So easy, so satisfying: ready in about an hour, I’ve used ALL the shortcuts to bring you the perfect vegan lasagna that is creamy, meaty, and filling enough for even the meat eaters at your table.
I honestly can’t think of a food more perfect than lasagna. Growing up, I craved the old school cheesy lasagna that pizza restaurants used to serve in those tiny metal pans. And those cravings don’t go away, even if you’re a vegan dietitian.
So it was time to go to work, and come up with a deeply satisfying vegan lasagna that will satisfy the omnivores at my table (which is essentially my entire family). I’ve been tinkering with this recipe for years – I popped a version of it into my cookbook Plant Magic and I really wanted to share it here too because it’s such a staple.
This is my Sunday night lasagna for those weekends I want to make something nice but I don’t have a lot of energy left in the tank after shuttling my kids all over town for two days. It’s also my Christmas Eve lasagna, because I can make it in the morning while I’m still in my pyjamas and then just pop it in the oven when folks come over.
As a vegan in a meat-eating household, one of the things I’ve learned about making the omnivores happy is to make sure that you properly hit that creamy note – which we do here with a ridiculously easy 5 minute blender cashew cream bechamel – as well as offering enough protein for them to feel full.
I love using a veggie ground for extra protein and that meaty texture but you could sub canned lentils if you want a more whole food option. And a bit of veg – onion, garlic and spinach – for flavour and nutrition – but not too much because honestly, my kids would revolt.
If you shy away from making lasagna because it’s just too labour intensive, this is the recipe for you: there is ZERO to prep ahead of time: no lentils to boil. No marinara sauce to whip up from scratch. Oh, and I use no-cook lasagna noodles. So it’s like 15-20 minutes of hands on cooking time (most of that cooking onions) and then the oven does the rest…so you’ve got lasagna in about an hour and you’ll feel very pleased with yourself indeed.
It’s so filling that all you need is a simple side salad (use my peach arugula salad and swap in whatever fruit is in season, like pears) and maybe some garlic bread!
How to make this ridiculously easy vegan lasagna
First up, let’s talk ingredients, because when you’re using storebought shortcuts, the ones you use matter. You can scroll down for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe, but I want to highlight a few important details here!
- First, the lasagna noodles. I’m typically a pasta snob (Rummo for life!) but here, I actually use old school “no boil” lasagna noodles from a national brand. Nothing fancy. And it’s awesome. How many you need will depend on the size of your pan. When I use my deeper lasagna pan, I use about 12-14 and when I use my shallow, wider baking pan (as in the photos here), it’s closer to 16. Yep, you can totally swap in gluten free no cook noodles (or cook according to package directions first).
- Second, the sauce. Your lasagna will taste luxurious if your marinara does. So use a good one. I used to use Rao’s a lot…it’s perfect…but it got so expensive at my local store that I’ve switched to Mezzetta marinara and it’s also wonderful. Using one standard jar, you’ll get a bechamel-forward lasagna. Using 1 ½ jars you’ll bring more of that tomato sauciness into the chat.
- Third, the veggie ground. Beyond meat tastes the meat-iest and is the highest protein but I use Gardein often too. Use whatever you love, or whatever is on sale.
- Finally, the vegan cheese. Because let’s be real: the cheese is the only challenge to making an undetectably vegan lasagna. I will often use Daiya because it’s easy to find and affordable, but it is a bit vegan-y. Parmela or Violife shreds are better. And if it fits the budget, the Miyoko’s liquid mozzarella would be perfect here. You will need to use according to package directions, which means adding in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Got that sorted? Here’s the step by step, with pictures.
Step One: Cook the onions with some oil in a skillet over medium heat until they’re softened, about 7-10 minutes. Add the veggie ground, garlic and spinach (in batches if necessary) and stir until spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Step Two: In a blender, blend the cashews, water, salt, garlic powder and nutritional yeast on high for one minute, until creamy. Set aside.
Step Three: In a 9 x 12 (ish!) baking dish or lasagna pan, pour ⅓ of the sauce and spread evenly. Add a layer of noodles, sprinkle over half the veggie ground mixture and half of the cashew sauce.
Step Four: we’re going to do that again: ⅓ the marinara sauce, a layer of noodles, the remaining half of the veggie ground mix and the remaining cashew sauce.
Step Five: Now we’re going to add one last layer of noodles, the remaining marinara and a generous layer of cheese. Cover the whole shebang with aluminum foil.
Step Six: Bake at 375F for 30 minutes covered, remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or so until the lasagna is melty and bubbling.
Step Seven: Annoying but important! Let the lasagna sit for 10 – 15 minutes to firm up before serving.
More wonderful vegan recipes for Sunday dinner
- Baked Brothy White Beans with Fresh Kale
- Vegan Farro Risotto with Butternut Squash
- Vegan Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Homemade Vegan Pot Pie Recipe
Hearty Vegan Lasagna with Vegan Ground
Equipment
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High Speed Blender
Ingredients
Veggie Ground Mix
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 packed cups baby spinach
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 12 ounce package veggie ground Beyond, Gardein and Yves all work. watch for gluten if needed.
Cashew Cream Bechamel
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews swap sunflower seeds for nut free but see note!
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
For assembling
- 24 ounce jar really good marinara sauce like Rao’s or Mezzetta. Want it more tomato forward? Use 1.5 jars
- 1 box oven ready lasagna noodles gluten free if needed, you’ll use 12-16
- ½ pound melty vegan mozzarella shreds
- freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until softened, about 7-10 minutes.
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Add the veggie ground, garlic and spinach, in batches, until spinach wilted, stirring constantly, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
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Make the cashew cream béchamel: Add cashews, water, salt, garlic powder and nutritional yeast to a blender. Blend on high for one minute until creamy. Set aside.
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In a lasagna pan or 9 x 12-ish baking dish, spread 1/3 of the marinara sauce on the bottom. Add a layer of noodles, half the veggie ground mixture and half the cashew cream. Pour over another 1/3 marinara sauce, another layer of noodles, the remaining veggie ground and cashew cream. Finally, Add a final layer of noodles, marinara sauce and cover with shredded cheese.
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Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes until lasagna is bubbling at sides. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nut free option: use the same amount of raw sunflower seeds but before you start cooking, do this – boil the sunflower seeds for 5 minutes to soften and remove bitterness. Drain, rinse and add to blender along with other ingredients.
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