Regardless of the season, one of my favorite comfort dishes is lasagna. I have always found something satisfying about removing a pan of vegan lasagna from the oven and seeing the cheese and pasta swimming in a delicious pool of bubbling marinara sauce.
Mastering vegan lasagna was one of the first things on my to-do list once I removed meat and dairy from my diet. This recipe for a vegan rendition of a classic lasagna features everything you love about this dish. It only has three major components—herbaceous cashew ricotta cheese, marinara sauce, and lasagna noodles. I enjoyed adding an additional element of fresh tomatoes on top to seal in the moisture and create a beautiful, delicious topping for the lasagna.
Although this is a blank canvas for classic vegan lasagna, feel free to add spinach, mushrooms, or any other vegetables you can think of. This lasagna recipe is truly yours to customize as you wish and will definitely satisfy any craving for a hearty, cheesy, pasta dish. How easy is that?
YIELDS
6 Servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 2 3/4 cups marinara sauce
- 12 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 2/3 cup plant milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions
1. Soak the cashews in boiling water for one hour. Drain and place in a food processor or blender.
2. Add the plant-milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, apple cider vinegar, oregano, and dried basil to the cashews. Process until the a smooth, ricotta-like cashew cheese has formed.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Pour about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9”x13" baking pan. Top with three sheets of lasagna.
5. Add about 1/3 of the cashew ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup of marinara sauce.
6. Add two more layers of lasagna noodles, cashew cheese, and marinara sauce.
7. Top with the final three sheets of lasagna and the rest of the marinara sauce.
8. Slice the Roma tomatoes and place on top of the lasagna. Sprinkle with more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. (You can actually seal with layers of plastic wrap and freeze at this stage. To bake from frozen, simply cook for 65 minutes instead of 45 minutes.)
9. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with fresh basil to garnish.
2. Add the plant-milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, apple cider vinegar, oregano, and dried basil to the cashews. Process until the a smooth, ricotta-like cashew cheese has formed.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Pour about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9”x13" baking pan. Top with three sheets of lasagna.
5. Add about 1/3 of the cashew ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup of marinara sauce.
6. Add two more layers of lasagna noodles, cashew cheese, and marinara sauce.
7. Top with the final three sheets of lasagna and the rest of the marinara sauce.
8. Slice the Roma tomatoes and place on top of the lasagna. Sprinkle with more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. (You can actually seal with layers of plastic wrap and freeze at this stage. To bake from frozen, simply cook for 65 minutes instead of 45 minutes.)
9. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with fresh basil to garnish.
Also by Olivia: Vegan Marsala Braised Mushrooms
Related: Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta Sauce
Pasta with Ramp, White Beans, and Shiitake
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Photos: Olivia Parr
