 minutes until ready. 

I like the way fresh mozzarella works in this recipe, but you can also use regular or pre-shredded mozzarella. If using fresh mozzarella, pat the slices with paper towels to avoid adding excess moisture to the lasagna.

Change up the sauce if you’d prefer. The roasted vegetables provide great flavor, so I don’t think it’s necessary to overdo it with the sauce, but you can choose the jarred red sauce of your choice – tomato & basil, onion & garlic, herbs, etc.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Easy Oven Roasted Ratatouille with Herbes de Provence. See the ingredient notes for more information.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Add 6 lasagna noodles to boiling water with 1 tbsp of salt and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Boil noodles for 10 minutes and drain. Rinse the noodles, shake off the water, and set aside in a medium bowl.

4. Pour about 1/4 cup sauce evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. 

5. Lay 3 pasta noodles side-by-side in a single layer over the sauce. You can leave the overhanging edges to get crispy or trim them.

6. Spoon several tablespoons (about 6 tbsp) evenly over each noodle.

7.  Add 1/2 of the ratatouille mixture over the sauce.

8. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the vegetables.

9. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan over the ratatouille.

10. Cut 1 cup mozzarella cheese (1/2 of the package) into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices and tear them into smaller pieces.

11. Lay the pieces of mozzarella cheese evenly over the Parmesan.

12. Cut and tear the remaining mozzarella cheese.

13. Create the final layer the same way, layering noodles, sauce, ratatouille, sauce, Parmesan, mozzarella.

14. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.

15. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake covered for 20 minutes

16. Uncover and let the top layer of cheese melt, about 10 minutes. 

17. Let the lasagna for 5 minutes before slicing to prevent it falling apart.

​You can find the step-by-step directions for Easy Roasted Ratatouille Lasagna with Eggplant on the printable recipe card below. 

Storage

Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees F. Place in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil heating until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Tricks

The vegetables in the ratatouille will be very soft when they are ready. That makes them easy to eat, but you may want to chop them into smaller pieces. They are so soft that you can just cut them directly in the roasting pan with a wooden spoon.

Normally I don’t suggest rinsing pasta, but running the lasagna noodles under cold water is a great way to keep them from sticking together. It will also make them easier to handle. 

Be sure you don’t add any extra liquid to the lasagna, either from the cheese or the noodles. Fresh mozzarella should be patted dry and the noodles should be well drained. If there is too much liquid, the taste and texture won’t be the same.

​Over the years I have learned how easily dishes can spill over and make a mess in your oven. You can avoid this by placing the lasagna pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

With a little imagination, vegetables can be transformed into something healthy and delicious. Give some of these a try:

Quick One Pot Creamy Pasta Primavera with White Wine

Easy Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Butternut Squash Galette with Goat Cheese

Creamy Tomato Florentine Soup with Rice