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This vegan spinach lasagna is the ultimate family comfort food dish! We are so pleased with how our all plant-based version of tofu lasagna turned out. Get your baking dish ready and let’s get cooking!
This vegan tofu lasagna is another amazing recipe that Michelle Cehn (founder of World of Vegan) and I created from The Friendly Vegan Cookbook and it’s an all-time favorite and a true classic. It is filled with delicious tofu ricotta, spinach, and veggies, and the best part is, it is super easy to prepare.
If you’re looking for easy and delicious plant-based recipes for the whole family, then you should definitely check out The Friendly Vegan Cookbook! My friend Michelle Cehn and I put our hearts and souls into it, in order to help you enjoy amazing plant-centered meals with your friends and family. Grab your copy!
Complete your meal by serving up this vegan spinach lasagna with fresh vegan focaccia bread or homemade dinner rolls and this easy tomato salad.
If you love this hearty vegan lasagna recipe, then you might also enjoy these vegan stuffed shells or baked pumpkin pasta.
Why This Recipe Works
- Hearty dish. Vegan lasagna with spinach is perfect to prepare for a Sunday dinner.
- Perfect for leftovers. It tastes better after a few days and freezes great!
- Give as a gift. Vegan lasagna is a great option to prepare and gift friends going through a stressful period in their lives (like a couple with a newborn!). They will appreciate a home-cooked meal and your thoughtfulness. Spread kindness with this easy vegan lasagna recipe!
- Easy potluck. Vegan spinach lasagna is an easy meal to prepare for a group and transports easily.
What Goes Into Vegan Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta
Simple, basic ingredients that you can pick on a quick trip to the grocery store is all it takes to make the best vegan lasagna recipe.
- Lasagna noodles: Choose standard size lasagna noodles that require boiling in advance to make this vegan lasagna. You will need about twelve noodles to make a three-layer lasagna.
- Olive oil: A healthy oil that’s great for the Italian flavors in this vegan spinach lasagna.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, zucchini, and mushrooms to boost the nutrition, heartiness, and flavor. For the mushrooms, I prefer white or button but cremini are great too.
- Garlic: I highly recommend fresh cloves of garlic for the best flavor.
- Spinach: Fresh works great and doesn’t have all the excess water typically found in frozen.
- Super-firm tofu: Contains less water than other types of tofu. Learn more about the different types of tofu here!
- Soy milk: Be sure to use unsweetened and unflavored.
- Lemon juice: Adds some brightness and flavor to the tofu ricotta.
- Basil: You can use dried or fresh. Just note in the recipe card the correct amount for the one you choose to use. I really love the flavor of fresh basil, but dried is an easy pantry staple to save some money especially if you already have it in your cabinet. If you opt for fresh, they also are great to garnish the vegan spinach lasagna before serving.
- Marinara sauce: You can use any flavor, store-bought or homemade.
Recommended Equipment
Making tofu lasagna vegan is easy to do and requires just a handful of basic kitchen tools.
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden Spoon
- Knife Set
- 9×13 Baking Dish or Pan
- Food Processor
- Medium-sized pan
How To Make The Best Vegan Lasagna
- 1) Cook the noodles: Heat a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package. When ready, drain the noodles, rinse with cold water to cool, and set aside.
- 2) Saute the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly softened.
- 3) Wilt the spinach: Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the spinach. Set it aside and allow the spinach to wilt.
- 4) Make the tofu ricotta: Combine the tofu, soy milk, lemon juice, salt, and basil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine and crumble the tofu. You may need to scrape down the sides until all the tofu gets evenly crumbled making vegan ricotta cheese.
- 5) Combine tofu and vegetables: Place the tofu mixture into a large bowl and stir in the sautéed vegetables and spinach until evenly combined.
- 6) Layer the lasagna: Start with one cup of marinara sauce spread evenly over the bottom of a 9 × 13 Âinch baking dish. Next, add a layer of four overlapping lasagna noodles followed by a layer of half of the tofu mixture. Repeat with another one and one-half cups of the tomato sauce, another layer of noodles, and the second half of the tofu mixture.
- 7) Finish the layers: After the second layer, end with another one and one-half cups of marinara sauce and a final layer of noodles. Then spread the remaining one cup of marinara sauce on top, being sure to cover all the noodles.
- 8) Bake vegan spinach lasagna: Bake in a preheated, 350° oven for 45 minutes. Garnish with the basil leaves if desired.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook only to al dente or a little bite to them. They will continue to cook in the oven so you have a perfectly cooked vegan lasagna.
- Let it rest. Lasagna is much easier to cut once it sits for ten to fifteen minutes. This time lets the liquids settle and absorb so the individual slices stay together better.
- Choose the right tofu. Using super-firm tofu is best because it has the least amount of water so you won’t end up with a watery lasagna.
FAQs
Yes, you can use them but I suggest increasing the amount of marinara sauce so there is a bit more liquid to help the sheets cook. Add at least an additional one-half cup to each layer and make sure the top layer is fully covered. Check the package on the no-boil lasagna noodles you are using for the cook time and adjust accordingly since they may need to cook longer.
Not always. Sometimes pasta is made with eggs though most commercial brands are egg-free. Just be sure to check the list of ingredients on the box to be sure.
Storage
One amazing thing about this classic dish is that you can save the leftovers for the next few days or even freeze it for those days when the thought of preparing a meal from scratch makes you yawn.
- Leftovers: Cover leftovers well and store in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freezer: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw it out in the fridge before reheating and serving.
- Make ahead: If you’re into the idea of cooking now and eating weeks later, make the entire lasagna, cool completely, and then store well covered in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to thaw, place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking. This will increase the baking time to one hour or until it’s been heated all the way through.
More Pasta Recipes
- Simple Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil
- Hazelnut Eggplant Pasta
- Couscous with Veggies
- Pasta, Bean and Tomato Soup
- Summer Garden Pasta
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Vegan Lasagna with Spinach
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles (standard size, enough for 3 layers)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
- 4 large cloves of garlic roughly chopped
- 6 ounces of fresh spinach
- 2 (16-ounce) blocks of super-firm tofu patted dry and cut into chunks for easy blending
- ¼ cup of unsweetened, plain soy milk
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon of minced fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 5 cups of marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade) divided
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain the noodles, rinse with cold water to cool, and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly softened. Turned off the heat. Stir in the spinach, cover the skillet, and set aside to allow the spinach to wilt.
- Place the tofu, soy milk, lemon juice, basil, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to push everything down with a spoon several times between pulses so all the tofu gets evenly crumbled. When you reach a crumbly ricottaÂstyle consistency, spoon the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the sautéed vegetables and spinach until evenly combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9 × 13Âinch baking dish. Follow this with a layer of 4 overlapping lasagna noodles, then a layer of half of the tofu mixture. Repeat with another 1 ½ cups of the marinara, another layer of noodles, and the second half of the tofu mixture. End with another 1 ½ cups of the marinara and a final layer of noodles, and spread the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce on top, being sure to coat all the noodles.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Garnish with the basil leaves (if using).
Video
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook only to al dente or a little bite to them. They will continue to cook in the oven.
- Let it rest. Lasagna is much easier to cut once it sits for ten to fifteen minutes. This time lets the liquids settle and absorb so the individual slices stay together better.
- Choose the right tofu. Using super-firm tofu is best because it has the least amount of water so you won’t end up with a watery lasagna.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
I’ve made this several times now and always tweak a bit to improve ever so slightly (though hardly needed). Even though I use extra firm tofu, the lasagna was still coming out watery, so this time I patted each slice of tofu dry to remove more moisture before mashing and it was perfect! I absolutely love this lasagna and will be making it for years to come! 🙂 Thanks so much!
Thanks for the input! Lasagna is such a forever staple! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
I made regular lasagna for my staff but since I have a few vegan employees I made this one so they could enjoy too. The regular lasagna is always good but even my meat-loving employees raved about this vegan lasagna recipe and it was the first to be devoured. Who knew?!?
That is so awesome of you. So glad that everyone enjoyed this lasagna! It’s a winner!