This Summer Lasagna is such a wonderful way to enjoy a comforting dish but with a summer twist! It’s an easy no-bake recipe.
It’s made with whipped lemon basil ricotta, fragrant blistered cherry tomatoes, sautéed zucchini and squash, basil, and loads of parmesan cheese.
During the summer months, I always find myself missing comfort food (my favorite!), so I made this beautiful summer lasagna! I shared this recipe on social media, and you all loved it!
It’s a twist on the classic lasagna bolognese or my shortcut skillet lasagna.
This summer lasagna is no-bake and perfect for those warm summer days. It’s packed with flavor, and loaded with fresh seasonal summer ingredients. Plus, it’s very easy to make.
If you need more summer-inspired but cozy food recipes, try my Sweet Corn Risotto, Pork Chops with Peaches, as well as this Summer Chicken Pot Pie and Summer Minestrone.
Why I Love This Recipe:
- It’s no-bake! The last thing I want on a hot summer day is to turn on the oven, so this summer lasagna really hits the spot.
- Ready in just 35 minutes. It’s a quick and easy summer-inspired comfort food.
- Great way to use summer produce. Lots of fresh summer tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and basil going on here.
- The lemon basil whipped ricotta adds wonderful citrus tones. It’s amazing.
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Ingredient Notes
The ingredients in this recipe are pretty easy to find. The key to making the best no-bake lasagna is to use the freshest produce you can find. Below are a few ingredient notes from recipe testing.
- Lasagna noodles: Use regular lasagna pasta here. Do not use “oven-ready” lasagna noodles since we won’t be baking this one.
- Heirloom cherry tomatoes: I like to use a variety of colors, so I prefer heirloom tomatoes. But regular red cherry tomatoes are fine too.
- Fresh minced garlic: For the blistered tomato sauce.
- Fresh basil: You’ll need lots of it.
- Zucchini and yellow squash: Thinly sliced.
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
- For the whipped ricotta: Ricotta cheese (I use whole milk ricotta), olive oil, fresh basil, and lemon zest.
As always, the ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Summer Lasagna
You’ll see how easily this recipe comes together! It’s super easy and speedy.
Step 1 | Cook the lasagna pasta
Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions. For this recipe specifically, I like to cook it a little beyond al dente since it’s no-bake, but that’s a matter of preference. Drain and set aside.
Step 2 | Make the whipped ricotta
Grab a food processor and continuously pulse the ricotta with olive oil (for every 2 cups of ricotta, use about 2 tablespoons of olive oil) for just a few seconds until combined and smooth-ish.
Then, add fresh basil leaves and fresh lemon zest. Pulse lightly just a few more times until combined.
Step 3 | Cook the tomatoes and zucchini
For the cherry tomato sauce, add a few drizzles of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until they start to blister. Press them down to release the juices and simmer for a few minutes, then sauté the minced garlic, and add basil, salt and pepper to taste. You should have like a rustic chunky tomato sauce.
In another skillet, heat a few drizzles of olive oil and sauté the sliced zucchini and yellow squash with salt and pepper to taste and softened.
Step 4 | Assemble and serve
Now it’s time to assemble! I do it in this order:
- A spoonful of the tomato sauce and a layer of cooked lasagna pasta sheet, followed by a layer of the lemon basil whipped ricotta.
- A layer of the cooked cherry tomato sauce.
- Sautéed zucchini and squash.
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese and sliced fresh basil.
Repeat this process until you get about 3 layers. Finish with extra cheese on top.
Tips for Success
- Use regular lasagna pasta sheets here. Since this is a no-bake recipe, oven-ready sheets won’t work.
- You can taste all the summer produce in every single layer, so use the freshest ingredients you can find. It will taste amazing!
- Want to finish it in the oven? Throw it under the broiler for 2 minute until the top layer is melty. Or bake it at 375 degrees F (if assembled in a baking pan) for 20 minutes or until warm to your liking. More details in the recipe card notes.
Variations and Substitutions
The best part about this recipe is that you can adapt it to your liking! Here are some ideas:
- Finish it in the oven: Throw it under the broiler or in a 375F oven for a just a few minutes to melt some of the cheese on top.
- If you want to bake it, assemble in a baking dish (to make sure it doesn’t fall apart) and bake for 20-30 minutes at 375 F.
- Add a protein: Use anything you’d like here! Cooked sausage, crispy pancetta…anything!
- Pack in extra veggies: Got some spinach or eggplant in your fridge? You can use anything you want really.
- Add extra sauces, such as basil pesto or my sundried tomato pesto!
Pairing and Serving Ideas
For a fresh summer dinner, I’d recommend pairing this summer lasagna with vibrant side dishes. Try these!
Recipe FAQs
The tomato sauce and sautéed squash are warm, and if you don’t rinse the cooked pasta over cold water, that will help too. It’s not supposed to be piping hot though.
Yes! Throw it under the broiler for 2 minutes or so to melt the top layer of cheese. Or bake it at 375 degrees F (if assembled in a baking pan) for 20 minutes or until warm to your liking.
Not for this recipe since it’s a no-bake recipe. Even if you finish it in the oven, there isn’t enough sauce to cook oven-ready sheets.
Yes! This is helpful if you’re making it for 4 people or more. It’s a lot faster.
Looking for more summer-inspired comfort classics?
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Summer Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 regular lasagna sheets - don't use "oven-ready"
- 5 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh thinly sliced basil, divided
- 2 to 3 cups thinly sliced zucchini and yellow squash
- 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese - plus more for garnish
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper - to taste
For the whipped ricotta:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese - I use whole milk ricotta
- 2 tablespons olive oil
- Fresh basil - about 8 leaves
- Lemon zest - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions. To keep the lasagna warm, don't rinse through cold water.
- Make the whipped ricotta: In a food processor, combine ricotta, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and pulse continuously until smooth-ish. Then, add the lemon zest and basil and pulse a few more times.
- Cook the cherry tomato sauce: Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook down the cherry tomatoes until blistered, and then press them to make a rustic sauce. Stir in the garlic, basil (about 2 tablespoons), salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until fragrant.
- Sauté zucchini and yellow squash: Meanwhile, in another skillet sauté the sliced zucchini and squash. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble: Start with a thin layer of tomato sauce, followed by a lasagna sheet, whipped ricotta, cherry tomato sauce, zucchini, fresh sliced basil, and shredded parmesan cheese. Repeat until you get about 3 layers.
- Finish with extra cheese on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t use “oven-ready” lasagna sheets here. Use the regular type.
- Want to finish it in the oven? Throw it under the broiler for 2 minute until the top layer is melty. Or bake it at 375 degrees F (if assembled in a baking pan, see below) for 20 minutes or until warm to your liking.
- If you’re making it for a crowd, it’s easiest and fastest to assemble in a baking pan.
- Protein add-ins: sausage, crispy pancetta.
- Veggie add-ins: Spinach, cooked eggplant, roasted red bell peppers.
WANOKA COURI says
Is there a substitute for the basil?
Tania says
You can try adding spinach!
Cheryl says
Always looking for new and interesting recipes to try in summer that don’t require the oven. This was really delicious but bc it looked like way more than we’d need, I used 6 pieces of pasta. One thing I’ll do next time is cut the pasta in half after cooking it to make it easier to handle. I assembled it in our plates and it hung off the ends! Really well balanced and delicious. Definitely saving this for future!
Steph says
Oh man, that lemon basil ricotta layer is to die for! I had spinach and fresh sweet corn also so I cooked those up with the zucchini and I also added some red wine to the blistered tomato sauce chef’s kiss
Tania says
Thank you, Steph!
Lindsey says
I can’t believe that this only serves 2 people. Is that correct? I’d love to serve for a dinner party but can’t begin to guess at the ingredient amounts reading this. Help?
Tania says
Hey Lindsey! This recipe makes 2 good-sized individual lasagnas. Each one has 4 layers. You can always double or triple the recipe to serve more people. If making a large quantity, I’d recommend assembling in a large pan rather than one by one.
Lindsey Hooper says
I made it for two and it was fabulous. Now on to a crowd!!! Thanks!
Tania says
So happy to hear, Lindsey!
Dave Barker says
I just assembled this recipe . I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta. We’ll see how that goes. And I under estimated the amount of tomatoes. I had extras from the garden, so that worked out. I am excited for dinner and post an after eaten comment.
Brooke says
Simply FANTASTIC! So glad we had leftovers because I can not get enough of this meal!