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    Vegan Lasagna | The Best Dairy Free Lasagna You Can Make

    Published: Jul 12, 2021 · By: Brendan Cunningham

    Jump to Recipe

    This vegan lasagna is loaded with healthy veggies, flavorful seasonings, and a creamy, cheesy-like sauce that ties it all together. It is so good that even non-vegans like it better than regular lasagna! Honestly, you won't find a better dairy free lasagna than this. 

    A white baking dish with vegan lasagna in it.

    THE BEST VEGAN LASAGNA 

    If you come from an Italian family, you know how big a role pasta plays at family meals. And when I think of Sunday dinner, I think of a big tray of lasagna. 

    But of course, regular lasagna has cheese and has a meat sauce more often than not - if only everyone knew how good dairy free lasagna could be.

    Well, after you make this recipe, they will. 

    This vegan lasagna recipe puts a delicious plant based twist on classic Italian lasagna. It combines sauteed veggies with roasted eggplant to create a plant-based tomato sauce. And the creamy cashew sauce gives this lasagna a subtle cheesiness that is oh so good. 

    Seriously, everyone who tries this vegan lasagna says they'd prefer it over regular lasagna any day of the week! 

    And the best part about this recipe might be that it takes just over an hour to make - typically, lasagna takes all day to make! 

    A baking dish filled with vegan lasagna. A few sliced of lasagna are taken out of the dish and a hand is holding a server above the dish with a piece of vegan lasagna on it.

    INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN LASAGNA

    You will need quite a few ingredients to bring this dairy free lasagna recipe together.

    But the combination of all the ingredients is what I think makes it so good!

    Here's what you'll need for the veggie sauce:  

    • 2 medium eggplants (cut in half)
    • 3 tablespoon oil
    • 3 cloves of garlic (crushed and sliced)
    • 2 onions (chopped)
    • 3-4 carrot sticks (chopped)
    • 2 celery sticks (chopped)
    • 1 ½ cup of mushrooms (chopped)
    • 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon of dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For the cashew "cheese" sauce:

    • 1 cup of raw cashews, soaked
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • ½ cup of water
    • Just over 3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
    • 1 clove garlic
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Vegan cheese for sprinkling

    And to complete the lasagna:

    • 6 lasagna noodles

    By the way, make sure to pick up extra cashews if you go to the store. You can use them to make this vegan mac and cheese and vegan alfredo sauce next!

    Also, if you are not a fan of one of the veggies or seasonings, feel free to leave them out!

    A white plate with slice of vegan lasagna on it. There is some arugula next to the piece of lasagna.

    HOW TO SOAK THE CASHEWS 

    As you may have noticed when looking over the ingredients, you will need to use raw cashews that have been soaked - this will soften the cashews up to blend more easily. 

    And if you've never done this before no need to worry. I have three tested methods you can use to make it a simple process. 

    Method 1: Soaking In Hot Water

    The first method is to soak your cashews in hot water.

    This is my preferred method since it only takes 30 minutes, and you can do it right before you cook.

    To do this, bring a pot of water to a boil. Then once it boils, turn off the heat, toss in the cashews, and cover the pot - keep the cashews in the pot for about 30 minutes. Then you'll drain and rinse the cashews and will be ready to go. 

    Method 2: Boiling the cashews

    The second method you can use is to boil the cashews.

    This will be the quickest option and works well if you are in a hurry or just want to make this lasagna ASAP.

    First, put your cashews in a pot and fill it with enough water to cover them. Then bring the water to a boil and continue boiling the cashews for 15 minutes. That's it - then again, you'll drain and rinse the cashews before you start the recipe. 

    Method 3: Soak Overnight

    The last method is soaking the cashews in water overnight.

    To do this, just put the cashews in a bowl of room temperature water and leave them in it overnight. Then before you need them, you'll rinse and drain the cashews. 

    With all of these methods, keep in mind that the longer you keep them in the water, the softer they'll be. So don't take the cashews out before the time is up.

    A white baking dish with vegan lasagna in it. The baking dish is on a white table cloth on a white counter.

    HOW TO MAKE VEGAN LASAGNA

    Lasagna can seem like an intimidating and challenging dish to make, but I'll be with you every step of the way.

    This recipe is broken up into super simple components, and you'll be able to make the perfect lasagna that will give you some serious bragging rights. 

    So, what are we waiting for? Let's get cooking! 

    STEP 1: PREPARING THE VEGGIES

    The first thing you will do is prepare your eggplants. Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C), then cut your eggplants in half and brush the sides with olive oil. 

    Next put your eggplants cut-side down on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the size of your eggplants - you will roast them just until they start to shrivel and are tender to touch with a fork. 

    Once they are as described above, remove them from the oven and let them cool. 

    A white baking dish filled with vegan lasagna.

    STEP 2: COOKING THE VEGGIES

    Next, add oil to a pan and put it over medium heat. Once the oil starts sizzling, toss in the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook the veggies until the onion becomes translucent.

    Then, scoop out the flesh from the eggplant - discard the skin - and add the eggplant along with your mushrooms to the pan. Cook until the veggies are golden on the edges, and then add the tomatoes and all the spices.

    Simmer for about 30 minutes, occasionally stirring - then lower the heat until you are ready to assemble the lasagna. 

    While the veggie sauce is simmering, you can make the cashew sauce.

    STEP 3: MAKING THE CASHEW CHEESE SAUCE

    So, you should have soaked your cashews liked we talked about earlier, and at this time, you can drain them. 

    Then combine your cashews with the lemon juice, water, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender. 

    Blend at the highest speed until the ingredients have turned into a silky smooth mixture. If the mixture is too thick, add 2-4 tablespoons of water and blend again. 

    A baking dish with vegan lasagna in it. There is a piece of vegan lasagna hovering over the dish on a server.

    STEP 4: COMPLETING YOUR VEGAN LASAGNA

    Now it's time to assemble this vegan lasagna! Before assembling, preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C). 

    First, cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish or lasagna tray with a thin layer of vegan butter or olive oil. 

    Then spoon just enough of the veggie sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Next, add a lasagna noodle on top, cover it with the cashew sauce, and sprinkle the top with vegan cheese. 

    Repeat the layers of veggie sauce, lasagna noodles, cashew sauce, and vegan cheese until you're out of lasagna noodles. Then, once you're finished, cover the top with more veggie sauce, cashew sauce, and vegan cheese. 

    Lastly, cover with foil and bake your lasagna in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. 

    Make sure to let it cool a little before serving and enjoy! 

    A white plate with vegan lasagna and arugula on it. There is a tray of lasagna behind the plate on a white counter.

    STORING YOUR VEGAN LASAGNA 

    Something I love about this recipe is it makes 10 servings and tastes incredible leftover! 

    So if you and your family, friends, or whoever you share this recipe with didn't polish off the dish, you can enjoy it for the days to come. And this recipe is also great for meal prep if you plan to save it all for yourself. 

    You can keep your vegan lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or, to keep it longer, you can freeze it for up to 6 months - just thaw in the fridge before reheating. 

    REHEATING YOU LASAGNA 

    Then to reheat, my favorite way is to heat the lasagna in a skillet. To do this, place a slice or two in a large skillet and add ¼ cup of water. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until the water starts to simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook until warm. 

    You could also reheat in the oven - just put the amount you want in a baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil. Then warm in the oven at 325°F (160°C) for about 15-30 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature.

    And for the quickest method, place in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed all the way through. 

    A white plate with a piece of vegan lasagna on it.

    WRAPPING IT ALL UP

    That is how you make the best vegan lasagna!

    Next time you have a family dinner or get together, you have to whip up this dairy free lasagna - everyone will be impressed that you made lasagna from scratch and be blown away by how tasty it is.

    And you might just turn a few people vegan after they get a taste of this plant-based deliciousness. 

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy this vegan lasagna recipe as much as I do! Make sure to leave a comment below if you make it - I'd love to hear how it turns out. 

    Print

    Vegan Lasagna | The Best Dairy Free Lasagna You Can Make

    A white plate with a piece of vegan lasagna on it.
    Print Recipe

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    This vegan lasagna is loaded with healthy veggies, flavorful seasonings, and a creamy, cheesy-like sauce that ties it all together. It is so good that even non-vegans like it better than regular lasagna! Honestly, you won't find a better dairy free lasagna than this. 

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 60 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    • Yield: 10 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Vegan

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Veggie Sauce:  

    2 medium eggplants (cut in half)

    3 tablespoon oil

    3 gloves of garlic (crushed and sliced)

    2 onions (chopped)

    3-4 carrots (chopped)

    2 celery sticks (chopped)

    1 ½ cup (200g) of mushrooms (chopped)

    2 cans (800ml) of chopped tomatoes

    1 teaspoon cumin

    1 teaspoon paprika

    ½ teaspoon of dried parsley

    ½ teaspoon of dried oregano

    salt and pepper to taste

    Cashew "Cheese" Sauce:

    1 cup (150g) of raw cashews, soaked

    2 tablespoons lemon juice

    ½ cup (120ml) of water

    Just over 3 tbsp. (30g) nutritional yeast

    1 clove garlic

    Salt and pepper to taste

    Vegan cheese for sprinkling

    Other:

    6 lasagna noodles

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
    2. Brush the cut sides of the eggplants with the olive oil. Put the eggplants cut-side down on a baking sheet and place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until they just start to shrivel. The flesh should be fork tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool. 
    3. Add oil in a pan, once it starts sizzling toss in onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook over medium heat until onion becomes translucent.
    4. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skin from eggplant. Add eggplants and mushrooms and cook until the veggies are golden on the edges. Add tomatoes and spices and let it simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and continue cooking. 
    5. Drain the cashews then combine the cashews, lemon juice, water, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper in a high speed blender and blend until silky smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 2-4 more tablespoons of water and blend again.
    6. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish or lasagna tray with a thin layer of vegan butter or oil. Spoon just enough vegetable mixture into the baking pan to lightly cover the bottom. Add lasagna noodles, and cover with cashew sauce, sprinkle with vegan cheese. Repeat the layers until you're finish and cover with vegetables sauce, cheese sauce and vegan cheese on top. 
    7. Bake the lasagna in the oven at 360°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool down before serving. Decorate with fresh parsley or basil on top.

    Notes

    The scale up function does not change the gram measurements.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 207.5
    • Fat: 9.8
    • Carbohydrates: 24.5
    • Fiber: 4.2
    • Protein: 6.1

    Keywords: vegan lasagna recipe, vegan lasagna, how to make vegan lasagna, the best vegan lasagna, dairy free vegan lasagna. plant based lasagna, plant based lasagna recipe, dairy free lasagna recipe, vegan lasagna recipe easy, vegan lasagna recipe eggplant, vegan lasagna eggplant, vegan lasagna cashew, dairy and egg free lasagna, dairy and soy free lasagna, lasagna vegan, vegan dairy free lasagna, lasagna vegan recipe, lasagna vegan easy, lasagna vegan white sauce

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