The Best Vegan Lasagna

This Vegan Lasagna Recipe is the absolute best pasta dinner you’ve ever had. It’s such an ultimate cheesy comfort food dish that’s perfect for both the holidays and regular weeknights!

What Makes this Vegan Lasagna the Best?

I have been craving cheesy, sauce-filled comfort food lately, so I decided to make a Vegan Lasagna.

Don’t tell me you need me to convince you to make lasagna? Just kidding. I get that there are a lot of famous lasagna recipes out there, and the word ‘vegan’ might throw you off a little. However, trust me when I tell you that this lasagna is just as cheesy, saucy, and delicious as any other traditional lasagna recipe.

Here are a couple more reasons that this vegan lasagna stands out:

• It’s the Ultimate Comfort Food: If you’re having a bad day, there’s no way this vegan lasagna won’t turn it around for you. There’s just something about melty, gooey cheese and the aromatic nature of tomato sauce that brings smiles to faces! But, with this lasagna, you get the comfort you need with extra veggies mixed in (like eggplant). Don’t feel guilty about indulging a little!
• It’s Quick: You can have this lasagna on the table, warm from the oven, in just an hour! There are, of course, quicker dinner recipes out there, but for a filling, hearty, Italian-style meal, an hour isn’t too bad. And it’s doable on a weeknight, which is always a plus! Because, let’s be real, that’s when we need comfort food the most.
• It’s Great for Meal Prep: This vegan lasagna serves 9, so we almost always have leftovers, unless we have guests. Leftovers means delicious, easy workday/weekday lunches, and I’m all about that!

Notes on Ingredients

Time to talk key lasagna ingredients! Everything here is pretty standard, and should look similar to a traditional lasagna recipe, but there are a couple of switch-ups:

• Noodles: Obviously you’ll need some lasagna noodles for layering! (See tips section below for a quick note on this.) You can get no boil, standard, gluten free or even freshly made.
• Olive Oil: For sautéing the onion and eggplant cubes.
• Onion: I used a white onion for this lasagna, diced.
• Garlic: For extra flavor, minced.
• Eggplant: You’ll need to evenly cut and cube it before starting.
• Seasoning: Add a little sea salt, and a little ground black pepper.
• Vegan Meat Alternative Crumbles: I used Beyond Meat crumbles for this recipe.
• Tomato Sauce: You can use whatever brand of marinara sauce that you like.
• Vegan Ricotta: I made my own vegan ricotta, and if you want to I 100% recommend this one, but definitely buy some if you can because it’s quick and easy, and it tastes great.
• Shredded Vegan Mozzarella: I recommend Nurishh Mozzarella Style Shreds, Miyokos vegan mozzarella, Follow Your Heart or Daiya shreds.
• Basil: Optional. (This is for a garnish.)

How to Make Vegan Lasagna

I’ll make this quick, because I need you to get to getting to your kitchen to make this vegan lasagna. Lasagna tends to be a labor of love, but one that’s always worth it. This is what you’ll need to do to get it to the table:

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F and Cook the Noodles.

Sauté the Eggplant: While pasta is boiling (it took 10 minutes for me) heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the chopped eggplant, salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes until the eggplants is soft enough that the wooden spoon or spatula can slice right through it.

Cook the Vegan Meat: Add in the vegan beefless crumbles/veggie chunks/crumbled veggie burgers and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 minutes. Depending on yours, you may need to add a bit more salt at this point. Taste and add accordingly. Reduce heat to medium low, add in all the tomato sauces and stir to combine, for about 3 minutes. Taste and add salt accordingly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Begin Building the Lasagna: In a 13” x 9” pan, add 1/2 cup of “meat” marinara sauce mixture on the bottom and spread with a spatula to create an even bottom layer. Cover the bottom with about 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise, overlapping a bit. This will be your first layer.

Continue Building: Next, add about some of the “meat” marinara sauce mixture (just ensure you have enough for 4 even layers) and then 1/3 of the vegan ricotta, and about 1/3 of the remaining vegan mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Repeat layers until you’ve reached the top layer. Add the remaining meat sauce on top then sprinkle/spread the previously set aside 1 cup vegan mozzarella over it.

Bake: Cover the pan with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes covered. Then broil for about 3-5 minutes of low broil to brown the cheese on top. Top with basil, and allow to set up on the counter for about 10 minutes before cutting into slices. Cut into 9 or 12 even slices. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Success

If you’ve made it this far without your mouth watering, consider me impressed, because I haven’t!

But, anyway, back to our discussion of vegan lasagna, with some tips that you can implement to make this dinner even easier:

• Lasagna Noodle Tip: If you can find those no boil sheets, they are even easier to use than regular ones. They allow you to cut down on a step and save some time.
• Using Shredded vs Grated Cheese: Shreds are easier to measure out, but I always feel like using homemade cheese – or grating a block cheese – gives a more even melt.
• Add More Cheese: I added a whole lotta extra vegan mozzarella on the top because TREAT YO’ SELF and also lasagna is supposed to be an indulgent meal, so go ahead and indulge.

Serving Suggestions

Lasagna is a pretty filling dinner, but side dishes are still relevant here if you want them to be! These are a couple of things that I like to serve alongside my vegan lasagna:

• Vegetables: You can serve up sautéed veggies on the side, or add more into the lasagna if you want to. I like sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and even zucchini on the side of this meal.
• Bread: Make your favorite garlic knots/garlic bread recipe, or just add some slices of crusty bread on the side. Either are great options for soaking up that extra sauce!
• Salad: Salad goes with anything, and lasagna is no exception!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

You’ll want to store leftovers in an airtight container, and then eat them within 4-5 days. (No issues there, am I right?) To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and then bake until the lasagna is bubbly and warmed through – add extra cheese if necessary! (Pro Tip: It’s always necessary!)

Can I Freeze This?

Definitely. This lasagna can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. I like to store individual servings for easy lunches and dinners – I just have to let them thaw overnight in the fridge, and then reheat and enjoy!

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & I’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!

SEND IT!

Best Vegan Lasagna Recipe

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

This Vegan Lasagna Recipe is the absolute best pasta dinner you've ever had. It's such an ultimate cheesy comfort food dish that's perfect for both the holidays and regular weeknights!

5 (from 65 ratings)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

• 16 lasagna sheets
• 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sized white onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large eggplant, 14 ounces, evenly cut and cubed
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 9-12 ounces vegan meat alternative crumbles, I used Beyond Meat crumbles for this
• 42 ounces jar or can of tomato sauce, (you can grab a 28 ounce and a 14 ounce jar)
• 2 cups vegan ricotta
• 3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella
• basil for garnish, optional

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook lasagna noodles according to directions on the box, swirling every now and then so they don't stick together.
• Set aside a cup of vegan mozzarella cheese (this will be for the top layer).
• While pasta is boiling (it took 10 minutes for me) heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the chopped eggplant, salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes until the eggplants is soft enough that the wooden spoon or spatula can slice right through it.
• Add in the vegan beefless crumbles/veggie chunks/crumbled veggie burgers and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 minutes. Depending on yours, you may need to add a bit more salt at this point. Taste and add accordingly. Reduce heat to medium low, add in all the tomato sauces and stir to combine, for about 3 minutes. Taste and add salt accordingly. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a 13” x 9” pan, add 1/2 cup of “meat” marinara sauce mixture on the bottom and spread with a spatula to create an even bottom layer. Cover the bottom with about 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise, overlapping a bit. This will be your first layer.
• Next, add about some of the “meat” marinara sauce mixture (just ensure you have enough for 4 even layers) and then 1/3 of the vegan ricotta, and about 1/3 of the remaining vegan mozzarella on top of the ricotta.
• Repeat layers until you’ve reached the top layer. Add the remaining meat sauce on top then sprinkle/spread the previously set aside 1 cup vegan mozzarella over it.
• Cover the pan with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes covered. Then broil for about 3-5 minutes of low broil to brown the cheese on top. Top with basil, and allow to set up on the counter for about 10 minutes before cutting into slices. Cut into 9 or 12 even slices. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• Lasagna Noodle Tip: If you can find those no boil sheets, they are even easier to use than regular ones. They allow you to cut down on a step and save some time.
• Using Shredded vs Grated Cheese: Shreds are easier to measure out, but I always feel like using homemade cheese – or grating a block cheese – gives a more even melt.
• Add More Cheese: I added a whole lotta extra vegan mozzarella on the top because TREAT YO’ SELF and also lasagna is supposed to be an indulgent meal, so go ahead and indulge.

Serving Suggestions

Lasagna is a pretty filling dinner, but side dishes are still relevant here if you want them to be! These are a couple of things that I like to serve alongside my vegan lasagna:

• Vegetables: You can serve up sautéed veggies on the side, or add more into the lasagna if you want to. I like sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and even zucchini on the side of this meal.
• Bread: Make your favorite garlic knots/garlic bread recipe, or just add some slices of crusty bread on the side. Either are great options for soaking up that extra sauce!
• Salad: Salad goes with anything, and lasagna is no exception! I recommend making a small green salad to go with your lasagna.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

You’ll want to store leftovers in an airtight container, and then eat them within 4-5 days. (No issues there, am I right?) To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and then bake until the lasagna is bubbly and warmed through – add extra cheese if necessary! (Pro Tip: It’s always necessary!)

 

Can I Freeze This?

Definitely. This lasagna can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. I like to store individual servings for easy lunches and dinners – I just have to let them thaw overnight in the fridge, and then reheat and enjoy!

Calories: 343kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 1096mg, Potassium: 653mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 443IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 91mg, Iron: 3mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.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. Jessicainthekitchen.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.

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Dinner

Author: Jessica Hylton

More Vegan Dinner Ideas

Looking for more quick and easy dinner recipes? If so, I’ve got a few for you to try:

• Vegan Teriyaki Meatballs
• Quinoa Burgers
• Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings
• Vegan Chili
• Vegan Burritos