The Best Vegan Lasagna Recipe

The Best Vegan Lasagna Recipe

This vegan lasagna is perfect for fall, the holidays, or anytime! The tasty vegan bolognese sauce is packed with plant-based ingredients that pair perfectly with this healthy lasagna. It’s the best lasagna recipe there is!

Jump To Recipe

This vegan lasagna is perfect for fall, the holidays, or anytime! The tasty vegan bolognese sauce is packed with plant-based veggies that pair perfectly with this healthy lasagna. It’s the best lasagna recipe there is!

There are three main components to this delicious vegan lasagna:

• Vegan bolognese sauce

• Vegan ricotta

• Lasagna

While making vegetarian lasagna at home may seem like a daunting task, it’s actually much simpler than you may think. Most of the work is dedicated to making the vegan bolognese sauce, but the work is well worth it. To cut down on time, I recommend making the vegan ricotta cheese while the sauce is cooking.

Got a question about this vegan lasagna? Send me an email or reach out to me on Instagram! Here are answers to some common lasagna questions that you may have:

Are lasagna noddles vegan?

Most lasagna noodles are vegan, yes. I recommend checking the ingredients list on your lasagna noodles when you buy them, as some do contain egg.

Should I boil my lasagna pasta before cooking?

From what I’ve learned, whether or not you want to boil your lasagna noodles first really depends on the wetness of your sauce. Some lasagna recipes don’t call for boiling the lasagna noodles beforehand because the sauce is very wet and the noodles essentially cook in the sauce while baking.

However, if you don’t boil your lasagna noodles you may run the risk of having hard, crispy noodles, so I always recommend boiling your lasagna noodles before using them for this recipe. Boiling your noodles makes them more plump and tender, too. There are no-boil lasagna noodles out there that claim you can skip the boiling step, but I have not experimented with those types of noodles.

Will lasagna noodles finish cooking in the oven?

Yup! I recommend boiling your lasagna pasta until they are al dente. That way, they can retain some of their ‘bite’ and they won’t be soggy, either. If your noodles are a little below al dente, they will finish cooking completely in the oven.

Why is my lasagna watery?

The liquid for any lasagna recipe comes from the accompanying bolognese sauce. Rest assured that the recipe for this vegan bolognese results in a thick sauce that is not watery, thus you shouldn’t have any issues with watery lasagna if you follow this recipe to a T.

Liquidy lasagna isn’t the worst thing ever (it just comes down to personal preference), but if you do find that your lasagna is too watery for your liking, simply remove the foil and continue to bake it for about 10-20 minutes to help the moisture evaporate.

What cheese should I use for this vegan lasagna?

I recommend using homemade vegan ricotta cheese for this plant based lasagna recipe. The full recipe for the vegan ricotta cheese is included below. It’s VERY easy to make–you can whip it up in no time while your sauce is cooking!

How many layers are in this lasagna recipe?

My lasagna has four layers, which required twelve lasagna noodles total. This may be adjusted depending on the size of your pan. I used an 8”x11” baking pan, but 9”x13” is more common.

How will I know when my lasagna is done?

You’ll know your vegetarian lasagna is done when the top looks set, and the sauce is cooked through.

Can lasagna be frozen?

Yes, lasagna can be frozen! Once the lasagna is cooked and cooled, slice it up and wrap each piece in wax or parchment paper. Place them in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and store them in the freezer.

To reheat frozen lasagna, thaw each piece in the fridge overnight, then microwave for a few minutes until warmed through.

Print

With ImageWithout Image

The Best Vegan Lasagna Recipe

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

This vegan lasagna is perfect for fall, the holidays, or anytime! The tasty vegan bolognese sauce is packed with plant-based veggies that pair perfectly with this healthy lasagna. It’s the best lasagna recipe there is!

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 large carrots, minced
• 8 oz mushrooms, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 c vegetable stock
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup bulgur, hemp hearts, or quinoa
• 1/4 cup non-dairy plant milk
• 1 c lentils, cooked
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, or salt, to taste

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

• 1 1/2 c raw cashews, soaked overnight*
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tsp salt, to taste
• 1/2 c water

Lasagna

• 12 lasagna sheets**
• Shredded vegan cheese, optional
• 2 tbsp chopped basil

Instructions

Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium heat. Cook the garlic, onion, and carrots for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
2. Add the mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes.
3. Add the bay leaf, Italian seasoning, and 1/2 c of the vegetable stock. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, scraping up any bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, and bulgur, hemp hearts, or quinoa (depending on what you're using). Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
5. Now, add the remaining vegetable stock, lentils, plant milk, and soy sauce or salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low heat and cover the saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes. Check on the sauce periodically to add water if it starts to get too thick.
6. Taste the sauce and add more salt or Italian seasoning, as needed.

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor, and blend until smooth.
2. Taste the ricotta and adjust for salt, if needed.

Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
2. Spray two baking sheets with non-stick spray. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions. Drain the pasta, rinse them with cold water, and lay them individually on the baking sheets. This will keep them from sticking together while you assemble the lasagna.
4. Spoon 1/2 c of the vegan bolognese sauce into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish. Place three lasagna sheets on top. Spoon about 1/2 c of the sauce on top of the pasta, spreading so it's even. Top with about 1/4 c of the vegan ricotta.
5. Repeat so there are four layers total. When you get to the top layer, cover the noodles with sauce and the vegan shredded cheese, if using, and the chopped basil.
6. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until the lasagna is light brown and cooked through. Because the sauce is thick, it may not bubble.
7. Serve warm, or freeze*** and enjoy for weeks!

Notes

Adapted From: Gastroplant

*If you don't want to soak your cashews overnight, you can simply cover them in boiling water and let them sit for 15 minutes to soften them.

**I used 12 lasagna sheets for my pan, resulting in four layers. You may need more or less depending on the size of your pan.

***To freeze your cooked lasagna, cool it completely, and then slice it into squares and wrap each piece in wax or parchment paper. Place them in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and store them in the freezer. To reheat, simply thaw them in the fridge overnight and then microwave them until warmed through.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @saltnsprinkles on instagram and hashtag it # saltnsprinkles