One-Pan Smoky Veggie Lentil Lasagne

There's something deeply satisfying about discovering a recipe that feels like a quiet revolution in your kitchen, and this one-pan smoky veggie lentil lasagne was exactly that moment for me. I'd been standing in front of my stove on a rainy Tuesday, frustrated with the usual cascade of pots and pans, when it struck me: what if I built an entire lasagne without ever leaving the pan? The result was this vibrant, layered dish that tastes like it took hours but actually comes together in a single afternoon, with barely a mess to show for it.

I made this for my sister's unexpected dinner party, the kind where you have four hours' notice and panic sets in immediately. As the lasagne came out of the oven, golden and bubbling, I watched her take that first bite and something shifted in the room—everyone went quiet in that particular way that means really good food just landed on the table. She asked if it was vegan, then laughed when I said no, because the richness felt so generous it seemed impossible that one pan could hold it all.

Ingredients

• Olive oil: Two tablespoons is your base for flavor, so use something you actually enjoy tasting rather than the cheapest bottle you find.
• Onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper: This soffritto foundation is where the whole dish gets its backbone, and taking time to dice these evenly means they cook at the same pace.
• Mushrooms: Choose cremini or portobello and chop them finely so they melt into the sauce rather than sitting as distinct pieces; they're your secret umami weapon.
• Courgette (zucchini): Diced small so it softens quickly and releases moisture into the bolognese without watering everything down.
• Smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, and chili flakes: These are the flavor architects—the paprika especially is non-negotiable because it's what gives this dish its character.
• Chopped tomatoes and tomato paste: The paste concentrates the tomato flavor before you add the can, which doubles the impact.
• Red lentils: They're delicate and cook quickly, which is exactly why they work here instead of brown lentils that would turn to mush.
• Vegetable stock: Use something with actual flavor; bland stock makes bland lasagne.
• Balsamic vinegar: Just a tablespoon at the end, but it rounds out the acidity and adds a subtle sweetness that ties everything together.
• No-boil lasagne sheets: These are the entire point—no precooking, no draining, just layering straight from the box.
• Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan: Ricotta is creamy and mild, mozzarella melts like a dream, and Parmesan brings a sharp note that cuts through the richness.
• Fresh basil: Tear it by hand rather than chopping so it doesn't bruise and lose its bright flavor.

Instructions

Build Your Base:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add your chopped onion, letting it soften for 3 to 4 minutes until it's translucent and just starting to release its sweetness. You'll smell that familiar kitchen fragrance that signals everything is about to get delicious.

Layer in the Aromatics:

Stir in the garlic, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper, cooking for about 5 minutes until they're just tender but still holding their shape. The kitchen should smell almost perfumed at this point, like the beginning of something really good.

Add the Texture:

Toss in the finely chopped mushrooms and diced courgette, sautéing for 5 to 6 minutes until any moisture they release has mostly evaporated back into the pan. This is important because dry mushrooms means concentrated flavor rather than a watery sauce.

Wake Up the Spices:

Sprinkle in your smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, and chili flakes (if you're using them), cooking for just a minute until the kitchen fills with this wonderful toasted aroma that tells you the spices have released their oils. Don't skip this step—it's the difference between flat and alive.

Build the Sauce:

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, rinsed red lentils, and vegetable stock, seasoning generously with salt and pepper. The mixture will look quite brothy at first, which is exactly right.

Simmer into Submission:

Cover the pan and let everything simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, giving it a stir occasionally, until the lentils have completely softened and the sauce has thickened into something thick and saucy but not dry. Finish with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, which will make everything suddenly taste more complex and complete.

Prepare for Layering:

While the sauce finishes, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and have your lasagne sheets, cheeses, and ricotta ready to go. This is when things move quickly, so being organized makes everything smoother.

First Sauce Layer:

Remove about half of the cooked bolognese from the pan and set it aside on a plate, leaving the remaining half as your base. Arrange a layer of lasagne sheets directly over this sauce in the pan.

First Cheese Layer:

Dollop half your ricotta over the lasagne sheets in rough spoonfuls (perfect coverage isn't the goal here, just scattered generosity), then sprinkle about a third of your mixed mozzarella and Parmesan over the ricotta.

Second Sauce Layer:

Spread half of your reserved bolognese over the cheese, then top with another layer of lasagne sheets.

Repeat the Magic:

Add the remaining ricotta in dollops, another third of the cheese mixture, and the final portion of reserved bolognese on top.

Final Assembly:

Top everything with a final layer of lasagne sheets and sprinkle the last of your mozzarella and Parmesan mixture over the top.

Covered Baking:

Cover the entire pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes, which keeps the moisture in and prevents the top from browning too quickly.

Golden and Bubbling:

Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden and you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges, which means the lasagne sheets have absorbed enough liquid and everything has fused together.

Rest and Serve:

Let the whole thing rest for 10 minutes before serving, which gives the layers time to set so each slice stays intact rather than collapsing into a puddle. Finish with torn fresh basil and the satisfaction of knowing you made restaurant-quality lasagne in a single pan.

Save

The beauty of this dish revealed itself during a quiet Sunday lunch, just me and my partner, when we realized we'd been eating in total silence for several minutes because the food deserved that kind of attention. It's the kind of recipe that reminds you why cooking from scratch matters—not just for the flavor, which is honestly magnificent, but for the ritual of creating something whole and satisfying in your own kitchen.

Why One Pan Changes Everything

There's a particular kind of freedom that comes from cooking something this sophisticated without ever reaching for a second pan. When you're working with the same surface from start to finish, the flavors build directly on each other in ways they don't when you're shuttling components between different vessels. The fond—those lovely browned bits stuck to the bottom—stay right there where they belong, enriching every layer. It's efficient, yes, but more importantly, it feels almost meditative, like the whole process is contained and intentional rather than scattered.

The Red Lentil Secret

I learned the power of red lentils almost by accident, when brown lentils turned my pasta sauce into baby food and I reached for whatever was in the back of the cupboard. Red lentils cook in about 20 minutes and then essentially dissolve into the sauce, creating this incredibly silky texture that feels indulgent without requiring heavy cream or complicated techniques. They add real substance and protein without any of the fuss, and they carry flavor beautifully because they don't have much flavor of their own to compete with your spices.

How to Layer Like You Mean It

Layering a lasagne in a pan is really just structured abundance—you're not trying to be neat or precise, you're trying to make sure every slice gets its fair share of everything. The sequence matters more than perfection: sauce, then pasta, then cheese, then sauce again, until you've reached the top and can see all your colors stacked up like edible architecture. A note on the cheese: don't try to make it stretch further than it goes, because the layers need enough cheese to hold the structure together and add that essential creaminess that makes people close their eyes when they eat.

• Dollop ricotta rather than spreading it, so the other layers can still breathe between the cheese pockets.
• Mix your mozzarella and Parmesan together before layering so it distributes evenly instead of ending up all in one place.
• If your lasagne sheets are thick or curled, dip them briefly in the hot sauce to soften them before arranging them in the pan.

Save

This is the kind of recipe that earns its place in your regular rotation not because it's fancy but because it's genuinely delicious and genuinely manageable, even on nights when you're running on empty. Make it once and it becomes the dish you come back to.

Questions & Answers

→ Can I make this lasagne vegan?

Yes, simply substitute the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan with plant-based cheese alternatives to create a fully vegan version.

→ Do I need to pre-cook the lasagne sheets?

No, this dish uses no-boil oven-ready lasagne sheets that cook directly in the sauce, saving time and effort.

→ How can I make this gluten-free?

Use gluten-free lasagne sheets instead of regular pasta sheets. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

→ Can I prepare this ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the lasagne completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time if cooking from cold.

→ What makes this lasagne smoky?

The smoky flavor comes from smoked paprika added to the vegetable bolognese. You can enhance it further with a pinch of liquid smoke if desired.

→ What should I serve with this lasagne?

A simple green salad and crusty bread complement this dish perfectly. It also pairs well with a light Italian red wine such as Chianti.