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.
Omg. I can’t believe I never knew I didn’t have to cook the noodles first!! And this vegan ricotta is out of this world. I left out the lentils and added in mushrooms, squash, zucchini and peppers to the spinach. Thanks for a A+++ recipe!
Isn’t it wonderful not to have to cook the noodles first! I’m so glad you loved the lasagna recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful review and feedback!
I made this today for the first time, and it is hands down my favorite vegan lasagna. I skipped the vegan mozzarella but hope to try it with it next time!
Hi Gabriela! I’m so glad you loved the lasagna! Let me know how you like the mozzarella when you try it! Thank you for taking time to share your review and comments!
This was a great recipe. I am newly Vegan 5 months strong! But the only vegan in my house. So when my kids wanted home made lasagna I was hoping to enjoy it too. I used this recipe without the spinach and it was a major hit. They loved it and so did. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
I’m really glad you loved the lasagna, and that it was a hit with your kids! Thanks so much for sharing your great review and comments!
This was so delicious. I usually keep vegan ricotta cheese in the freezer which helped speed things up. I made the lentils because I had time today but had considered using frozen tofu crumbles. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I am just learning how to cook vegan meals which I can freeze.
This is a delicious recipe, but I have to admit I was nearly in tears making it. I was fearful using the uncooked noodles. It was too much work to risk having rubbery noodles, especially, since I used regular lasagne noodles in lieu of the suggested whole wheat or gluten-free noodles. (Does it matter if you use regular semolina lasagne noodle, as I did?) The work was worth it, delicious and the dish got rave reviews from my vegan daughter and my son’s vegetarian girlfriend.
This dish gets a four stars – only because it was time-consuming to make and confusion as to type of noodles and cooking time.
Your vegan chocolate cake is the best cake I’ve ever made! Carrot cake is wonderful, too!
Hi Debbie, I’m glad you enjoyed the lasagna, but I’m sorry it stressed you out! It’s quite simple to make, that’s the beauty of it. There is truly NO NEED to pre-cook any kind of lasagna noodle here. That’s why we use extra sauce and cook it a long time, they will cook just fine. I have used various gluten free lasagna noodles, whole wheat and most often regular white lasagna noodles. They all work well! Thanks for loving the cakes, too! 🙂
This really is the best lasagna ever!!
We are expecting our first child soon and I’d like to make this & freeze it for meal prep. Any tips on that? Thanks so much
Hi Jess! Congratulations! I’m thrilled that you love the lasagna! You can freeze the lasagna either before or after baking. Either way, cover it very well and freeze. When ready to serve, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking until warm. Wishing you well!
Hi there! I see your recipe for cashew ricotta and was wondering if I could use that in place of cashew tofu ricotta and if so how much should I make and what is the difference in the final product? Thanks!
Are you talking about my Vegan Ricotta, made with almonds? I might double that recipe to use in a lasagna, to make sure there is plenty. It would taste just as good here. Enjoy!
This was the most frustrating meal especially when I thought silk tofu was in the homemade mozzarella recipe. But in the end I made this meal and this is amazing hands down
My husband and I are new to cooking vegan and this recipe blew our minds! So delicious and savory I actually prefer it to meat/cheese varieties. Excellent flavor and consistency. This will be a regular on our menu. Thank you!
I’m thrilled my lasagna recipe is going on your regular rotation list! Thanks so much for sharing your review and comments! I’m so glad you both loved the lasagna!
Hello!
I’m going to make this lasagna this weekend and it sounds yummy! Can I assemble on a Thursday for a Saturday dinner or should I cook first and then refrigerate??
Thank you!!
It will probably be okay if you assemble it, refrigerate, then cook on Saturday. Enjoy!
First, I just want to say that this is an amazing recipe. My meat-eating boyfriend approved of it, and I am so happy. However, it seemed like there was too much lemon juice in the “ricotta” for my taste (it tasted oddly sour). I also just personally prefer a little creamier ricotta filling, so I substituted half the hard tofu with soft tofu, and it made a wonderful mixture. Thanks for this recipe.
You are welcome! I am glad you and your boyfriend loved it! I’m glad you were able to adjust as to your liking! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
I’ve made this many times. For my parents and boyfriend, I’m currently making it, so I can take it to a girls weekend. Great lasagna, I’ve used different veggies and it has always been a hit.
Hi Cam. I’m thrilled your loving the lasagna! Thanks so much for sharing your review and comments! Have fun at the girls weekend!
This truly was the best vegan lasagna! However, it was also my first vegan lasagna so I don’t have anything else to compare it to yet. I was pleasantly surprised at how flavourful it was. In fact, I thought it tasted even better than the traditional lasagna I used to make! Thank you so much for this great recipe as it will definitely be a new staple meal in my home!
I’m so glad you loved the lasagna, Cheryl! Thank you for taking your time to share your review and comments! I’m thrilled this recipe will be part of your meal rotation! Happy cooking!
I made this tonight for dinner and it was DELICIOUS! Thank you for another tasty recipe. This will be added to our regular rotation.
I’m thrilled that you guys loved the lasagna and it will become part of your meal rotation! Thank you for taking your time to share your review and comments!
This recipe is out of control good. We made it tonight for the second time. The first time was for Thanksgiving last year. I made two lasagnas, one for carnivores and this one. At the time I was still eating meat and cheese so naturally I went for the “real” version. Let me tell you, this is even better. The tofu ricotta is the absolute best part and I plan to use it as a ravioli filling very soon. All of Nora’s recipes turn out good. She is a giant among women.
This really is the BEST lasagna recipe, no question! The vegan mozzarella is a fantastic addition. I’ve shared this recipe many times and everyone raves about it! Thank you so much for creating this masterpiece!
Can you make this ahead and freeze?
Yes, it freezes well.
I love this recipe! Outstanding flavor and easy to make. Just curious if you could just cook the lentils in the sauce…would be even faster.
I’m not sure, but maybe. I’ve never tried it. Sometimes I used canned lentils to make it super fast.
Okay, full truth I did not use the red lentils….I made sliders from black lentils & dried porcini mushrooms & a little Beyond Meats tucked in & just did a vegan “meat” layer instead…but the ricotta & meltable mozzerella? Game changers!!!! & super fast recipes! I have put so much time into more labor intensive recipes that are great for things like vegan Caprese etc. but this meltable topping “cheese” is a total 5 star winner! I can easily see this for so many dishes, like 4 “cheese” pizza, grilled “cheese” & baked manicotti. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!
Sounds incredible Jennifer, I love your creativity!
I love this recipe! I make it all the time! If I plan on adding vegan Beyond Beef, do you think it will be too much with the lentils? Better to do the “beef” instead of lentils?
Also, do you think it would be ok to make the ricotta the night before and assemble everything the day of? Thanks!
You could do beyond instead of lentils, or a mix of the two, I don’t think it will be too much using both. Totally fine to prepare the ricotta ahead of time. Hope you enjoy this version!
Hi Nora!
I plan on making the lasagne sometime this week! If I wanted to add a few more veggies, do you advise sautéed mushrooms, some onion, & some sliced zucchini & just add that to the layering! Can’t wait to try, my cashews are patiently waiting!
Yes, I love sautéing up some veggies and just layering them on in. 🙂 Enjoy!
I make this recipe at least once a month. I make it when people come over and they “can’t even tell it’s vegan” ? – I normally use store bought vegan motz, but it’s so good it doesn’t need it. We also don’t put veggies in it (serve others on the side) but I love how much protein is in it between the tofu and lentils for my toddler (and myself!).
I’m so glad you are loving the lasagna recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your review and comments!
I’m wondering if anyone has tried this with lasagna noodles made of brown rice? If precooked first then how would that alter the bake time?
I have used brown rice noodles and it worked just fine. No need to precook them, but if you do I would use less marinara sauce and bake for half the time.
i used brown rice noodles and cooked them like normal beforehand, rinsed under cold water after and set aside. cooked for normal time. i thought it turned out really well!
Amazing recipe!
Personally, I like the cheese to taste less acidic so I recommend adding slightly less lemon juice to the cheeses, especially the mozzarella.
I used Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles and it was absolutely the BEST vegan lasagna I’ve ever had.
Thank you, Nora!!!
You are welcome, Cici! I’m glad you loved the lasagna! Thank you for sharing you great review and comments!
This was SO dag on good!! And easy to make. I already had most of the ingredients at home. The only thing I struggled with the mozzarella. It tasted good enough but I’d try again to perfect it.