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This rich and hearty vegan lasagna recipe serves up delicious layers of marinara sauce, creamy and veggie-packed tofu ricotta cheese with spinach, and tender lasagna noodles in every bite. It’s made without any dairy cheese, so it’s a comforting and crowd-pleasing family or holiday dinner everyone can enjoy. Plus, it’s easy to make ahead and freeze for later!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Spinach Vegan Lasagna Recipe!
- The Ingredients and Substitutes
- What Could I Add to This Vegan Spinach Tofu Lasagna?
- How to Make Vegan Lasagna with Spinach
- FAQs for Dairy-Free Lasagna
- Toni’s Recipe Tips for Vegan Lasagna
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions for Dairy-Free Lasagna
- More Vegan Variations on Lasagna!
- Vegan Lasagna Recipe
Why You’ll Love this Spinach Vegan Lasagna Recipe!
My friend Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan created this vegan lasagna recipe for our book, The Friendly Vegan Cookbook, and it’s super easy to prepare with wholesome and hearty ingredients. All you need to make this vegetarian spinach lasagna recipe are a handful of simple, budget-friendly basics. I also kept this recipe easy to make with only 3 layers: (1) boiled lasagna noodles; (2) store-bought or homemade marinara sauce; and (3) spinach and vegetable tofu ricotta cheese.
Feel free to customize the layers any way you like, too. Add vegan cheese, vegan meat, or play with the veggies! There’s no limit to the ways you can make this classic comfort food your own. Then simply bake the dairy-free lasagna for 45 minutes, leaving you with a gooey and delicious meal for the whole family. Bonus: it makes easy-to-store leftovers for later. The whole lasagna or individual pieces can be frozen and reheated anytime you need a crowd-pleasing meal in a pinch.
Looking for more comforting vegan dinners? My vegan lentil bolognese and easy chickpea stew are two more family favorites.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
This easy vegan lasagna recipe is made from simple ingredients that are easy to find during a quick trip to the grocery store:
- Lasagna noodles: Choose standard size lasagna noodles that need to be boiled first. Most boxed dried noodles are egg-free, but check the ingredients to be sure.
- Olive oil: For sauteing the vegetables. Its flavor goes well with the Italian flavors in this vegan spinach lasagna.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, zucchini, and mushrooms add heartiness and flavor. For the mushrooms, I prefer white or button, but cremini are great, too.
- Garlic: I recommend fresh cloves of garlic for the best flavor.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach works great and doesn’t have all the excess water typically found in frozen.
- Super-firm tofu: It has 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 a little tang and flavor to the tofu ricotta.
- Basil: You can use dried or fresh. The recipe card has the right amount for each. Dried basil is an easy pantry staple, and if you buy fresh, save a few leaves to garnish the lasagna before serving.
- Marinara sauce: Use any flavor, store-bought or my homemade vegan spaghetti sauce.
You must make the tofu ricotta with super firm tofu or extra firm tofu. These varieties have the least amount of water, so they won’t make the vegan ricotta or your lasagna watery.
What Could I Add to This Vegan Spinach Tofu Lasagna?
- Cashew cream: Make my homemade cashew cream and pour it over the tomato sauce layers in the lasagna.
- Alfredo sauce: My vegan alfredo sauce would be delicious here, too!
- Bechamel sauce: Or, to keep with tradition, make vegan bechamel sauce instead. I included a dairy-free bechamel recipe, seasoned with nutritional yeast, in the FAQs below.
- Vegan ground beef: Saute your favorite store-bought vegan ground beef in a skillet, then stir it into the marinara sauce.
- Red lentils: Simmer 1 cup of red lentils until soft, then stir them into the marinara sauce for a boost of plant protein.
- Italian seasoning: Season the tofu ricotta or marinara sauce with 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Italian seasoning for a fresher, more herbaceous flavor.
- More veggies: Add sauteed carrot strips, green peas, corn kernels, roasted garlic, chopped kale, diced bell peppers, or any other veggies you like!
- Vegan cheese: Shredded vegan cheese on top of the lasagna or in between the layers will yield extra cheesy results. Yum!
- Vegan white lasagna: If you’re a bigger fan of white lasagna recipes, feel free to ditch the marinara sauce and replace it with a double batch of the vegan bechamel recipe in the FAQs below. Top the lasagna with shredded vegan mozzarella cheese, then bake as normal.
How to Make Vegan Lasagna with Spinach
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.
Step 1: Cook the onion, zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic in a large oiled skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Once the veggies are soft and tender, stir in the spinach and cover the skillet with a lid. Then take it off the heat and set it aside until the spinach wilts.
Step 3: Meanwhile, make the tofu ricotta cheese by blending the tofu, plant milk, lemon juice, basil, and salt in a food processor. Blend until it’s somewhat smooth but still a bit crumbly.
Step 4: Spoon the tofu ricotta and spinach vegetable mixture into a large bowl. Then toss to combine.
Step 5: Start assembling the lasagna. First, spread some marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a baking dish.
Step 6: Add a layer of cooked vegan lasagna noodles on top of the marinara.
Step 7: Spread half of the vegan ricotta on top of the noodles. Smooth it out with the back of the spoon.
Step 8: Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 until you run out of noodles/sauce/ricotta. Finally, make sure the lasagna is finished with marinara sauce on top.
Step 9: Bake the dairy-free lasagna until the noodles are cooked through. Once baked, garnish with fresh basil leaves, then serve and enjoy.
FAQs for Dairy-Free Lasagna
Yes, dairy-free lasagna is a wonderful make-ahead meal! Simply bake it as normal, then, once it’s completely cool, cover the baking dish and freeze the lasagna for up to 3 months. Let it thaw before reheating or reheat it from frozen in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 1 hour or until it’s warmed through.
Yes, no-boil lasagna noodles work just as well here. I recommend using an additional ½ cup of marinara sauce per layer, though. The extra sauce will help the noodles soften and cook properly.
Not always. Most dried lasagna noodles are egg-free, but some brands are made with eggs, so check the ingredients on the box to be sure. It’s best to stick with egg-free plant-based lasagna noodles or whole wheat lasagna noodles for this vegan lasagna recipe. Or, if you’re gluten-free, use your favorite vegan and gluten-free lasagna noodles instead.
Yes! This lasagna doesn’t use any cheese at all. The creamy layers come from a tofu ricotta made with super-firm tofu, soy milk, lemon juice, basil, and salt, so you still get rich, cheesy-tasting bites.
Yes, go ahead and add dairy-free bechamel sauce to the top layer or in between the noodles for creamier, ‘cheesier’ bites.
To make vegan bechamel, melt 2 Tablespoons of vegan butter in a skillet over medium heat, then stir in 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour until it turns into a paste. Pour in 1 ½ cups of plant-based milk, bit by bit, stirring or whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Repeat until you’ve used all the plant-based milk.
Simmer the flour and plant milk mixture until it thickens into a creamy sauce. Then season it with a generous pinch of salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and nutritional yeast. Pour it over the lasagna, then bake as normal.
Toni’s Recipe Tips for Vegan Lasagna
- Don’t overcook the noodles: Boil the pasta noodles until they’re just al dente or still have a little bite to them. They’ll cook further in the oven, so there’s no need to boil them until they’re completely cooked.
- Rinse the noodles: After draining the cooking water, rinse the lasagna noodles under cold running water to prevent them from cooking further and sticking together.
- Let the lasagna rest: The lasagna will be easier to slice and less messy when you let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes after baking.
Serving Suggestions
Don’t hold back, and treat yourself to a generous slice of spinach lasagna, either by itself or with:
- Bread: Whether fresh yummy garlic bread, vegan focaccia bread, or a basket of homemade dinner rolls.
- Salad: Pairs well with a simple leafy green salad, like this vegan Caesar salad or an easy tomato caprese salad.
- Cooked veggies: Try it with sauteed asparagus or rosemary potatoes.
Storage Instructions for Dairy-Free Lasagna
Fridge: Let the leftover lasagna cool to room temperature, then store it in the covered baking dish or an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Baked lasagna, either the whole pan or individual servings, can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow any frozen leftovers to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat lasagna, warm the individual slices in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or place the whole lasagna in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until it’s warmed through.
More Vegan Variations on Lasagna!
Vegan Dinners
Vegan Eggplant Lasagna
Vegan Dinners
Vegan Lasagna Soup
Vegan Dinners
Tofu Fillets with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce
If you tried this vegan lasagna recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Vegan Lasagna Recipe
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Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles standard size, enough for 3 layers
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion diced
- 1 small zucchini diced
- 1 cup (70 g) sliced button mushrooms
- 4 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 6 ounces (170 g) fresh spinach
- 2 (16-ounce / 454 g) blocks super-firm tofu patted dry and cut into chunks for easy blending
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened plain soy milk
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
- 5 cups (1.2 L) 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 sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly softened. Turn 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 ricotta-style 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 (175 degrees C).
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch 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).
Notes
- Boil the pasta noodles until they’re just al dente or still have a little bite to them. They’ll cook further in the oven, so there’s no need to boil them until they’re completely cooked.
- After draining the cooking water, rinse the lasagna noodles under cold running water to prevent them from cooking further and sticking together.
- The lasagna will be easier to slice and less messy when you let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes after baking.
- Thank you to Michelle Cehn for developing this recipe.
Best lasagna recipe I’ve tried!
That’s so awesome! So glad you enjoyed this easy vegan lasagna 🙂
This came out terrific! I followed the advice of another commenter and added a can of black olives to the mix just before putting the lasagna together.
Love that. So glad you enjoyed the lasagna 🙂
I was wondering since I don’t have a processor, would I be able to crumble the tofu up enough with my hands. Definitely want to try the recipe.
That should work too 🙂 Let us know how it turns out for you!
The whole family enjoyed it! Great recipe 😊
That’s so awesome to hear! It’s a hit at our house too! 🙂
Can this lasagna be frozen after cooked. Or can you freeze it before cooking for a later date
Yes! You can freeze it after cooking for up to 3 months 🙂
This is absolutely delicious! Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing recipe!
Right?! This lasagna is the best!
Hi Toni, I’m most definitely going to try this Vegan Lasagna!!! It looks sooo delicious 😋!!! TFS!!!
We hope you enjoy it! It’s absolutely delicious!
The best lasagna!
Thank you so much for making it and for taking the time to leave a rating! I’m so happy it was a hit.
Amazing…I’m new to vegan cooking, and so glad I found you! I learned so much making this! Your lemon loaf is already a family favorite.
That’s so awesome to hear! Toni has the best vegan recipes!
Can I assemble this the day before, but not bake until the next day?
Hi! We haven’t tried that out yet but 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.
Have you ever made this with the note cook noodles? Can I use almond milk instead of soy milk?
We at Plant-Based on a Budget haven’t given that a try to can’t guarantee the results for the noodles or the milk sub. If you end up giving it a go, please let us know how it goes!
Delicious. Thank you. My guest enjoyed it.
So glad you guys gave it a go and enjoyed it!
This is delicious!!! I made it last night and really enjoyed it. I added some chopped black olives to give it the umami flavor that I miss from cheese.
Also, I discovered years ago that it’s not necessary to pre-cook regular lasagna noodles. I made your recipe as instructed, except instead of pre-cooking the noodles, I baked the assembled lasagna for an hour instead of 45 minutes. Turned out perfect!
That’s great to know! So glad you gave the recipe a go and enjoyed it! 🙂
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!