Description
This Vegan Lasagna Recipe is the ultimate comfort food, featuring layers of tender lasagna noodles, a hearty vegan meat and eggplant tomato sauce, creamy vegan ricotta, and melty vegan mozzarella. Perfect for holidays or weeknight dinners, this dish offers rich, cheesy flavors without any dairy, making it a delicious plant-based alternative to traditional lasagna.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 16 lasagna sheets
Sauce and Filling
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large eggplant (about 14 ounces), evenly cut and cubed
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 9-12 ounces vegan meat alternative crumbles (e.g., Beyond Meat crumbles)
- 42 ounces tomato sauce (can be combined 28-ounce and 14-ounce jars)
Cheeses
- 2 cups vegan ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Basil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for about 5 minutes until onions become translucent and fragrant.
- Cook eggplant: Add the cubed eggplant, sea salt, and black pepper to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender enough to be easily pierced by a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add vegan crumbles and tomato sauce: Stir in the vegan meat alternative crumbles and cook for another 3 minutes, adjusting salt to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add all the tomato sauce, and combine well. Simmer for about 3 minutes, tasting and seasoning with additional salt if needed. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the lasagna: In a 13” x 9” baking pan, spread ½ cup of the meat marinara sauce evenly as the base layer. Arrange about 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise over the sauce, slightly overlapping them to cover.
- Layer sauce and cheese: Spread one-quarter of the remaining meat sauce over the noodles, then dollop and spread approximately one-third of the vegan ricotta cheese on top, followed by one-third of the remaining shredded vegan mozzarella.
- Repeat layering: Continue layering noodles, sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella two more times until you have four layers total, ending with a final layer of meat sauce on top.
- Add topping and cover: Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of vegan mozzarella cheese evenly on the top layer of sauce. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake and broil: Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven for 30 minutes covered. After baking, remove the foil and broil on low for 3-5 minutes to brown the vegan mozzarella on top, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and serve: Remove the lasagna from the oven, garnish with fresh basil if desired, and let it rest on the counter for about 10 minutes to set before slicing. Cut into 9 or 12 slices and serve warm.
Notes
- To prevent sticking, swirl the lasagna noodles occasionally while boiling.
- For a firmer eggplant texture, salt and drain the eggplant beforehand, then rinse and dry before cooking.
- If vegan ricotta is unavailable, consider making your own from tofu or cashews.
- Reserve some vegan mozzarella cheese before assembling for an optimal melted and browned top layer.
- Allow the lasagna to rest after baking to make slicing easier and to let flavors meld.
- This lasagna freezes well; assemble completely and freeze before baking, then thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
