I don’t say this lightly… This is the BEST and EASIEST vegan lasagna recipe! Layered with a rich marinara, creamy ricotta, spinach, noodles and topped with ooey-gooey vegan mozzarella cheese. No need to pre-cook the noodles!
After 400+ 5-star reviews, it’s safe to say that this is the BEST vegan lasagna recipe ever!
If you love lasagna as much as I do, make sure to check out my Vegan White Lasagna and Butternut Squash Lasagna.
I’ve tried so many different recipes for vegan lasagna; some with veggies throughout and others made with vegan meat. Finally, I came up with this winning version that emphasizes comforting and ultra-satisfying bites using healthy, nourishing ingredients, like cashews, red lentils, and spinach. It’s also easy to put together and make ahead of time, so you can add it to your weekly dinner menu!
My vegan lentil lasagna layers red lentil marinara sauce, vegan ricotta cheese, and spinach in between tender lasagna noodles. Pour my homemade Vegan Mozzarella Cheese on top for extra cheesy bites, then bake until bubbly.
Why is this vegan lasagna the best?
- The ultimate comfort food: Despite its healthy and nourishing ingredients, this lasagna has comfort written all over it. Every bite is creamy, rich, and so satisfying.
- Make it ahead of time: Assemble the lasagna or bake it the day before serving! It even freezes well for months.
- Kid-friendly: I love vegan lasagna with zucchini, greens, and extra veggies. But my kids? Not so much. That’s why this meaty and hearty version hides the veggies so well. You can feel good about feeding your family a healthy meal while indulging in an ultra-comforting dinner!
- Packed with protein: The red lentils help to pack 26 grams of protein into every serving.
- Deceptively vegan! Vegan lasagna with cashew ricotta may be healthier than the traditional recipe, but you’d never know it. The cheesy and meaty bites are too good to pass up and are sure to fool the meat eaters in your life!
What kind of noodles are best for lasagna?
You don’t have to use no boil noodles for this lasagna even though we aren’t cooking them beforehand! I usually find no boil noodles have eggs in them anyhow. Regular lasagna noodles are what I typically use, and I have used many different shapes and brands over the years. They all work well. Gluten free lasagna noodles as well as whole wheat/whole grain work too! And trust me, you don’t have to pre-cook them!
I use extra sauce and layer it in strategically. With a longer baking time, the noodles cook up perfectly.
If you insist on using no boil noodles, that’s fine, but you won’t need to cook it for as long.
How to make vegan lasagna
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
First, cook the red lentils. Add the lentils and water to a saucepan on the stove and bring the water up to a boil. Simmer until the lentils are soft.
Drain the water and transfer the cooked lentils to a large bowl.
Pour the jars of marinara sauce into the bowl, then stir to combine.
Meanwhile, make the cashew-tofu ricotta by blending the cashews in a food processor until crumbly. Add the ripped tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, basil, oregano, and garlic powder. Pulse again until the “ricotta” is smooth. Or use my almond based Vegan Ricotta instead.
To start assembling the lasagna, pour 1 cup of the red lentil tomato sauce into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Spread it out to the edges with a spatula or spoon.
Next, add the first layer of uncooked lasagna noodles.
Spread half of the cashew ricotta cheese on top, then add half of the spinach.
Pour more of the marinara sauce over the spinach.
Add a second layer of lasagna noodles on top, then add the rest of the “ricotta” and spinach.
To finish, add the third and final layer of lasagna noodles on top of the spinach, then pour the rest of the sauce over top.
Cover the casserole dish with a layer of foil and bake the lasagna for 1 hour. After it’s done, let the lasagna cool before slicing and serving.
Alternatively, you can top the lasagna with Vegan Mozzarella Cheese at the 40-minute mark. Take the lasagna out of the oven, remove and discard the foil, and spoon the mozzarella (or vegan shredded cheese) all over the top. Place the lasagna back in the oven until it’s bubbly and gooey (about 20 minutes).
Let it cool for 15 minutes or so before slicing and serving.
Tips for success
- Use a marinara sauce that you enjoy the flavor of, or make your own from scratch like my Vegan Spaghetti Sauce.
- If the vegan ricotta isn’t as smooth as you like, blend in a splash of water at a time until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Are you adding more veggies to this lasagna? Hearty or watery vegetables, like mushrooms, potatoes, squash, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower, will need to be cooked ahead of time.
- Let the lasagna cool for at least 15 minutes out of the oven. This gives it time to firm up and set, which prevents the lasagna slices from falling apart and making a mess.
Vegan lasagna variations
Use these ideas to customize the lasagna for your taste buds or dietary restrictions:
- Meaty lasagna – I often substitute vegan ground beef for the lentils, such as Beyond or Impossible Meat. To do this, simply cook the vegan ground beef in a pan until it’s browned and cooked through, then stir in the marinara sauce and continue the recipe as normal.
- Veggie lasagna – Feel free to add even more veggies to the lasagna. My favorites are roasted zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion, but butternut squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and sweet potato are delicious as well. Just layer in the veggies at the same time as the spinach.
- Nut free lasagna – To make this vegan lasagna nut free, use a nut free brand of store-bought vegan shredded cheese instead of my homemade mozzarella. For the cashew ricotta, omit the cashews and use another block of tofu in its place. Add extra salt or seasonings to taste, and perhaps a little water if needed to blend.
Frequently asked questions
For sure! Brown or green lentils don’t get as soft or creamy when they’re cooked, which means they’ll be more noticeable in the sauce. It will still be delicious, though!
Yes. All you need to do is replace the noodles! I’ve tested this lasagna with gluten free lasagna noodles and it worked out really well.
First and foremost, vegan garlic bread! The buttery, garlicky bread is the perfect complement to every hearty bite of lasagna. Dutch oven bread is also a good choice. Otherwise, keep the side dishes simple with vegan Caesar salad and cooked vegetables, like roasted brussels sprouts or air fryer asparagus.
Yes, you could assemble the lasagna, cover it, and keep it in the fridge overnight before baking the next day. You can also cook the lasagna, then wait for it to cool and keep it in the fridge overnight. Reheat and serve the next day.
The leftover lasagna or slices can be stored in the covered casserole dish or an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a 350ºF oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese and sauce are bubbly again, or simply microwave until warm.
Yes, the lasagna and individual slices freeze very well before or after baking. Once the lasagna is assembled or finished baking, wait for it to cool, then cover it with a layer of plastic and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Or assemble the lasagna and freeze before baking.
Before serving, thaw the lasagna overnight in the fridge. Bake the next day in a 350ºF oven until warm and bubbly.
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The Best Vegan Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- (2) 25-ounce jars marinara sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 14.5 ounce firm tofu patted dry
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 box lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles) regular, gluten free or whole grain
- Double recipe Easy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese or 2-3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella
Instructions
- Cook the red lentils. Add 1 cup dried red lentils and 3 cups of water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils in a fine strainer, and then add back to the pot and stir in the marinara sauce. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the Cashew-Tofu Ricotta: Add the cashews to a food processor and process until fine and crumbly. Then add the tofu in chunks, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, basil, oregano and garlic powder to the food processor. Pulse until well combined and pretty smooth. If it's too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to blend. Set aside.
- Assembling the lasagna: Add about 1 cup of lentil marinara to the bottom of a large 9×13 inch casserole dish. Spread it around evenly. Next add 4-5 lasagna noodles (uncooked). Spread half of the ricotta on top of the noodles. Top with half of the spinach. Add about 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the spinach, then place 4-5 lasagna noodles on top. Spread the rest of the ricotta over the noodles, then the rest of the spinach. Place 4-5 more noodles on top of the spinach, and then pour the rest of the sauce over the top, evenly.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- While the lasagna is cooking, make your Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, if using. Alternatively, use 2-3 cups store bought vegan mozzarella cheese.
- After 40 minutes, remove the foil and spoon on the mozzarella (or sprinkle the cheese all over). Place the lasagna back in the oven and bake for 20 more minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven, let cool for at least 15 minutes and serve.
- Leftover lasagna will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. See notes for freezing instructions.
Video
Notes
- Meaty Lasagna – Often I substitute vegan ground beef such as Beyond or Impossible for the lentils. To do this, simply cook the vegan ground beef in a pan until cooked, then stir in the marinara and proceed with the recipe.
- Veggie Lasagna – Feel free to add some veggies in addition to the spinach if you want. I like to roast a few zucchini/yellow squash/red onion and perhaps butternut squash, cauliflower or sweet potato. Then layer in the lasagna with the spinach layer.
- Nut Free Lasagna – To make the lasagna nut free, use store bought vegan cheese shreds for the top layer (and ensure it’s a nut free brand!). For the ricotta, omit the cashews and add another block of tofu. Add extra salt or seasonings to taste, and perhaps a little water if needed to blend.
- Lasagna noodles – You don’t need to use no boil lasagna noodles for this recipe. The noodles will cook in the oven because of the extra sauce. I’ve tested it with gluten free, whole wheat and regular noodles. They all work well. If you want to use no boil noodles or cook the noodles beforehand, you can, but I would recommend using a bit less marinara sauce and you could cut the cook time down to 30-40 minutes.
- Freezer Lasagna – Assemble the lasagna, but instead of baking, let cool, cover and wrap well and freeze. Alternatively, you can freeze it after baking and cooling. Either way will work fine. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake in a 350 degrees F oven until warm throughout. Individual slices also freeze well.
This is amazing!!! My meat eating husband loved it and compliments from everyone at the table were flying in between bites. I can’t rate it high enough! I followed the recipe word for word, including the vegan cheese. Be careful as it forms clumps and then becomes stretchy quickly. Thank you so much for this. I will be following your recipes from now on,
Woo hoo!! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thank you Nora for such a wonderful recipe. I am from India and I had never prepared lasagna previously. Thanks to Google as well for landing me on to your website. My wife is pregnant and was craving Vegan Lasagna so I thought how about I give it a try and see what happens. I followed the recipe in its entirety and I am so so happy because it turned out exceptionally good. I was very surprised to discover how the taste of cashews completely disappeared in the mixture and it started tasting like cheese. Needless to say that my wife throughly enjoyed it. Thank you again for the amazing recipe! Much appreciated.
Best
Rishi
Thank you so much for this amazing review! I’m so happy you and your wife enjoyed the recipe, and I could help her craving for vegan lasagna! Best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Excited to try this!! Did you press the tofu to remove the water first?
It’s so good! No, no need to press the tofu for this recipe. 🙂 Enjoy!
Hello! I just baked a double recipe of the lasagna to put in the freezer for when I have my baby in about a month. I made the vegan mozzarella and baked on the lasagna for the last 20 mins. Now reading some of the comments on the lasagna recipe, this might have been an error as you don’t advise freezing the cheese. What’s the best way to reheat the lasagna when I pull Tom out of the freezer in a month? Thanks!
Hi Megan! Freezing the lasagna is a great idea, I did the same before I had my last son who’s now 3. 🙂 I think the “cheese” on top will freeze okay. That “cheese” does taste best when it’s fresh, but I have recently frozen it and it reheated pretty well. When you are going to reheat the lasagna from frozen, thaw it out first, if possible. You can put it in the refrigerator the day before to do this. Then bake it again, covered with foil, for about an hour until it’s cooked through.
Should I make any modifications if using extra firm tofu?
No, no modifications needed. 🙂
This was a super hit at Thanksgiving!! Even with friends doing kept diets (all meat & cheese). Great vegan cheese topping too! Thanks
I’m so glad it was a hit!! Thanks for sharing.
Would my Ninja blender work instead of a food processor? I dont’t have one, but can do everything else as it says in the recipe!! Thanks in advance, and I’m excited to try it.
Yeah that should work! I hope you love it!
I would love to try this recipe, but I am allergic to soy, what could I substitute for the tofu. Thank you.
If you can’t have tofu, you could double the cashews (so use 2 cups cashews) and have a cashew only ricotta. You may want to soak the cashews before adding to the food processor, since the ricotta might be dry if you don’t (the tofu adds a lot of moisture). Then add a few tablespoons of water when processing, until a ricotta like texture is reached. Hope that helps!
Probably seems redundant after reading all the other reviews , however I ill say it……YUM!!! Delicious!!!!
I did make it with the optional stretchy moz. It made me wonder Nora if you have tried to use the recipe , and modify it to taste like the bechmal sauce ( basically a white sauce with Swiss cheese melted in) used in moussaka. I have missed moussaka too! Any thoughts?
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the lasagna! Wow, I like how you think. 🙂 That sounds amazing, I love moussaka too. I may have to work on that one!
Hey Nora. It is the BEST lasagna I have ever made. In fact I made it twice – in March and April. I’ve never used lentils before. It made the sauce wholesome. I love many of the recipes you’ve shared on your website. Mahalo from Honolulu!
Tried this lasagna tonight and it was amazing! Definitely will be making again! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the lasagna Carrie! 🙂
I just made this last night for some friends and it turned out PERFECT. Not watery or dry, with great flavor. Thanks for a great recipe!
Woo hoo! So glad you enjoyed it.
Hello, I wanted to let you know I made this lasagna, and it was delicious! The noodles cooked to perfection, the “ricotta cheese” was excellent. I had to sub the lentils because of a health issue, ( I need to be careful of the amount of legumes etc. I eat) so I used Gardeins beefless ground, and it turned out just fine. I made this in those rectangle tinfoil pans, for takeout, and got 3 pans full, so we ate one and I froze 2. Our dinner guests had no idea it was vegan! Thank you for such a great recipe ??❤️
I’m so glad you made and enjoyed the lasagna! I make this one regularly, and I have frozen it before as well. 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know, I LOVE getting feedback, especially when it’s this good!
When you freeze it, is it cooked already? And then at what temp and how long do you cook it again? Thanks.
You can freeze lasagna a few different ways. First, you could assemble it (minus the mozzarella cheese on top, I would suggest making that fresh), wrap the dish tightly with foil and freeze uncooked. You could also cook the lasagna, then let it cool completely and freeze it. I think my favorite way to freeze it is to cook it, then freeze large servings of it. It will reheat easier and faster that way. If you have frozen the entire lasagna, to re-heat first thaw the lasagna overnight in the fridge. Then cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or longer if needed until hot and bubbly. Hope that helps!
I just sent an email asking about freezing the lasagne. I see now that someone had asked the same question. Thank you Nora! No need to respond to mine also.
When adding the mozzarella, do i put the foil back on or do i leave it uncovered?
Leave it uncovered at that point.
What could I use in place of thr tofu (that’s not soy) ?
You could likely use more cashews instead of tofu, but you will also need to add more water. Maybe 1 cup more cashews and as much water as needed to get it the process smooth.
I know it doesn’t say, but are the cashews soaked?
Nope, I don’t soak the cashews for this recipe. They just don’t need it!
How many grams of lasagna are in “a box”? I found several different boxes and now I’m confused :((.
It varies, but 13 oz should be plenty. I usually get the 16 oz box at Trader Joes but I don’t use them all.
Does the spinach need to be cooked before assembling
No, it does not need to be cooked before you assemble the lasagna.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for creating and sharing this recipe, Nora! It was absolutely fantastic, the best vegan lasagna we’ve ever had. I would definitely serve this to our non-vegan friends and family (and I bet they would never know the difference)!
You are SO welcome Katie! I’m glad you enjoyed it so much, it really is the best!! Thanks so much for your comment, it just made my day! 🙂
This recipe is fantastic. I feel sure that I could serve this even to meat eaters and they would love it. Thanks so much for sharing this. I added some sautéed onions, bell pepper and mushrooms.
Thanks Debbie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I like your additions, it’s pretty flexible that way!
I’m SURE this is awesome as ALL of your recipes are! But…it looks so dry… is it?
Nope, it’s not dry at all. Actually quite the opposite due to a lot of sauce! 🙂 Thanks Nancy!
This one is a KEEPER!! I have already shared the link to your site with many friends and family. I’ve made a few vegan lasagna recipes, but you are right, this one is the tops. 🙂 I made a few changes because my family likes mushrooms, so I sauteed onions, garlic and mushrooms until their liquid dried up then wilted the spinach in that for the layers. I didn’t have enough of the red lentils on hand so I used green lentils to fill in for what I needed (worked totally fine). I also used a gf brown rice lasagna noodle. It’s wonderful. Thanks again!
Jennifer B
I’m so glad you enjoyed the lasagna Jennifer! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing, these kind of comments just make my day! Your changes sound fabulous, I wish my kids like mushrooms and onions, but I have a few picky ones so I try to leave them out when I can. Thanks again!
Has anyone here tried making this in the Instant Pot? I am new to WFPB so don’t have a lot of experience yet in how non-dairy ingredients in particular behave. In the past I have used a recipe that uses meat-based sauce (subbed in fake meat crumbles) with dairy ricotta. Everything is layered like normal in a 7″ push pan, covered with foil, and cooks on the trivet over a cup of water for 25 mins HP with NPR. I don’t think the red lentil marinara would be a problem but does the cashew tofu ricotta still handle the same way or would it separate out under pressure? Thank you.
Ooooh I’ve never attempted lasagna in the Instant Pot. I think the cashew tofu ricotta would be fine under pressure. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out!
Nora, pleased to report that the cashew tofu ricotta held up perfectly in the Instant Pot! I used it in a recipe for an Indian Lasagne and the flavours actually went together very well. In fact, I may have been eating the extra ricotta with a spoon directly out of the blender jar! Cooked today’s lasagne for only 20 mins with a 10 min NPR and then broiled the top with some vegan mozzarella, and found that the lasagne could have used a couple more minutes. I overfilled the pan and should have gone with my normal 25-27 mins because of the extra thickness. I have no worries at all that the ricotta will be fine for the additional time. I’m looking forward to trying to rest of your recipe too, but this was definitely a success. My omnivore son enjoyed it too, and he’s sometimes quite picky about me subbing new foods for his old standbys. Thank you for sharing your recipes!!
That’s so great to hear Donna! Thanks for reporting back! 🙂 I am definitely going to give this a try sometime. Thanks for the great tips!
This is the best plant based recipe I have attempted thus far! Tasted exactly like regular lasagna & my family loved it even though they aren’t vegan! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that Jessica. I make it all the time because my whole family loves it!
Me too! It’s brilliant! And the mozzarella is genius. Thank you thank you thank you, Nora!
Hello. Why are the lasagna noodles unbaked? When I use them without boiling it first, it always ends up not cooking fully in the oven and it’s dry afterwards.
The noodles do cook fully in this recipe, without needing to boil the noodles first. The extra marinara sauce does the trick! It will seem like a lot of sauce but once it cooks it’s just perfect. Of course you could boil the noodles first if you wanted, but it’s really not necessary. 🙂
Do I need to soak the cashews before blending?
No, not for the ricotta. No need to soak. If you are making the optional vegan mozzarella topping, you do need to soak the cashews for that. Hope that helps!
Do we use the lasagna noodles that are made to cook in the oven without boiling first, or just plain old traditional boxed noodles?
You don’t need special lasagna noodles, just plain old traditional. The extra sauce and techniques help them cook in the oven. Thanks!
Can this be frozen? Before or after baking?
Yes it can be frozen. Before or after would work, but I would bake it first, cool and freeze.
Thank you. 🙂
This sounds wonderful, but we have a nut allergy in the family. Do you have a recommended substitute for the cashews?
Thank you.
Sure! You could try using 2 blocks of tofu and leave out the cashews. I haven’t tried it, but I do think it would work!
Sounds great. I have all the ingredients.
I have a question: Can you assemble it the day before and just cook it the next evening, or is it better to make it all at once?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work just fine to assemble it the day before you cook it. Hope you enjoy it!
Can I add tomatoe slices
Yes, you could. Someone said they layered them on the top instead of the mozzarella cheese and loved it!
It did not come out as good when I preassembled vs cooked immediately. The noodles became complete mush after sitting overnight before baking.
Oh- thx for your advice on that. I was going to pre assemble, so glad you mentioned!