Vegan Lasagna

I’ve tried so many vegan lasagna recipes, but this one is by far the best! It’s super comforting, packed with flavor and protein, and so easy to make! It makes the perfect dinner for the whole family. 

Why This Recipe Works 

Lasagna has been one of my favorite meals for a long time. And this didn’t change when I became vegan. I’ve tried so many recipes and this one is definitely the winner!

It’s not only incredibly delicious and comforting, but also super healthy, and packed with protein and fresh vegetables. It’s also a big hit with kids! 

The main ingredient in this vegan lasagna is tofu, which is such a great and healthy replacement for ground meat. Just crumble it up and cook it until golden and crispy. It’s also very budget-friendly compared to other meat replacements that can be quite pricey.  

For ultimate flavor, I paired the tofu with red wine, onions, lots of garlic, and fresh veggies. The zucchini, carrots, and mushroom add texture to the sauce and also provide it with vitamins. 

The preparation of this recipe takes a while but the recipe itself is pretty easy. It doesn’t require much time, so you could even make it during the week. The lasagna is ready in about an hour, but 35 minutes of the total time is baking time. 

It’s a great recipe to make ahead. I like to make a bigger batch of the sauce and then freeze it for later. So you  have a delicious ready-made meal on hand for nights when you don’t have much time to cook.

 

What Goes Into This Recipe

• Tofu – use firm or extra-firm tofu. The recipe doesn’t work with soft or silken tofu as it won’t hold its shape and doesn’t absorb flavors well. If your tofu is not firm enough, you might want to use a tofu press before starting with this recipe. 
• Onion & Garlic
• Tomato Paste
• Red Wine –  Make sure it’s vegan. Wine is often not vegan because animal-derived fining agents like milk protein or gelatin from fish bladder membranes are used during the production. But you can find many wines labeled as vegan these days. I usually use dry red wine. 
• Dried Oregano and Basil
• Soy Sauce – use tamari for a gluten-free version. 
• Button Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Carrot
• Lasagna Sheets – most lasagna sheets are vegan but always check the label. You could also use whole wheat lasagna sheets or gluten-free ones if you prefer. 
• Vegan Sour Cream – you could use store-bought vegan sour cream or cream cheese or you could make my  vegan basil ricotta.
• Shredded Vegan Cheese 

How To Make This Recipe 

Make the Sauce 

1. Step: Start by crumbling the tofu with your hands. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and pan-fry the crumbled tofu for about 3 minutes. Then add the chopped onion and cook for another 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

2. Step: While you make the Bolognese Sauce, pan-fry the vegetables in a second pan. Heat some oil and cook them for about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Step: Go back to the bolognese sauce: after one minute, add the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. 

4. Step: Deglaze with red wine and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the diced tomatoes as well as the pureed tomatoes and season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.

5. Step: While you make the tofu bolognese sauce, pan-fry the vegetables in a second pan. Heat some oil and cook them for about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Once the bolognese sauce is ready, add the veggies and stir well.

Layer The Lasagna

6. Step: Add a cup of the bolognese sauce at the bottom of your casserole dish. Then add a layer of lasagna sheets, then again Bolognese sauce, and top it with some vegan sour cream (or homemade vegan ricotta). Continue with two more layers of sauce and lasagna sheets. Put the rest of the bolognese sauce on top and sprinkle with vegan cheese.

Bake the Lasagna

7. Step: Preheat your oven to 350 °F and bake the lasagna for 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven. Enjoy the lasagna with a green side salad and maybe a glass of red wine.

Recipe Notes:

• Cut up all the veggies before you start with this recipe. This way you can make the bolognese sauce and pan-fry the vegetables in a second pan at the same time. 
• If you can’t find vegan sour cream, you could also use vegan cream cheese. Or make your own vegan cream cheese. 
• If you want to make this recipe healthier, you can also use whole wheat lasagna noodles. I’ve even tried it with green lentil lasagna noodles and it turned out super delicious. 

FAQs:

Do Lasagna Sheets Contain Eggs?

Fortunately, most lasagna noodles are completely egg and dairy-free. However, you should still check the ingredient list.

Do I Have to Pre-Cook My Lasagna Noodles?

No, you don’t need to cook them before you assemble and bake the lasagna. The heat from the cooking sauce in the oven will be enough to cook the noodles. So no extra work needed!

Can I Freeze this Recipe?

Yes, you can definitely freeze it. I do this all the time. 

You can either freeze it baked or unbaked. For the best results, I prefer to freeze it before it has been baked. 

When you’re ready to it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then cover the baking dish with aluminium foil while baking. Bake it for 30-40 minutes at 350 °F. Remove the aluminium foil for the last 10 minutes of baking, so your lasagna can get a crispy crust.

Related Recipes:

• Vegetable Lasagna
• Vegan Meatballs with Spaghetti 
• Vegan Bolognese
• Lemon Spaghetti with Spinach
• Roasted Red Pepper Pasta 
• One Pot Pasta with Tomatoes and Spinach
• 31 Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipes 

I Love To Hear From You!

I hope you like this vegan lasagna as much as we do around here.

If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!

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Sina