Last Updated on September 17, 2025 by PorchLightReading
Hidden veggie lasagna recipe with eggplant and carrots! Hide the vegetables from the kids in this sneaky, delicious dinner idea.
One day the kids are eating carrots, eggplant, and spinach and the next they are refusing the admit they ever liked these vegetables at all!
For a while I was able to convince them they actually do like these must have veggies, but they are now getting too old for my encouraging words to make much of a difference once they set their mind on NOT eating something.
We’ll alright then. Two can play at this game. Welcome to our hidden-veggie lasagna recipe, where we sneak these vegetables into the sauce and they are none the wiser!
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Is sneaking vegetables into the sauce deceiving or genius? Possibly a little of both but, truthfully, as long as it stays hearty, cheese, and delicious, they won’t really mind or notice.
- Table of contents: Hidden Veggie Lasagna Recipe
- Ingredients
- Cooking instructions
- Oven ready VS regular lasagna noodles
- Substitutes and tips
- Jump to recipe card
Hidden Veggie Lasagna Recipe
The cooler months are sneaking up on us quickly and once the sun starts to set at 4pm, we’re ready for warm comfort food. Food with an aroma that drifts up the stairway and brings the kids downstairs even before I call. Which is perfect because now they can set the table.
Ingredients
- 1 package lasagna noodles (oven ready or cooked- See notes!)
- for the sauce
- 25oz jar of pasta sauce
- ½ onion
- 2 carrots
- ½ eggplant (approximately 2 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 TBS maple syrup (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- For the ricotta filling
- 15oz ricotta
- 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 egg
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (one cup for filling and one cup for topping)
Cooking Instructions
Prepare the hidden veggie sauce- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ½ diced onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 cups cubed eggplant and 3 cloves of garlic. Season generously with salt. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
Once soft, blend ingredients in a blender with ½ a cup of water. Add back to the skillet and add a 24oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce. We like using a jar of tomato basil. Add 1 TBS maple syrup (optional). Simmer on low.
Mix the cheese filling- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 egg, and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Assemble the lasagna- Spread a thin layer of sauce on a 9×13 baking dish. Add a layer of noodles, then spread with ricotta mixture, sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until you reach the top of the dish, ending with a layer of sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake- Cover with foil and bake a 375℉ for 25 minutes. Remove foil and baking an additional 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
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Oven Ready vs. Regular Lasagna Noodles
Oven ready noodles save time since they require no boiling. You’ll want to read the packaging for the proper cooking directions as some oven ready noodles require additional water per layer to bake properly. Be sure to add plenty of sauce and adjust your cooking time since these noodles require a bit longer in the oven. Bake covered in foil at 375℉ for 35-45 minutes and uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Oven ready noodles need more liquid to cook through.
- If your sauce is thick, add a ½ cup of water or broth spread evenly across the layers. The noodles will absorb it while baking.
- Cover with foil while baking. The foil traps the steam which is needed to cook properly. Otherwise they may come out with a chewy texture.
Regular lasagna noodled require boiling first but can hold up a bit better in layered dishes. Oven ready noodles may make things more convenient and quick, but boiling regular lasagna noodles gives a better texture and control over tastes without having to add any extra liquid.
Substitutions and Tips
What’s great about this recipe is how easily customizable it is! With a few basic lasagna ingredients, and a few veggies, you can hide the vegetables right in the sauce without sacrificing flavor. For this dish we used carrots and eggplant but you can easily substitute these out for a few veggies you already have on hand.
- Other veggies to try in the sauce
- Carrots
- Eggplant
- Spinach
- Zuccini
- Bell pepper
- Squash
- Mushrooms
Any of these vegetables work great hidden in the sauce! Simply soften in the skillet, blend, and add to your favorite sauce. In general, I like to add approximately two cups of added vegetables to my pasta sauce. I’m also a little cautious of adding mushrooms since the kids can taste those a mile away!
- A few tips for the best hidden veggies lasagna
- Puree the veggies complete so picky eaters never know they are there.
- Make extra sauce and freeze it for pasta night!
- Shed the cheese yourself for better melting and flavor.
- Let it rest before slicing for the layers to hold together better.
This hidden veggie lasagna recipe is proof that comfort food can be healthy and kid friendly, with a bit of creativity. With carrots, eggplant, and other veggies blended right into the sauce, your family will enjoy every bite without realizing just how many vegetables they are eating.
Recipe Card
Hidden Veggie Lasagna
Ingredients
- lasagna noodles (see notes)
- 25 oz pasta sauce
- ½ onion
- 2 carrots
- ½ eggplant (approximately 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 TBS maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cup mozzarella cheese
For the ricotta filling
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 egg
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ½ diced onion, 2 chopped carrots, cubed eggplant and 3 cloves of garlic. Season generously with salt. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Once soft, blend ingredients in a blender with ½ a cup of water. Add back to the skillet and add a 24oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce. We like using a jar of tomato basil. Add 1 TBS maple syrup (optional). Simmer on low.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 egg, and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce on a 9×13 baking dish. Add a layer of noodles, then spread with ricotta mixture, sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until you reach the top of the dish, ending with a layer of sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake a 375℉ for 25 minutes. Remove foil and baking an additional 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
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