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The epitome of comfort food, this Vegan Lasagna has 4 dreamy layers of savory marinara, creamy 'ricotta', ribboned noodles & sautéed veggies.
As promised, I'm back with a soul-warming meal to use with the Creamy Vegan Ricotta Cheese that I posted last week. And what's a better fit than this Vegan Lasagna?
Creamy cheese layers wrapped up with oodles of noodles? There's just nothing better! Now tie that all together with your favorite marinara, meaty mushrooms, and vibrant spinach. It's THE quintessential comfort food!
Vegan lasagna is by far, the best dish to make for a large crowd, so it's perfect for potlucks and holiday parties. One large casserole dish can feed about 8-10 people.
It's so hearty, filling, and comforting, that one piece will probably be enough. Pair it with a big family-style salad and everyone will be satisfied!
How to assemble Vegan Lasagna
Putting together lasagna looks intimidating, but it's quite easy to put together. Just boil your noodles, prepare your filling and get your sauce ready.
I love homemade sauce but often used jarred sauce because it's just so easy and still delicious. Rao's Marinara is one of my favorites to use. However, feel free to make your own if preferred. You can also use my Vegan Bolognese Sauce for an extra meaty texture.
Have everything ready in front of you before you begin. It doesn't have to look perfect because the magic will happen in your oven. So, have fun with it!
- STEP 1 - To a 9x13 casserole dish, add a layer of sauce to the bottom and spread it out evenly.
- STEP 2 - Add a single layer of cooked lasagna noodles (5 noodles). I like to overlap them slightly (*see photo above). You will need to cut one of the noodles to fit width-wise.
- STEP 3 - Now add ½ of your vegan ricotta cheese and spread it out evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- STEP 4 - Add ½ of the spinach and mushroom mixture in an even layer.
- STEP 5 - Cover the veggies with another layer of sauce.
- STEP 6 - Now repeat each step until everything is gone (starting with the sauce). The last layer of noodles will only have sauce on top (last photo). I like to sprinkle it with vegan parmesan cheese. Feel free to leave it plain or top it with store-bought or homemade vegan mozzarella cheese.
How to cook lasagna
This vegan lasagna is super easy to cook once you assemble it. Here's how to do it:
- Cover casserole loosely with foil and bake at 400° F for 30-40 minutes until heated throughout. Now uncover and bake for 15 minutes to make it crispy & lightly brown on top.
- If you want a crispier top after that, you can turn on the broiler for 2-4 minutes, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Cut with a knife and remove with a spatula.
Tips for the best lasagna
- Lasagna Noodles - you'll only need 15 but I make the whole box in case some break apart.
- The spinach seems like a lot but it will cook down considerably. Make sure to cook it down well to avoid a watery lasagna.
- Some jarred sauce can be watery which could make your lasagna watery. I prefer homemade or a thick jarred sauce like Rao's Marinara. If your sauce seems watery, you can thicken it up by stirring in 2-3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and heating it on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. You can also use cornstarch to thicken instead. Make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix them together and add to the simmering sauce. Whisk well and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- I like my lasagna saucy so I add it generously. Feel free to use less.
What to serve with Vegan Lasagna
Lasagna is a very filling meal so you don't really need anything else. However, if you want to have a family-style Italian feast, here are some suggestions:
- This Vegan Caesar Salad goes perfectly and adds tons of freshness and flavor to the meal.
- For added protein, these Vegan Meatballs will go perfectly nestled in warmed sauce and served on the side.
- If want to have a large feast, this Eggplant Rollatini would be another great addition.
- This Artisan Bread served with vegan butter will pull everything together. I highly recommend it!
- Don't forget the wine! This vegan lasagna goes perfectly with white wine. I prefer chardonnay.
More comfort meals to try
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would make my day!
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Recipe
Vegan Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 batch vegan ricotta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or preferred oil)
- 1 large onion , finely diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound mushrooms , sliced or diced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes , optional
- 12 cups fresh spinach (loosely packed) rough chopped (about 14 oz)
- Salt , to taste
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- 2 25 ounce jars of marinara sauce , a thicker variety (*see note)
- 15 lasagna noodles (*see note)
Recommended Equipment
- 1 9X13 Casserole Dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C)
- To a large pot of salted boiling water, add your lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente and according to package directions (usually about 7 minutes). Drain and rinse with cool water to prevent cooking. Drizzle with oil to prevent sticking and gently toss to coat.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until softened and lightly golden. About 5-6 minutes
- Add garlic, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper then sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms and cook until they have released their liquid, reduced their size, and are lightly golden (the pan should be almost dry). About 7-9 minutes.
- Now add the spinach and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. You want to cook it until the liquid is released and cooked off. The spinach will reduce in size quite a bit too. About 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste for seasoning and add if needed
Assembly (*step-by-step photos above)
- To a 9x13 casserole dish, add a layer of sauce to the bottom and spread out evenly.
- Now add a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce (5 noodles). I like to overlap them slightly. You will need to cut one of the noodles to fit width-wise.
- Now add ½ of the vegan ricotta cheese on top of the noodles and spread it out evenly with a spatula or back of a spoon.
- Add ½ of the spinach and mushroom mixture on top of the ricotta in an even layer.
- Now repeat each step until everything is gone (starting with the sauce). The last layer of noodles will only have sauce on top. I like to sprinkle it with vegan parmesan cheese. Feel free to leave it plain or top it with homemade vegan mozzarella cheese (or store-bought).
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, until heated throughout. Now uncover and bake for 15 minutes to make it crispy and lightly browned on top. * After that, if you want a crispier top, you can turn on the broiler for 2-4 minutes. *Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Cut with a knife and remove with a spatula. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lasagna Noodles - you'll only need 15 but I make the whole box in case some break apart.
- The spinach seems like a lot but it will cook down considerably
- Some jarred sauce can be watery which could make your lasagna watery. I prefer homemade or a thick jarred sauce like Rao's Marinara. If your sauce seems watery, you can thicken it up by stirring in 2-3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and heating it on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. You can also use cornstarch to thicken instead. Make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Mix them together and add to the simmering sauce. Whisk well and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- I like my lasagna saucy so I add it generously. Feel free to use less.
- Nutritional info includes my vegan ricotta cheese recipe.
Harper
Made this lasagna because I had been to Costco and had a bunch of mushrooms and spinach I needed to finish off. Although I am plant based, my husband is not, but since he doesn't cook, well....
It came out great and was loved by all. I am freezing about half of it for another night, which I love to do. Thanks for the great recipe and great directions, not everyone is good at that last part.
Melissa Huggins
You're most welcome! I'm so glad you loved the recipe and found the instructions helpful. That's so important to me. 🙂
Krista
I cannot have soy, so won't be able to use your recipe to make the ricotta.
I make a vegan ricotta from cashews and almonds. How much of this would I need to use to sub for yours?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Krista, I use about 3 1/2 cups which is a generous amount.
Emily H.
I’m having a hard time finding a good blender to smooth out the mixture. I have a Ninja but the mixture still ends up choppy. Do you think soaking the almonds for a few hours helps make them more soft and malleable?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Emily, I have a Vitamix for 12 years and it was the best investment. Still works like a champ! They are expensive though but you can find refurbished ones.
For the ricotta, I use cashews which soften much easier and quicker than almonds. For cashews I soak them for 2-4 hours and slivered almonds about 12 hours. However, the almonds still might not break down well in the Ninja. Can you use cashews?
Emma
I made this for Christmas for my non-vegan family and everyone loved it. Great recipe 🙂
Melissa Huggins
Hi Emma, I'm so happy everyone loved it. Hope you had a Merry Christmas! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback. 🙂