Lasagna feels like one of those dishes that should be difficult.

Maybe it’s the layers. Maybe it’s the baking dish. Maybe it’s the serving of a perfect slice, because mine, somehow, always wants to fall to one side! Maybe it’s because it feels like the kind of thing someone’s nonna should be making in a giant kitchen somewhere in Italy.

But honestly, once you break it down, lasagna is just assembly.

A sauce.
A creamy layer.
Pasta sheets.
Cheese.
Repeat.

That’s it.

Of course, a more traditional lasagna would often have a meat ragu, slowly cooked down till deep and rich. And while that is beautiful, not everyone eats meat. Not everyone wants to spend hours making ragu. And sometimes, the best lasagna is the one you can actually convince yourself to make on a regular day.

That’s what this version is.

A simple, approachable vegetarian lasagna with a tomato sauce, a quick white sauce, pasta sheets, and mozzarella on top.

The fun thing about lasagna is how versatile it is. Once you understand the format, you can take it anywhere. I’ve made versions with zucchini, ricotta, chicken mince, lamb mince, pesto, caramelised onions — and each one becomes something completely different.

The structure stays the same, but the flavour profile changes entirely.

So if lasagna has always felt intimidating, this is your sign to try it. Don’t worry about making the most authentic version. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just build the layers, bake it till bubbling, and let the oven do the rest.

Because very few things feel as satisfying as pulling out a tray of lasagna with a charred, cheesy top and knowing you made that at home.

Basic Vegetarian Lasagna

Ingredients

Get the recipe for the Tomato Layer here

White Sauce

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1.5 cups milk
½ tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp MSG

Pasta + Assembly

6–8 lasagna sheets
Salt, for boiling water
1 to 1.5 cups grated mozzarella

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Boil the lasagna sheets for about 10 minutes, or until they are pliable and mostly cooked. Reserve some of the pasta water before draining.
Thin out your tomato sauce with a little pasta water so it spreads easily across the dish.
To make the white sauce, melt butter in a pan. Add flour and cook it for a minute or two, stirring constantly, till it smells slightly nutty but does not brown too much.
Slowly add milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
Season with salt, oregano, chilli flakes, and MSG. Cook till the sauce thickens but is still spreadable.
To assemble, add a layer of tomato sauce at the bottom of an oven-safe dish.
Add a pasta sheet, then a layer of white sauce.
Repeat the layers: tomato sauce, pasta sheet, white sauce.
Once all the layers are done, top with grated mozzarella.
Broil or bake in the oven until the cheese melts, bubbles, and starts to char on top.
Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers settle and makes it easier to serve.