The BEST Vegan Lasagna
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This easy Vegan Lasagna is the best comfort food, with layers of cashew tofu ricotta, marinara, spinach, and vegan mozzarella throughout. It comes together in under an hour and is perfect for holidays, weeknight dinners, and more!
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
Best comfort food – Noodles, marinara, vegan ricotta, spinach, and melted vegan mozzarella in every bite? I dream about comfort food like this!
Vegan! Thanks to the protein-packed cashew and tofu ricotta and classic Italian-inspired flavors, this dairy- and meat-free lasagna is every bit as satisfying as the non-vegan version.
So easy – I make this lasagna for both weeknight dinners and holidays because it’s so easy to prep and make ahead of time.
Table of Contents
Growing up, there was one meal I asked for every year on my birthday. Believe it or not, that meal was lasagna. Pasta layered with ricotta and marinara sauce? Yes, please!
These days, my stomach doesn’t agree with regular ricotta cheese, so I opt for alternatives, like my cottage cheese lasagna, a protein-packed lentil lasagna, or this classic vegan lasagna that tastes just like the real (dairy-full) deal.
I’ll take any opportunity to serve this dairy-free lasagna at holidays, family dinners, or anytime we need a little more creamy, cheesy deliciousness in our lives. It’s made with a SUPER creamy and satisfying tofu ricotta, jarred marinara sauce, and a handful of spinach for extra nutrition. Baked with a layer of vegan mozzarella on top, it’s a high-protein and dreamy comfort food everyone (even non-vegans) happens to love.
Dairy-Free Lasagna Ingredients
Lasagna noodles – I boiled the noodles before assembling the lasagna. Feel free to use oven-ready noodles if that’s what you already have on hand.
Marinara sauce – My recipe calls for store-bought marinara sauce, so use your favorite kind!
Vegan mozzarella cheese – It just wouldn’t be lasagna without a layer of ooey gooey dairy-free mozzarella cheese on top. I used store-bought shredded “cheese.” Dollops of my homemade vegan mozzarella would be delicious, too!
Vegan ricotta cheese – My easy cashew ricotta is made in a food processor with raw cashews, firm tofu, nutritional yeast, garlic, dried herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. It should also work with blanched almonds if you happen to be out of cashews.
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Variations
- Gluten-free – Make this with gluten-free lasagna noodles instead.
- Nut-free – I haven’t tested it, but the vegan ricotta should work with an equal amount of sunflower seeds instead of cashews. Or, try using 2 blocks of tofu instead.
- Add vegetables – In addition to the spinach, assemble the lasagna with layers of thinly sliced zucchini, yellow squash, or carrot ribbons. Even a medley of frozen vegetables would be great!
- “Meat” sauce – Combine the marinara sauce with your favorite store-bought vegan ground beef for a “meaty” twist.
- Lentil lasagna – You can also combine the sauce with 1 cup of the cooked lentils of your choice (French, red, brown, green, etc.) for extra protein.
- White lasagna – Feel free to swap the marinara for my dairy-free béchamel sauce if you’d rather make a vegan white lasagna.
How to Make Vegan Lasagna
Step 1: Cook the noodles. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, then drain and rinse them with cold water.
Step 2: Make the cashew ricotta. Blend the soaked cashews, tofu, nutritional yeast, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. With the motor running, pour the olive oil in through the top and continue pulsing until you have a smooth cheese.
Step 3: Assemble the lasagna. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Place 3 noodles on top, then spread some of the ricotta over the top. Add some of the spinach and top with 2/3 cup of marinara. Repeat this process again.
Step 4: Add the cheese. Add the final 3 noodles to the top layer, along with the remaining ricotta and marinara. Sprinkle the shredded vegan cheese on top.
Step 5: Bake. Bake the lasagna until it’s bubbly and the cheese is melted. Slice and enjoy with vegan garlic bread on the side!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- No need to press the tofu for the tofu ricotta! Just break it up and add it right to the food processor. The excess moisture in the tofu helps smooth out the cheese.
- There are two ways to soak cashews: the long way and the fast way. You can soak them in water overnight (the long way) or pour boiling water over them in a heat-proof bowl and let them soak for 20 minutes (the fast way).
- Rinsing the cooked lasagna noodles under cold running water will prevent them from sticking together.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Let the lasagna cool for at least 15 minutes after baking. It’ll firm up as it cools and give you less messy slices this way.
Lasagna FAQs
You sure can. Assemble the lasagna as normal, then cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate it overnight or freeze it for up to 1 month. Defrost it in the fridge for 24 hours before baking.
You can bake it uncovered. If the top layer of cheese or the edges are starting to brown before it’s done, you can loosely cover it with a layer of foil.
Storage
Refrigerator: Keep the leftover lasagna or individual slices covered and in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: After it cools, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month. You can also slice the lasagna into portions and place them into freezer-safe bags. Thaw the leftovers overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: The defrosted/leftover lasagna reheats well in a 350ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes. You can also microwave individual slices for 1 to 2 minutes each.
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
The BEST Vegan Lasagna
Video
Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups spinach
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
For the ricotta:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked or boiled
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 block firm tofu, don’t press! Just drain liquid from container
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- If the cashews are already soaked then skip this step. Otherwise, place them in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or until they’ve softened; drain and set aside.
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, then drain them and run cold water over them so they don’t stick together.
- Add the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and lemon juice to a food processor. Break the tofu up into small chunks and add it as well, then blend. With the motor running, pour the olive oil in through the top and continue pulsing until everything is combined. You want the mixture to be thick but spreadable. If it seems TOO thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Next, assemble the lasagna: spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan, then place 3 noodles on top. Spread some of the ricotta overtop, then add 1 ½ cups of spinach on top, then ⅔ cup of marinara. Repeat this same step again.
- Last, add the final 3 noodles, followed by the remaining ricotta, then the rest of the marinara sauce. Sprinkle the shredded vegan cheese on top.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Curious, can I make this in advance and freeze it? Or should I bake it prior to freezing?
I’d prep it then freeze it, then once you’re ready to eat it you can bake it. Otherwise, if you bake it and then freeze, it could get mushy.
This ricotta was amazing. I did use a little less nutritional yeast because of the reviews. I could have used the full amount I am sure just fine but cutting back by 25% worked well. I found that with the noodles I used I had to cook for an extra 10 minutes.
I LOVED this recipe! The nutritional yeast blended right in and didn’t stand out at all. I added squash and zucchini, and next time I think I will add even more veggies but I loved the ricotta and the basic recipe is wonderful! Thank you!
The tofu ricotta is so good! I added only half of the recommended nutritional yeast. When it’s all blended together, the ricotta tastes pretty good, but then you bake it with everything else and it’s incredible. My friend shared the recipe with me and she recommended adding squash and zucchini (which I baked before adding to the lasagna). Delicious! I’ve made this three times now!
Thanks for the comment, Tal — so glad you like the recipe!
An ungodly amount of nutritional yeast, completely overpowered the cheese.
Hi Rachel — sorry you feel that way. It does sound like a lot, but for the amount of “cheese” used in lasagna, it really isn’t. Plus, the nutritional yeast is what gives it flavor; otherwise, it just tastes like cashews.
I usually make my ricotta with just cashews but the tofu seems to make it really creamy… I’m gonna have to try this!
It definitely does! Let me know if you try it.