The Absolute Best Vegan Lasagna
November 12, 2020
Toss out that store-bought frozen vegan lasagna. Scrap all the other vegan lasagna recipes you've tried. Yes, this vegan lasagna recipe is that good.
Before we get to the recipe, I need to mention that the flavor of a good lasagna is highly dependent on the sauce you use. So if you don't make your own, I strongly recommend that you use a high-quality sauce, like Rao's or the Silver Palate. (Although these brands are pretty expensive, I can often find one or the other on sale at Whole Foods, and I stock up when I see them).
You will need to make a batch of my vegan ricotta cheese for this recipe, which you can find by clicking here. It's made with just five simple ingredients: tofu, lemon juice, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, and salt.
I love the flavor of zucchini and carrots in this vegan lasagna. However, if you want a meatier flavor like a traditional lasagna recipe would have, you can use green or brown lentils in place of ground beef. You'll want to use about 1 cup dry lentils (2 1/2 to 3 cups when cooked). Adding lentils will also increase the protein in this recipe from 10 to 13 grams of protein per serving. Some people also like to use sliced mushrooms or other fresh vegetables. I often change it up depending on what I'm in the mood for. Regardless of which vegetables you use, you'll want to mix around 3 cups of them into your sauce.
I used vegan mozzarella in this recipe (Violife is shown and I also like Trader Joe's), but it's optional, so feel free to leave it out if you can't find it, or want to avoid processed ingredients. You can also use my homemade vegan mozzarella. Alternately (or additionally), you can top this lasagna with vegan parmesan cheese. And don't forget to enjoy it with a loaf of homemade garlic bread!
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The Absolute Best Vegan Lasagna
Yield12 servings
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour, 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour, 45 minutes
Pin itIngredients
- 1 1/2 cup zucchini, sliced
- 1 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
- olive oil (or oil of your choice) for cooking
- 4 1/2 cup marinara sauce (about 1 1/2 24-oz jars)
- 1 1/2 tbsp. vegan brown sugar (optional)
- 16 oz. lasagne noodles
- 1 batch tofu ricotta
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x13-inch* casserole dish with oil.
Thinly slice your zucchini and carrots (1/8" to 1/4"). Cut your slices in halves or quarters if the slices are too large (over 1" wide). In a medium to large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and cook the zucchini and carrots, stirring regularly, until the carrots are fork-tender and the zucchini is just beginning to brown (about 15-20 minutes). (While the vegetables are cooking, you can also begin to boil the water for the pasta.)
Slice the vegetables, and cut any pieces that are larger than 1" in diameter.Once your vegetables are ready, add marinara sauce and brown sugar (if using; will depend on your taste and the sauce you are using). Stir until the sauce is warmed and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
Fill a large pot 1/2 to 3/4 full with water, and bring to a boil. Boil lasagna noodles according to package instructions. You will only need 12 noodles (16 if using a larger casserole dish), but you may want to cook more in case some tear. While the lasagne are cooking, steam the fresh spinach over the top of the pot using a sieve or steamer basket. Remove the spinach when it’s wilted and a dark green color (about 3 minutes), and drain it well. While the pasta is cooking, you can also prepare the ricotta and place it in a large bowl.
After the lasagne has cooked, drain it and transfer it to large sheets of parchment paper, laying it flat to ensure that it doesn't get kinks or stick to other noodles.
Add flour, pepper, onion powder, steamed spinach, and 1 cup of vegan mozzarella to your vegan ricotta, and mix well.
Spread about 1/5 of the pasta sauce and vegetable mixture on the bottom of the greased casserole pan. Then place 3 lasagne noodles length-wise on top of the sauce (use 4 in each layer if using a large pan). Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mix evenly on top of the noodles, then top with another 1/5 of the sauce. Add two more layers of noodles, ricotta, and sauce. Then, top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and 1/2 cup to 1 cup vegan mozzarella (depending on your preference).
Spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray, and use it to cover the lasagna. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes & Hints
Feel free to substitute the zucchini and carrots for lentils, mushrooms, or any other vegetables you like!
The flavor of a good lasagna is highly dependent on the sauce you use. So if you don't make your own, I strongly recommend that you use a high-quality sauce, like Rao's or the Silver Palate.
Feel free to leave out the vegan mozzarella if you can't find it, or want to avoid processed ingredients.
If your casserole dish is slightly smaller than 9x13, you can cut the ends of the noodles to make it fit. If you have a larger dish, you may want to use 4 noodles per layer instead of 3. Increase the other ingredients by 1/3, if desired.
This lasagna will last three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you need to store it longer, I recommend freezing it in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe sealed container.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size 1/12 of recipe
| Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories 290 | Calories from Fat 108 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 12g | 15% | |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 20% | |
| Trans Fat 0g | ||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% | |
| Sodium 692mg | 29% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 36g | 12% | |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% | |
| Sugars 7g | ||
| Protein 10g | 20% | |
| Vitamin A 1111mcg RAE | 123% | |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 2mcg | 83% | |
| Vitamin C 8mg | 9% | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium 69mg | 5% | |
| Iron 1mg | 6% | |
| Potassium 596mg | 13% | |
| Zinc 0mg | 0% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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