Classic Vegan Lasagna

Make vegan lasagna gluten-free

Gluten-free lasagna noodles are easily available and will work well in this recipe. Substitute wheat noodles with gf noodles and cook according to package directions before layering.

If you are low-carb, try my vegan zucchini lasagna recipe.

Tweaks for nut-free diets

There are nuts in the cashew ricotta and the vegan parmesan. To make the recipe nut-free, replace the cashews with an equal quantity of pumpkin seeds. Or make a tofu ricotta by replacing the nuts with a 14-oz package of silken tofu (drained).

Instead of using cashews in the vegan parmesan, use a cup of breadcrumbs. Process with remaining seasonings and proceed with recipe.

Use no-boil noodles

If using no-boil noodles, add an extra cup of water to the marinara. No-boil noodles are shorter so you will need more of them – 24 instead of 16. Layer them horizontally in the baking dish, using five or six noodles for each layer.

Do I really need two kinds of meatless meats for the marinara?

This is not necessary, but it enhances the texture of the meatless marinara sauce. I used a combination of Beyond sausage and Impossible Beef this time, but any combination of meatless meats or meatless crumbles will work.

Make the sauce with store-bought marinara

Brown the vegan meat in 1 teaspoon olive oil, then stir in two 24-oz jars of marinara sauce. Heat together for five minutes.

Store

Freeze the lasagna, baked or unbaked, for up to three months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator, then bake or reheat before serving.

You can refrigerate the baked or unbaked lasagna or leftovers for up to four days.

Ingredients for meaty vegan marinara sauce

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 7 cloves garlic (crushed and minced)
• 1 large onion
• 28 oz vegan ground beef (I used a combination of Beyond Sausage and Impossible Beef this time. I’ve used other brands, like Gimme Lean and Field Roast in the past with good results. Crumble the sausage into smaller bits.)
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 28 oz canned whole plum tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil (optional)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients for cashew ricotta

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews (soaked 30 minutes, then drained)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup water

Make the vegan meaty marinara

• Heat oil in a large skillet with garlic. Add the onions. Sauté until the onions soften, about five minutes.

  

• Add the meatless meat – ground vegan beef and ground vegan sausage – and sauté for a couple of minutes to brown.

  

• Place the plum tomatoes in a bowl and squish them to break with your fingers. Add to the skillet along with tomato paste and two cups of vegetable stock.

  

• Add the oregano, basil if using, red pepper flakes, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cook the sauce without covering for about 15 minutes or until it turns a bright orange-red. Turn off heat and check seasoning. Set aside.

  

Make the vegan ricotta cheese

• Place cashews in a food processor with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, salt and ground black pepper to taste, and water.

  

• Process for a couple of minutes until smooth. Set aside.

  

Cook lasagna noodles

• Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente but not mushy. You can skip this step if using no-boil noodles.

  

Assemble and bake lasagna

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 degrees Celsius.

• Spray a 12 X 9 inch lasagna pan or baking dish with cooking spray or oil. Ladle out a cup of marinara sauce into the pan and spread evenly. Layer on four sheets of the noodles into the bottom of the pan.

  

• Layer on one-fourth of the meat sauce over the lasagna noodles followed by one-fourth of the cashew parmesan.

  

• Follow this by a layer of one-fourth of the vegan mozzarella, then one-fourth of the vegan ricotta.

  

• Repeat the layers until you have built up three layers of the noodles, marinara and the cheeses. Over the fourth and final layer of lasagna noodles, layer the remaining marinara, parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella.

  

• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, place the lasagna pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake the lasagna another 30 minutes until bubbly and hot. Let the lasagna stand at least 15 minutes to firm up, then cut and serve.

  

• If using no-boil noodles, see FAQs above.
• Some lasagna boxes have 18 noodles, others have just 14 or 15. You need 16 noodles for this recipe, but if you fall short of one or two noodles, no need to open another box. Just use fewer noodles for the middle layers and no one will know!
• If you want more veggies in the lasagna, cut down the meatless meat by half and add a roasted, diced eggplant or finely diced noodles to the marinara sauce.
• Use lentils instead of the meatless meat. Add 28 oz, or roughly two cans, of brown lentils to the marinara instead of the meat.