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The Best Vegan Lasagna

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4.2 from 4 reviews

This vegan lasagna is the ultimate comfort food made easy! It layers tender, uncooked lasagna noodles with a hearty red lentil marinara, creamy cashew-tofu ricotta, fresh spinach, and bubbly vegan mozzarella cheese baked to perfection. No need to pre-cook the noodles, making it a convenient, delicious, and satisfying plant-based meal perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

For the Lentil Marinara:

  • 1 cup dried red lentils
  • 2 (25-ounce) jars marinara sauce

For the Cashew-Tofu Ricotta:

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 14.5 ounce firm tofu, patted dry
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Additional Ingredients:

  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 1 box lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles) – regular, gluten free, or whole grain
  • 2–3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese (store-bought or homemade Easy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese)

Instructions

  1. Cook the Lentils: Add 1 cup dried red lentils and 3 cups water to a medium pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain well using a fine strainer. Return lentils to the pot and stir in the marinara sauce thoroughly. Set aside this lentil marinara mixture.
  2. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) to prepare for baking the lasagna.
  3. Make the Cashew-Tofu Ricotta: Place cashews in a food processor and pulse until finely crumbly. Add tofu chunks, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder. Pulse again until the mixture is smooth and well combined. If the blend is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to achieve a creamy ricotta consistency. Set aside.
  4. Assemble the Lasagna: Spread about 1 cup of lentil marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a large 9×13 inch casserole dish. Layer 4-5 uncooked lasagna noodles on top. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then add half of the spinach. Spoon about 1 cup more of lentil marinara over the spinach. Add another 4-5 noodles layer, followed by the remaining ricotta and then the rest of the spinach. Top this with the last 4-5 noodles and pour the remaining lentil marinara sauce evenly over the top.
  5. Bake Covered: Tightly cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
  6. Add the Vegan Mozzarella: While baking, prepare your vegan mozzarella cheese if making homemade. After 40 minutes, carefully remove the foil. Spread or sprinkle 2-3 cups of vegan mozzarella cheese evenly over the lasagna.
  7. Bake Uncovered: Return the lasagna to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and turn lightly golden.
  8. Rest and Serve: Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. This helps the layers set for easier slicing.
  9. Storage Tips: Leftover lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. For freezing, assemble but do not bake, then cool and wrap well for the freezer. Thaw overnight before reheating in a 350°F oven until heated through. Individual slices freeze and reheat well too.

Notes

  • Meaty Lasagna: Substitute vegan ground beef like Beyond or Impossible Burger for the lentils. Cook the vegan ground beef in a pan, then mix with marinara and proceed with the layering instructions.
  • Veggie Additions: Enhance with roasted vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, butternut squash, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes layered alongside spinach.
  • Nut-Free Version: Omit cashews and add an extra block of tofu for the ricotta. Use nut-free vegan cheese shreds on top, and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Lasagna Noodles: Regular, gluten free, or whole wheat noodles all work without pre-cooking due to ample sauce. Using no-boil noodles or pre-cooking them may require less sauce and shorter baking time (30-40 minutes).
  • Freezing: Can freeze before or after baking. Thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F until warm through.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/the-best-vegan-lasagna/