Do you have to pre-cook the lasagna noodles?

Only if you use regular lasagna noodles. No-boil or oven-ready noodles don’t need to be pre-cooked.

Can it be made gluten free?

Sure! Just swap the regular lasagna noodles for gluten free lasagna noodles.

No, the vegan lasagna is not nut free because the dairy free ricotta is made with cashews. If you need it to be nut free, omit the cashews from the ricotta or use a store-bought nut free vegan ricotta instead.

How long do the leftovers last?

Any leftover lasagna can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

How do you freeze lasagna?

Both the assembled unbaked or baked lasagna can be frozen for up to 3 months. Keep the baking dish wrapped in plastic or foil to prevent freezer burn. When it’s time to eat, defrost the lasagna in the fridge overnight, then bake in a 350ºF oven until warmed through.

Vegan Zucchini and Spinach Lasagna Recipe

Description

This meaty Vegan Lasagna recipe is layered with vegan bolognese sauce, tofu ricotta, zucchini, spinach, and vegan cheese sauce. It’s hearty and so satisfying!

Ingredients

For lasagna:

5 and 1/2 to 6 cups vegan meat sauce or bolognese sauce (see notes)
1 and 1/2 cups vegan ricotta cheese
2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
2 large tomatoes sliced into ¼ inch slices (enough for a layer)
Handful of fresh spinach
12 lasagna sheets (I always cook a few extra noodles) use gluten free if needed
Vegan cheese sauce, recipe below (see notes for options*)

Cheese sauce:

1- 200g package of vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk, I use soy milk
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 and 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

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Instructions

Sauce: First make the vegan meat sauce or bolognese according to instructions. Set aside, off the heat uncovered until needed.
Ricotta: Make tofu ricotta in your food processor. Set aside
Veggies: Toss sliced zucchini with a little olive oil and grill or pan fry a couple minutes on each side until almost tender. Set aside on a plate. Slice tomatoes as well and set aside
Noodles: Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling water with a good pinch of salt and drizzle of oil. Drain and add back to the pot with cold water until needed.
Cheese sauce: While noodles are cooking add cheese sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan/pot cook while stirring until completely melted and gooey, add a little more plant milk if needed. Set aside.
Assemble Lasagna: Preheat oven to 350° First layer: In a 9x13 deep dish lasagna pan spread 1 cup of ‘meat’ sauce evenly on the bottom. Add 4 noodles lengthwise overlapping a bit for the bottom layer. Top with 1 and 1/2 cups sauce, add a layer of zucchini, then a layer of tomatoes.
Second layer: Add another 4 noodles, spread 1 and 1/2 cups vegan ricotta over noodles followed by a single layer of spinach and another 1 and 1/2 cups meat sauce.
Third layer: Layer on another 4 noodles (final layer) spread 1 and 1/2 cups pasta sauce over noodles. Pour or spoon cheese sauce evenly over the top. Season top with a little salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with tin foil.
Bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and broil for a couple of minutes if desired. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Cheese sauce: instead of making sauce you could simply add a layer of vegan cheese shreds, store bought or homemade vegan mozzarella. Or for a more plant based topping use my cheese sauce from my enchilada recipe.
No boil noodles: if using ready made noodles for lasagna I suggest adding more sauce and baking an additional 10 minutes.
Sauce: Make sure sauce is sufficiently thick -cook a little longer at the end uncovered if necessary to achieve the right consistency (you don't want a watery lasagna)
Can easily make the sauce and ricotta a day or two ahead just let come to room temp before using.
Store: will keep covered in the fridge for 4-5 days and freezes well. To reheat from frozen: defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or a 350° oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Recipe originally published Nov, 2018. It has been updated with new photos and easy to follow instructions. Recipe itself is unchanged.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Mains, Gluten free
Method: Oven baked
Cuisine: Italian, American, Canadian

Keywords: vegan lasagna