The Ultimate Vegetable Vegan Lasagna
The Ultimate Vegan Lasagna is loaded with veggies, spinach-‘ricotta’, and your favorite pasta sauce for a hearty, comforting, and absolutely amazing whole food, plant-based lasagna!
Lasagna is one of my favorite warm and cozy comfort foods. And we absolutely find this veggie-filled vegan lasagna to be the BEST!
Why We Love This Recipe!
- It’s easy to make and on the table in about 1 hour! Plus, you can make it ahead, freeze it, and bake it when ready!
- Hearty and rich in protein! Just one serving of this vegan lasagna gives you 24 grams of protein. That’s 48% of the daily recommended protein requirements!
- Made with basic easy-to-find ingredients! You’ll find lots of simple, fresh vegetables in this veggie lasagna. Along with a fantastic spinach-ricotta and ‘your’ favorite pasta sauce for a lasagna worth eating and repeating!
It REALLY is The Ultimate Vegetable Lasagna. At least I see it that way, and it’s plant-based perfection for this lasagna-loving family!
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this WFPB recipe, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and squash are cooked until tender and layered with spinach ‘ricotta’, pasta sauce, and wide noodles creating layers of deliciousness for the best vegan lasagna!
Here is everything you’ll need:
- Zucchini – Low cost and available year-round, zucchini is a nutritious addition to vegetable lasagna.
- Yellow Squash – We love the additional color, but you can substitute it with zucchini. Cubed eggplant would also be delicious.
- Carrots – Another nutrient-dense veggie that’s easily accessible. Feel free to use extra to replace any other vegetable.
- Onion – We used yellow onion, but any color will work well.
- Garlic – Fresh is best, but you can sub with 1 – 2 teaspoons of garlic powder when needed.
- Mushrooms – We love the meaty texture of mushrooms, but diced red bell pepper is a good substitute.
- Spinach – We used fresh and frozen spinach that has been thawed before use with excellent results.
- Vegan ricotta – I’m partial to my amazing Cashew Ricotta, but our nut-free Tofu Ricotta is also amazing!
- Lasagna noodles – Use regular or no-boil noodles for ease.
- Pasta sauce – Make our homemade marinara sauce or use your favorite store-bought brand (pref sugar-free).
- Italian seasoning – Sub with thyme, basil, and/or marjoram.
- Olive oil – Use your preferred neutral flavored oil or water during saute time.
- Salt + pepper – As always, salt and pepper to taste!
Why Use Cashew ‘Ricotta’?
The cashew ricotta is an amazing replacement for dairy ricotta in this vegan lasagna and many other recipes calling for ricotta. It does a great job, and I know once you try cashew ricotta, you’ll never return to the dairy version. It’s wonderfully creamy, delicious, and SO easy to make!
I know cashews can be expensive, but when you break it down, it’s about the same cost as dairy cheese. To keep the cost low, I buy my cashews in the bulk section (pref when on sale), at Trader Joe’s, or online from Amazon.
How to Make Vegetable Vegan Lasagna
- Cook noodles. Start by cooking the noodles according to the package directions and set them aside. If using no-boil lasagna noodles, skip this step.
- Saute Veggies. Next, saute veggies, which takes about 10 – 12 minutes.
- Make spinach ricotta. Mix the spinach and vegan ricotta while the veggies are cooking.
- Layer. There are three noodle layers. 1. Spread a little sauce on the bottom of the dish, add a layer of pasta, and top with 1/2 ricotta cheese and 1/2 of the vegetables. 2. Add another layer of pasta, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, the rest of the ricotta, and vegetables. 3. Add one more layer of pasta and top with the remaining sauce.
- Bake. Place, covered, on the center rack of a preheated oven set at 375 degrees F. and bake for 40 minutes. Let rest covered for 5 minutes, remove the cover, and let cool for 10 minutes. Above is what it will look like once baked.
Serving Suggestions
This savory, veggie-filled lasagna can stand alone as a meal, but it’s also terrific with a little something on the side. Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Toppings: Give your lasagna a finished look with a sprinkle of almond parmesan and fresh chopped basil (shown above).
- Salad: Serve with Vegan Caesar Salad, or a simple Green Salad + Lemon Tahini Dressing or use this Flax + Evo Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Soup: Pair with a bowl of Vegan Minestrone Soup or Creamy Asparagus + Red Lentil Soup.
- Bread: Pair it with a chunk of homemade crusty Artisan Bread, bread sticks, or soft and chewy Vegan Naan for swiping up the last bits.
How To Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a covered container. It’s also great for meal prep using these multi-use glass containers (affiliate link).
Reheat: Individual slices can be warmed in the microwave. To reheat larger portions, preheat the oven to 425 F. Add between 2 – 4 tablespoons of water over the lasagna (depending on its size) and cover. Alternatively, add 1/4 cup marinara sauce to prevent dryness. Bake for 25 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbly.
Can You Freeze Vegan Lasagna?
Yes! To make ahead and freeze, prepare the lasagna ahead of time (up until baking), and keep it stored in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375, and bake covered for 45 minutes.
Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles.
- Oil-free: When sautéing, use water or vegetable broth instead of oil, as noted in the recipe card.
- Soy-free: Use Cashew Ricotta.
- Nut-free: Use Tofu Ricotta. Using this ricotta will alter the nutritional calculation.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes!
- Spinach-Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese with Peas
- Simple Cheese Manicotti
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Quick & Easy Vegetable Spaghetti
- Vegan Goulash
If you make this WFPB lasagna recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintTHE ULTIMATE VEGETABLE VEGAN LASAGNA
Vegetable Vegan Lasagna is filled with tons of simple veggies and the best-ever cashew ricotta cheese for a hearty and filling meal everyone will love! And no one will ever know it’s dairy-free!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 9
- Category: Entree, Pasta
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: Vegan, Italian
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water (for water saute)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots (2 cups), diced
- 1 zucchini (2 cups), diced
- 1 yellow squash (2 cups), diced
- 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or thyme, basil or marjoram), optional
- 1 package (10 – 12 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 jar (25 – 28 oz.) pasta sauce, about 3 cups
- 9 lasagna noodles (approx.), regular or no-boil
- 2 cups vegan ricotta (Cashew Ricotta Cheese or Tofu Ricotta)
- salt & pepper, to taste
To Serve
- almond parmesan, for garnish
- fresh basil leaves, julienned, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Noodles: Cook noodles according to package directions, set aside. If using no boil lasagna noodles like I did there is no need to cook first.
Saute Veggies: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and garlic, saute for about 5 minutes. Add carrots, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, herbs/seasonings and good pinch of salt and pepper, continue to saute for another 5 – 7 minutes. We don’t need to saute the zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms too much, we want their juices to fully release while baking. Remove from heat.
Spinach Ricotta: Mix together the cashew ricotta and spinach, mix well.
Assemble & Layer: Using a large rectangular baking dish (9 x 12) place about 1/3 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish spreading to coat, add a layer of pasta, top with 1/2 ricotta cheese and 1/2 vegetables. Add another layer of pasta, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, then the rest of the ricotta, then vegetables. Add one more layer of pasta and top with the remaining sauce. Cover with lid, small silpat or foil.
Bake: Cover and bake on the center rack for 40 minutes. Let rest covered for 5 minutes, remove cover and let cool 10 minutes. If not using no-boil noodles, you can remove the cover half way through for a baked look.
To Serve: Add a sprinkle of Almond Parmesan and a bit of freshly chopped basil overtop.
Serves 9
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days, in a covered container.
Notes
They veggies are more of a ‘summer’ variety, but you easily change them up using fall produce.
If you feel you want extra protein, add a can of white beans (drained and rinsed) or a package of fresh or thawed frozen peas in between the ricotta and vegetables.
For homemade pasta, try this quick and easy Marinara Sauce recipe.
If you don’t care for mushrooms, sub in a diced, large red bell pepper.
Make ahead and freeze: Simply prepare the lasagna ahead of time (up until baking), and keep it stored in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375, bake covered for 45 minutes.
Reheat: Individual slices can be warmed in the microwave. To reheat larger portions, preheat the oven to 425 F. Add between 2 – 4 tablespoons of water over the lasagna (depending on its size) and cover. Alternatively, add 1/4 cup marinara sauce to prevent dryness. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot and bubbly.
Updated: The Ultimate Vegetable Lasagna was originally published in September 2015. It has been updated with new photos and helpful tips in January 2020. The only change made to the recipe was adding garlic.
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We tried this recipe (I am gluten-free dairy-free for now) and loved it! We used to do a traditional (although vegetarian) version of lasagna, and I must say we all preferred this one. Really we couldn’t tell it was cashew cheese in it, but I guess it’s better to keep the portions on the smaller side and serve it with a fresh green salad (it was near impossible not to take a second serving…) Also very glad to have a vegetarian recipe without tofu/soy.
It’s amazing that it you can’t tell the cheese is made from cashews. A fresh salad is a perfect side to this. So glad you loved it! Cheers
Ok for any skeptics like me out there, I just want you all to know I am a big meat and dairy eater but I cut dairy out recently to see if my infant’s GI issues would improve.
This lasagna is the bomb. IT’S AMAZING.
Vegan ricotta does not exist in rural grocery stores so I looked up other recipes and decided to substitute with plain hummus.
I added some scrambled egg for extra protein and this was a good choice for me, it blended in and didn’t effect taste.
I cut the carrots because when I made it, I had a lot of carrots that week and didn’t want it in my lasagna.
I think the mushrooms were my favorite part of the recipe. Thank you, this lasagna is fantastic.
I can’t wait to try this today! I became vegan not too long ago and transforming from eating meat to no animal products at all is hard. But now I don’t think i’ll ever run out of ideas, big thanks to this blog. You are awesome!
Thank you so much! That is what I’m striving for, a good well-rounded vegan resource! I know you’re going to absolutely love this!! Cheers :)
It looks great! FYI you do not need to precook regular lasagna noodles either. Also, kale can just be layered raw between the layers. I remove the stems first.
I just made this tonight, I’ve never made lasagne before. It’s really good! A really tasty, clean dinner. It was more work than I usually put forth, but I’m planning to freeze some of it. The cashew ricotta is SO GOOD! I think it might even fool non vegans, but I haven’t had dairy in so long I’m probably not a good judge. I’m seeing manicotti in my future! I used brown rice pastaand it worked really well. Love your blog, thanks!
Thank you Alys! I love this lasagne too and it will definitely please your non-vegan friends. Cheers :)
I normally get irritated with people who comment without first trying the recipe…. but I’m just excited you posted this, because I’d been meaning to experiment with a lasagna with cashew “ricotta’ since having enjoyed your mac n cheese cashew cheese so much. And now you’ve done the hard work of testing. Thank you! I will make soon.
Wondering what yuppy think if adding temphe or tofu worth the spinach for the ricotta? Just think cashew idea is fatfattening.
This really isn’t too fattening once broken down into the 8 servings. You figure in 1/4 cup of cashews there are 160 calories, 12 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. That measures out to 120 calories, 9 grams of fat and 3.75 grams of protein per serving. Not too bad at all! You could easily eat 2 servings and be ok. One serving has less fat than a serving of potato chips. If you’re very concerned just limit the fats from everything else you’ll eat that day. Don’t be afraid of cashews, they are delicious in this recipe! But if your still not sold, do a quick google search and I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for. Cheers :)
I made this for dinner and my omni husband said it was good and had seconds. I didn’t use carrots and only had fresh spinach so that’s what I used. I think many combos of veggies would do — the key ingredient is the cashew ricotta. Yummy! Thank you for the inventive recipes!
Yay, I’m so glad it was a success! I agree… many combos of veggies would work here. I just made this again today and added some fresh peas I had on hand and it was delicious. Cheers to good eats and cashew ricotta! :)
I think no-bake Lasagna noodles are not generally vegan… I made the mistake once myself recently on my first time making lasagna. Just bought the regular lasagna noodles for my next attempt. Love all the veggies in your version!
Oh my, I think you’re right. I thought I looked at the package but I must’ve missed it. (face palm) I suppose it’s regular noodles from now on! Thank you so much for pointing that out…I should’ve known better. :)
Hi Greetings from the UK. The lasagna looks amazing. I’ve just moved house so only reading recipes until sorted out! This is on my list to make eventually! Quick question would fresh baby spinach leaves work? If so how much do you think you would need & should I steam and squeeze dry and then add. Thank you for your fab recipes.
Congrats on your move, I hope you get settled in soon! Yes, fresh baby spinach would be great here. I would suggest using about 10 oz., just steam it down to completely wilted and chop, drain off any excess water (doesn’t have to be super dry some juices are good) and mix with cashew ricotta as directed. If you rather, you can mix it in with the other veggies or spread it over top in between the layer of ricotta and vegetables. Enjoy!
Thanks Julie for taking the time out to answer my question. I look forward to trying your recipe out when I have done with unpacking ;-)
I LOVE lasagna but rarely make it because it’s always a big project with a million ingredients……and somehow, you make it seem so simple. :) Thank you, this looks delicious, will be making it soon!
Thank you Jessica! It really is pretty simple. I’m looking forward to more of these in the future! Cheers :)